Female Car Enthusiasts

[Katiegan]

Female car enthusiasts. We're few and far between. But why? Why is the automotive industry a male dominanted environment? Why are car girls seen as 'rare breeds'? Why is it surprising to find a girl genuinely interested in cars?

This article written by Speedhunters writer Taryn Croucher made me think about it. Whenever a girl who likes cars bursts on to the scene, everyone usually freaks out. I've had it a lot. Guys are intrigued, some instantaneously decide to hit on you, some back away in fear of being in the presence of an actual girl who actually likes cars. But why is this so? And why, in this day and age where sexism appears to be a thing of the past, are girls still treated differently in the automotive world?

Is it because girls are seen as 'weak', and 'don't want to get their nails dirty'? Why are we called 'female car enthusiasts' instead of just car enthusiasts? You guys don't call yourselves a 'male car enthusiast', do you? You just automatically presume a car enthusiast is male. Is it because parents are bringing up their children to fit in with the gender stereotype? It seems only girls with car-related backgrounds turn out to be car girls. How can we get more girls interested in these exciting, loud, spine-tingling metallic monsters of pure joy? How can we make the car scene a more female friendly environment?

Discuss.

 

[Slash]

I think it's more so because it's a major part of guys lives and to find someone who shares that in common with them, makes it a big deal. Most girls don't give a crap about cars so when you find someone who is, it's kind of a big deal. It's a big deal to guys because shared interests mean a lot to us.

 

[Blood Eagle]

It's all rhetorical. You like what you like.

 

[Jet Badger]

Is it because parents are bringing up their children to fit in with the gender stereotype?

I think here you answered it.

And later in life people naturally try to adhere to the stereotypes to fit in with the society and it's expectations from them.

 

[daan]

There are no female car enthusiasts and there are no girls on the internet.

Lalalala, I can't hear you.

 

[sems4arsenal]

I have nothing to add except I love Taryn and her awesome Datsun.

Also this is a bit like in gaming.

 

[RACECAR]

In some instances, I would definately put it down to gender stereotypes. There are actually Women in the car or racing like Delena Harvick, wife of Kevin Harvick, who were as children being forced into Gender Stereotype despite being not at all interested in the stereotypical things a girl likes. For some Males, its a genuine shock. All they've ever seen or been around is a Male dominated environment, partially because of that same Gender Stereotype and partially that's all they've ever seen so a Female Car enthusiasts is out of the blue for them.

As far as the ones that back away, I can only really think of two reasons:

1. The idea that Girls shouldn't be into cars (which as much of a modern society as we are in, that sort've thinking still exists)
2. The doubt that they actually are car enthusiasts, which is more then likely bought on by the Girls who pretend they are interested purely just for attention (Kinda like those Girls who pretend they're gamers, Nevermind the only game they play is the one that's the most popular).

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

I have to second the argument for gender stereotypes. Kids are typically taught from a young age that boys are meant to enjoy hands on, physical activities and jobs, whereas girls are meant to enjoy more delicate stuff instead. Is this right? Of course not, that's just the viewpoint that society has and expects, which most parents teach their kids and that's that. Cars are seen as complicated, dirty pieces of machinery that can be fiddled with; hence its assigned to the boys as being a hobby for them, not the supposedly prissy girls.

However, as you mentioned, being in a family with a car-related background massively shapes your viewpoint and interests which sticks with you. This isn't just related to girls who like cars, it can be assigned to anyone who likes something out of their expected 'orb' so to speak and has family/people close to them who share that interest as well. One of my male friends is into ballet. A girl I used to know from school goes up to the gun range every weekend. Both have family into those and both were deemed way out of their expected interests, yet struggled to get on with the stuff they were expected to like.

To avoid writing an entire sociology essay, it just basically winds down to it being a fairly rare occurrence, hence why people act differently to it. Of course, in an ideal situation, it wouldn't even be brought up and everyone would just carry on as normal. In sociological terms however, the very concept of a female liking a grounded interest and knowledge in cars just seems too 'contemporary' for modern society, which is why people often back off because they're not sure on what to do, as stupid as it sounds.

 

[Robin]

It all starts with parents buying their daughter a doll and their son and toy car.... and it goes from there... conformity.

 

[Danny]

The key problem is that lot of Motorsport and car-based events (races, shows, exhibitions etc) happen around fields or grasslands, making it really hard to walk in stilettos and a pencil skirt.

 

[Lizard]

Because we still tell boys and girls from birth that they should aspire to do certain things. The difference is now that there isn't a unmovable rule about it but it is still encouraged.

It is like I can't be overly interested in fashion (I mean more than just buying a branded shirt or shoes) or I am "gay".

