It’s not us, it’s you — the real reason women are underrepresented in the car community
Hint: it’s misogyny.
Content note: this post contains images that depict implied sexuality and violence against women.
I remember a few years ago, I was sitting with the guys in my local car club. We organize autocross events in Southwestern Ontario, which, for the record is about the most fun you can have in a car with your clothes on. We were debating the merits of keeping our women’s trophy at the time, which until I showed up, hadn’t been awarded in several years.
“We’ve really tried over the years to get more women involved, I don’t understand why it’s not working.”
I remember one of the guys saying “we’ve really tried over the years to get more women involved, I don’t understand why it’s not working.” The sentiment was genuine, and as the only woman at the table, I remember everyone’s eyes shifting to me, as if I, the lone girl, could magically solve this problem for them. I couldn’t.
Fast forward to last spring. After a year of setbacks with my first race car that ended with a trip to the scrap yard, I had a brand-new-to-me 1995 Del Sol that was perfect in every way, and I was off to the races again. I had picked up my first GoPro, and was thrilled to share my autocross adventures online. I wanted to share my love of the sport, encourage more people to give it a try, and get feedback from more seasoned pros on how I could get faster. I joined the CarThrottle community, and within a month, I was chased out. The worst of the harassment came from boys who spend more time standing by their cars than driving them. But the striking blow was when the moderators wouldn’t address the harassment and objectification of women in general. So I left.
The striking blow was when the moderators wouldn’t address the harassment and objectification of women in general.
This week, as I scrolled through my facebook feed, I got to witness this gem, and my blood began to boil.
First, I mentally filed it away in the back of my brain with photos like this:
This:
And this:
“Those are just assholes on the internet!” you cry. There are assholes on the internet in any community or subculture!
But then I started to think about all the times car makers have used blatant sexism to shill their products to presumed straight, male customers.
Like this:
Or this:
And then I started to think about women automotive journalists like Alanis King. Who routinely has to deal with harassment from men who try to discredit her authority in the industry just because she’s a woman. Or the fact that without her voice on the Jalopnik team, would anyone have ever thought to cover this story, aptly titled “Here’s some more exhausting bullshit about women in racing.”
All the times YouTube users comment how genuinely surprised they are to find out I’m a girl.
Trying, unsuccessfully, to find racing shoes in women’s sizes.
When I’m told “You’re pretty fast for a girl.”
The days spent visiting friends’ garages where I get to see half-naked pin-up girls plastered on every wall.
When I have to bite my tongue, because the fight isn’t worth it when someone says “Danika is a mediocre driver, she only gets the level of attention she does because she’s a women.” I know without a doubt, no one would ever say that about any male driver, no matter how mediocre.
The community as a whole is undeniably a misogynistic cesspool.
Without a doubt, the automotive community in general is not a woman-friendly space. While I’ve absolutely met some of my best friends in this community, and have had many male mentors, instructors, and fellow racers who always treat me with respect and like an equal, the community as a whole is undeniably a misogynistic cesspool.
It’s the culmination of all of these micro-aggressions that signal to women that we don’t belong. That we are objects to be collected like classic cars. That we belong in bikinis on the sidelines cheering on the men. That this is not our kitchen.
To any dude out there who ever feels the need to ask “where are all the women?” Look at the decals on your car. Look at the memes you like and share online. Look at pin up girls in your garage, and at the joke you cracked at a meet last week about “real” car girls. You, are the reason women are underrepresented in this community. It’s you, not us.
Look at the decals on your car. Look at the memes you like and share online. Look at pin up girls in your garage, and the joke you cracked at a meet last week about “real” car girls. You, are the reason women are underrepresented in this community. It’s you, not us.
But, I’m not here to berate the men folk. And I know there are many men in this community who want to know how to do better, how to be more inclusive. So here’s where you can do, and it’s a pretty short list.
1. Treat women like human beings not objects.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Because surprise (!) respecting women and liking cars are not things that are mutually exclusive.
