If you’ve ever been to a car show, you may have noticed that most of the women there appear to be bored wives or girlfriends, mindlessly following their men from pretty car to pretty car.  But if you look close enough, you may find an occasional sighting of a woman who actually appears to have more knowledge or interest in the cars than some of the men.  As it turns out, these few women have come a long way in breaking the gender barrier that separates them from a love for cars. Despite many (not all) men’s objections and deterrents towards women joining the world of car enthusiasts, women have firmly pushed back, gaining ground and recognition for their successes in the field; whether it be in the garage, on the track or even in the corporate office. 

 

                In today’s society, we see countless stereotypes and gender roles keeping women suppressed from entering or even feeling welcome in the automotive industry, and yet, you cannot stop a determined woman.  Some of these stereotypes include classics like that the garage is a “man’s place,” and the idea of “girl cars” or cars that are too feminine for male drivers.  The “girl car” label usually resides with cars that are small, compact, and relatively weak, implying that women cannot or should not drive cars with power or speed.  In 2014, Men’s Magazine posted a list of the “Top 25 Chick Cars That Guys Should Never Drive.”  The list includes the newer models of the Volkswagen Beetle, the Toyota Prius, and any minivan. The article claims that these are “slow, dainty, and soft” cars that men should “never be caught driving.”[1]  Despite these types of demeaning stereotypes, women continue to succeed in the field. Whether it’s breaking track records, like Danica Patrick, or becoming a vice president and chief operating officer like Barb Samardzich of Ford of Europe, women in are finally finding their place alongside the men.  And how they got there is a whole lot of history…

 

                The first official, gasoline-powered, internal combustion engine “automobile” was invented in 1886 by Karl Benz.  Benz’s wife Bertha is mentioned fairly often in this history. While her husband was in the garage toying with the new machine, Bertha Benz would use a prototype to take the children to visit their grandmother who lived several towns over.  She was not only technically the first female driver, but she was also the first to use the automobile for personal reasons.  She wanted to prove that the invention was extremely useful and could be put into production.  But in these early stages of the car’s invention and exploration, women were often solely in the shadows of their husbands or fathers.[2]  It wasn’t until Anne French that women earned the right to drive.  In 1899, French’s father bought an automobile to use for his profession as a physician. The same year, driver’s licenses were becoming a requirement. In 1900, Anne French had become a skilled motorist and was the first woman to be issued an official driver’s license.[3] 

 

                 Another skilled female of the time was Alice Ramsey. As author Marina Ruben describes the event, “a man representing automaker Maxwell-Briscoe Company marveled at her driving prowess and came up with an idea. He proposed an all-expenses-paid trip, courtesy of the company, if Ramsey showed the world that a Maxwell could take anyone—even a woman driver—all the way across America.” So, with three female companions, Ramsey embarked on the first all-female road trip from New York City to San Francisco covering nearly 3,800 miles in a four-cylinder, 30-horsepower Maxwell DA.[4]  These women proved to be tough and committed to their journey, as they changed 11 tires and the rear axle broke twice, forcing them to rely on the kindness of strangers for aid. But they also were able to help the men stranded on the roadside with similar issues.  The first girl-powered road trip was a success. Even after the end of her life, Alice Ramsey continues to work towards the advancement of women through the sale of her book, “Alice Ramsey’s Grand Adventure” by Don Brown. Proceeds from an annual book sale are given to support scholarships, student programs, education and women’s issues.[5]  

 

                Madam CJ Walker is recognized as the first African American woman to own a car.  According to historian Robert Tate, she drove Ford’s Model T for her “personal business and adventure.” And although not many women could own cars, as they were only available to those who could manage the high price tag, by 1910, five percent of licenses were issued to women. With the invention of the self-starter in 1912, the crank-start faded away, and cars became even easier to handle for both men and women.[6]  According to author Margaret Walsh, “men often ridiculed [women’s] driving” and attempted to “limit or prohibit female drivers,” but the determined women pressed on, despite this backlash.  In this portion of the early twentieth century, the car thrived within the core of wealthy urban and suburban women who found driving useful, necessary or simply adventurous.[7]  Due to their newfound interest, women continued to fight against men’s objections and earn their place in the driver’s seat.