 

[Dennisch]

The key problem is that lot of Motorsport and car-based events (races, shows, exhibitions etc) happen around fields or grasslands, making it really hard to walk in stilettos and a pencil skirt.

That never stopped you from doing it.

 

[Wolfe]

It's not all the fault of parents and societal pressure.

When offered the choice of playing with either a doll or a toy truck, girls will typically pick the doll and boys will opt for the truck. This isn't just because society encourages girls to be nurturing and boys to be active, as people once thought. In experiments, male adolescent monkeys also prefer to play with wheeled vehicles while the females prefer dolls — and their societies say nothing on the matter.

...

...According to Alexander, one possibility is that girls have evolved to perceive social stimuli, such as people, as very important, while the perceived worth of social stimuli (and thus, dolls that look like people) is weaker in boys.

Boys, meanwhile, tend to develop superior spatial navigation abilities. "Multiple studies in humans and primates shows there is a substantial male advantage in mental rotation, which is taking an object and rotating it in the mind," Wallen said. "It could be that manipulating objects like balls and wheels in space is one way this mental rotation gets more fully developed."

This is purely speculative, Wallen said, but boys' superior spatial abilities have been tied to their traditional role as hunters. "The general theory is that well-developed skills in mental rotation allowed long distance navigation: using an egocentric system where essentially you navigate using your perception of your location in 3D space," he said. "This might have facilitated long distance hunting parties."

 

[Lizard]

That happened purely because again the female monkey is expected to care for the children by the male monkeys.

 

[Exorcet]

That happened purely because again the female monkey is expected to care for the children by the male monkeys.

Could not tell if sarcasm.

Biological differences are hardwired to a degree. That's not the only test like this. I've seen a similar one that involved separating young children from mothers (by way of a small barrier). Males were more likely to take aggressive action against the barrier. The children were too young to know anything about society expectations.

General trends say nothing about individuals though, and if people are shocked when they see someone defying gender roles it can be due to ignorance of the above fact. I'm fairly sure that along with biology, society plays a part in shaping individual interests though. If you want to do something about it, then catch yourself well you fall prey to stereotyping and correct yourself.

About getting more girls interested in cars, I say don't bother with that specific goal. While the population might be a 50/50 split, that doesn't mean that the composition of the group known as "car enthusiasts" is the same. If someone likes cars, foster that interest without regard to the person's sex. It should be the same for everything. If you're in a minority group, the general trends might not make complete sense to you, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong.

 

[Robin]

The key problem is that lot of Motorsport and car-based events (races, shows, exhibitions etc) happen around fields or grasslands, making it really hard to walk in stilettos and a pencil skirt.

Never stopped them walking around at Ascot or the Henley regatta!

 

[TenEightyOne]

The key problem is that lot of Motorsport and car-based events (races, shows, exhibitions etc) happen around fields or grasslands, making it really hard to walk in stilettos and a pencil skirt.

Infantile/ironic humour aside; they still manage to get the PR girls there, right?

 

[Dotini]

During WWII, my mother knew and attended college with Denise McCluggage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_McCluggage

In 1961, while attending 7th grade math class, I became involved with the attractive teacher, Beverly, who raced her MG-A sports car on weekends. She took me to the local track in her cold and drafty race-prepped MG, raced, and drove us home. Of course I didn't fall in love with her, but I was intoxicated by the sights, sounds and smells of racing sports cars. (They all used Castrol R back then) Last time I saw Beverly, she had been divorced twice and was involved in Jazz music performances.

I raced cars and karts from '68-'12. In my last race, I would not have won if Liz Fisher had not suffered a loose spring snagged in her tire, punctured and retired.

These are examples to show that all knowledgeable enthusiasts know that females have been continuously represented amongst themselves. Not a terribly major presence, but a steady one.

What is their motivation? Most women know that racing is merely going around in circles. So I conclude they are motivated by the men.

 

[Zenith]

Here's a decent article about it.

 

[Katiegan]

Here's a decent article about it.

I linked that same article in the OP.

That comic is a good example of this gender stereotype we have going on, though.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Sadly, it is true that girls are generally brought up to like "girly" things. I also think that some of it has to do with the fact that there is a fair bit of ingrained sexism in the car enthusiast community. When have you seen male models on the grid of a race? I've never heard of grid guys, but grid girls are very common.

 

[Bopop4]

Sadly, it is true that girls are generally brought up to like "girly" things. I also think that some of it has to do with the fact that there is a fair bit of ingrained sexism in the car enthusiast community. When have you seen male models on the grid of a race? I've never heard of grid guys, but grid girls are very common.

