The Joy Women Bring to Car Culture
Including women makes the hobby better for all of us.
CARS OFFER WOMEN the chance to find community, learn new skills and enjoy personal freedom and fun they otherwise might feel too guilty to pursue. That was the sentiment of four women automotive content creators during our panel discussion and book release party for Your Mom Races Rally by Kelly Conroy, an inspiring tale of her journey to re-discover fun after losing her identity to motherhood. Today, the video of that panel discussion is live and I’m excited to share it below.
The panel was held on March 8th, on International Women’s Day, and Conroy along with panelists Elana Scherr and Leslie Hanna, with moderator Mara Balagtas McIlwrath, were eager to share all that car culture has done for their lives. Their stories illustrated the many ways cars have helped them grow, feel strong and empowered, and encouraged them to try new things and overcome fears.
They also discussed the obstacles they’ve faced in male-dominated circles, and the hurdles that are still left to overcome. And that’s where car culture as a whole comes in. Because if car culture is truly about people, and this community is made stronger by welcoming in those eager to learn and contribute, then we all have an obligation to rewrite the rules to include women from the onset.
During that panel, I watched a crowd of about 100 people regularly laugh, cheer or be moved to tears in a way I haven’t seen at car culture events before. The focus moved away from the mechanical (although there was plenty of excellent engineering and maintenance advice) and toward the communal. It moved toward discussions of pursuing fun, prioritizing joy, and minimizing guilt — of feeling okay doing something for yourself when you’ve been taught that doing so is selfish.
Conroy talked about the nature of matrifocal societies. Matriarchal or patriarchal structures are built on dominance, while a matrifocal structure rejects dominance of any group over another. Instead, it’s centered around mothers and emphasizes equal care for everyone. The idea that everyone inherently belongs.
That may seem like a radical concept. And to be honest, given 100+ years of a hobby and industry dominated by men in every conceivable way, it is radical to suggest a more equitable structure. Women were famously barred from the Indianapolis 500 pits until 1971, and crash test dummies based on women weren’t used in testing until late last year. That may seem like old news, but to hear stories from Hanna about the comments directed at her body and appearance, or reporting from Scherr about drag racing rules that would inadvertently penalize women who become pregnant, is to recognize the many invisible ways that women face issues in the car world that never come up for men at all.
For me personally, it becomes so obvious that it would be very easy to make car culture more hospitable. All it would really take is consideration and inclusion which, in my opinion, is not all that much to ask. I don’t think we should burn it all down and start over — I think we should all look for small ways we can make a difference. Invite someone; encourage someone; stick up for someone. In return, over time, car culture as a community will gain so much added joy and value.
Women have been heavily involved in car culture and motorsports from the beginning. History is littered with stories like that of Alice Ramsey, the first woman to drive across America, or Lucy Schell, the only woman to own a winning Grand Prix team. These and many others are moving and inspiring stories of incredible determination and triumph. What we’re talking about, instead, is a broader more general acceptance that makes the culture more inviting for all.
A great example is the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit, coming up this August. DirtFish has championed women’s participation in racing for a very long time (and sponsored our event with a half-day class for one lucky attendee), alongside other powerful organizations like Women in Motorsports North America and more. I don’t want to take away from the incredible work that these organizations and thousands of other passionate individuals contribute to increase women’s participation.
But it’s impossible to read Your Mom Races Rally, or watch the video above, and not think about the women in your life who could benefit from the excitement and fulfillment that motorsports and car culture have brought to the panelists. To think about our mothers, our wives, our sisters and daughters and people we’ll never even meet. The more joy we create for those people, the more joy they’ll bring to the community we already love. And that’s reason enough to try.
Follow all four panelists on Instagram:
Kelly Conroy — @yourmomracesrally
Elana Scherr — @challengeher
Leslie Hanna — @lesliedriven
Mara Balagtas McIlwrath — @marafili
Should we host more panel discussions? Or schedule a Part II to this one? Leave an idea for the next group or topic in the comments below.
That’s all for today. Stay tuned as we work on bringing Race Day up to speed, and don’t forget to order our latest books here. Have a great day!
Check out Carrara Media on Instagram and Facebook, and visit our store to order one of our automotive books and eBooks for any enthusiast.
They bring joy to all culture.
Well said... I've never understood the need for all of the animosity toward females in car culture or motorsports in general; The inclusion of women shouldn't even require thought, and anything else is just another form of gatekeeping. Look at Tour Auto or Goodwood... both have female drivers AND co-drivers, not to mention WEC. If you're that against women in car culture, the Iron Dames may just want to have a few words with you :)