Well I'm no model but I've been an umbrella guy.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Well I'm no model but I've been an umbrella guy.

Have you really?

So that explains that.

 

[Bopop4]

Have you really?

So that explains that.

Round 3 of the Canadian Pro Sportbike Championship, I felt so pretty. ^_^

That pic is totally not me and I was totally not in on it...


<_<
>_>

 

[CodeRedR51]

I know a girl that's big into cars, she's got a 2nd gen Supra she's doing a built 2JZ install on at this very moment. Worked with her at my last job, and although we had a little misunderstanding where she wouldn't talk to me for a while, it all worked out and we get along just fine now. I'd say it's a dream for a lot of guys to find a girl that shares their passion for all things automotive (guilty), but it's just so rare that when one does pop up it's hard not to show interest.

 

[Cano]

It certainly attracts attention. I know a couple that are into F-Bodys, they have been married for a good while and have two daughters. He drives a lightly modded 4th-gen Trans Am and she a strictly stock because she wants to preserve it 4th-gen Camaro. They always go to the dragstrip and the track together and you can usually see them driving their cars together, and both drive pretty well I might add. Some guys get really surprised when they see a girl in the golden Camaro, specially when she hits a .502 reaction time.

 

[Keef]

...this day and age where sexism appears to be a thing of the past

It's alive and well.

A lot of people, feminists especially, argue against gender roles that society has historically placed on both males and females. Men are supposed to be strong, tough and emotionally stable while women are supposed to be caring, empathetic and emotionally expressive. Supposedly those are roles that society came up with over time and they're getting tired of it.

But what does society have to say about the fact that male humans are and generally have been larger, stronger and tougher than females since prehistoric times? It's hard to know how prehistoric humans dealt with emotions but we do know that it was the males who usually went hunting and did the scary stuff that could get you killed. You need to be strong and emotionally stable for such tasks. Women had other roles to play in prehistoric society which were just as important and required a different set of skills.

As far as I can tell, these natural roles have persisted throughout time. I'm not exactly sure why these anti-gender role/equality/feminist people are so upset about that. Women certainly can do anything men can do and vice versa, but as it happens neither of us are as good at doing the other's jobs as they are. So how about instead of bitching we just focus on what we do best and get on with it. This is when they'd all call me an asshole because of course men are assholes - and yet they still want the D. Being an asshole ain't half bad sometimes, ya know.

My point is that when women do things that women don't usually do, it gets noticed. Likewise, when men do things men don't usually do it also gets noticed. Not many women are car girls and not many guys are cheer leaders, you feel me. Sometimes girls actually shun other girls for doing guy things - they'll call them sluts or whatever. Just because they hang out with dudes. Guys will make fun of cheer leaders and call them fags and whatnot. The only difference is that we men don't actually mean it. You girls are brutal to each other.

In my opinion, if these people want to find the root of the problem they should study females, not males. Men simply don't care enough to instigate stupid problems like this - we've got work to do. But I guess that's just me being an asshole, isn't it.

EDIT: There's also the fact that some car girls are less car girls and more the car community whore. I know a couple of them. Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure because that's not really my style. But I would.

 

[Grayfox]

Sadly, it is true that girls are generally brought up to like "girly" things. I also think that some of it has to do with the fact that there is a fair bit of ingrained sexism in the car enthusiast community. When have you seen male models on the grid of a race? I've never heard of grid guys, but grid girls are very common.

I have heard that gender is nurture and not nature.

So yeah, give boys girly things and they will like girly things and vice versa.
But that aside, you get female gamers, car lovers, ect who are brought up to like girly things

 

[TenEightyOne]

EDIT: There's also the fact that some car girls are less car girls and more the car community whore. I know a couple of them. Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure because that's not really my style. But I would.

There's the thing.... say you had a largish car club that was 50/50 m/f. A male member (pardon the expression) who slept with a number of the female members wouldn't been seen in the same light as if the roles were reversed. If a female member slept with another female member you can immediately imagine how many of the male members (pardon again) would react. If two male members got together (in any way) the reaction would be very different.

I think that scenario's illustrative of attitudes across society "in general", and much more so in traditionally "male" environments...which sadly are most environments. As with the discussion about "The Rooney Rule" (where managers all have to have a hair transplant and sleep with elderly women) the fix isn't in trying to redress the here-and-now balance, it needs to be corrected right back when we start teaching our children. Which is on day one.

 

[The Bman]

If you like something, you like something. I don't care if you're a woman that has enthusiasm in cars, or a man that likes to play with Barbie dolls.

Stereotypes seriously need to stop. All they do is feed the minds of the brainless in today's politically correct world.