                The mobility that cars provided was infectious, and both men and women began to use them for wider causes.  The sales of second-hand and used cars significantly increased in the 1920s, allowing more women to have access to car ownership; although still only small percentages of minority women could afford them. In middle-class families, women gained significant access to vehicles, and despite husbands, brothers, and fathers’ attempt to restrain their mobility, women made an increasingly strong effort to learn how to drive. As Margaret Walsh mentions, many men even tried to restrict women to the “cleaner and slower electric car, which was capable of only 50 miles without complex recharging and was unable to manage steep hills.” But women again pushed back, demanding equal access to gasoline-powered vehicles.  With talk of a two-car family as early as 1929, the men who further encouraged women were sales agents for manufacturers. They saw an opportunity for profit.  Advertisements began to evolve from mechanical descriptions and sketches to color pictures with women featured, but only as passengers. The industry also expanded to include different model years, styling, colors, and technological advancements, appealing to men, but also to their newest target audience: women.[8] 

 

                The most progress was made between the 1940s and the 1970s.  With the mass motorization of America, and the “happy housewives” of the ‘40s and ‘50s, women acquired more access to cars and began to use them as a means of socialization.  In 1949, Sara Christian made history by becoming the first female NASCAR driver. She was married to racecar driver Frank Christian, and they were the first married couple to ever compete against each other in such a race.  In Christian’s first race at Charlotte Speedway, she placed 13th out of 33.  Christian also competed in the Daytona Beach race in July 1949, where she was joined by two other women; Ethel Mobley and Louise Smith.  Christian was named 1949’s United States Driver Association’s Woman of the Year.  She went on to continue breaking gender barriers and records, coming in sixth place at Langhorne Speedway, and becoming the first woman to take a spot in the top ten of a stock car race. She was inducted into the Georgia Automobile Hall of Fame in 2004.  Many other women racers including Ethel Mobley, Louise Smith, and Janet Gunthrie followed in Christian’s footsteps, each breaking records of their own.  Mobley, with her three siblings Tim, Fonty, and Bob, was part of the first family of NASCAR drivers. They were the first in history to have four siblings compete in the same race, the Daytona Beach Course, in 1949. While Tim finished second, Ethel finished 11th, beating both of her other siblings in her Cadillac.  Louise Smith was known as the “First Lady of Racing,” as she took home 38 wins over her career from 1949-1956. She was the first woman to be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999. Finally, Janet Gunthrie entered the game in 1963 with her first purchase of a Jaguar XK 120, but she did not commit full-time to the sport until 1972 with her second Jaguar, the XK 140.  After qualifying for and competing in the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, she became the first woman to race in the Daytona 500 too.  Gunthrie was inducted into both the International Motorsports Hall of Fame as well as the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, and her racing suit and helmet currently reside in the Smithsonian.[9] 

 

                While WWII was afoot, women hopped onto assembly lines; building and repairing cars and tanks, proving to the world that women were in fact capable of these dominantly male positions. During the careers of the famous female racecar drivers, women were also making progress on the public streets. In the 1970s, women were finally being encouraged to drive.  Mothers and activists of the Women’s Liberation Movement, who sought to increase rights and equalities for women, saw this as an opportunity to combat traditional gender roles. At this point, the amount of women getting their driver’s license and rates of car ownership were becoming increasingly closer to those of men.

In the same decade, another sector of the automotive industry was beginning to experience female interest: motocross. 1974 marks the year of the first “Powder Puff National Championship.” Over 300 riders and 9000 spectators came out to witness the historic acceptance of women into the sport.  Nancy Payne was the Championship’s first winner. In 1975, the event was renamed the “Women’s National Championship” and was won by Sue Fish.  By 1979, the championship had gained enough following and respect that ABC network’s Wide World of Sports began to televise the event.[10] This female advancement not only attracted the public’s eye, but also expanded the capabilities and acceptance of women in predominantly male areas of interest.

 

                Women’s future in the automotive industry appears bright. With the innumerable achievements that have been made so far, there is great hope for aspiring female drivers. Thanks to the pioneers like Alice Ramsey, Sara Christian, and Nancy Payne, women today have a by no means clear-cut, but a remarkably manageable path towards success in the field of cars.  We should expect to see increasing numbers of female competitors in NASCAR and motocross events, as Danica Patrick (2013 winner of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series), and Mackenzie Tricker (2014 winner of Women’s Motocross Championship) demonstrate.  Today, women fill even high ranking jobs, such as vice president or chief operating officer.  Barb Samardzich is fulfilling this role at Ford of Europe, while Alicia Boler-Davis is setting an example for minority women as General Motors’ first African American senior vice president.[11]  Minority women are also being encouraged to join in today’s NASCAR and motocross craze with NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program. This program invites minorities and “non-traditional” racecar drivers to participate, and is increasing interest in the sport at exceptional rates.[12]   In 2014, Milka Duno became the first Hispanic woman to drive in a NASCAR series event,[13] and she encourages future minority racers.  Overall female interest in the automotive field is steadily increasing, and opportunities for jobs are expanding. We can expect to see more females in positions such as writers for magazines, stunt drivers, and much more.  We are also seeing women portrayed as car-savvy in the media. Movies, videogames, and books are opening up to the idea of casting women as capable, professional, drivers, giving some of the men a run for their money; sometimes literally.

 

                History shows that American women have made substantial progress in integrating themselves into the “man’s world” of cars. From Alice Ramsey to Danica Patrick, many female role models have emerged in this field. Starting with the simple right to drive, women have pushed themselves up into the highest ranks of vice president and COO of major car companies. Many women, myself included, hope that this encouraging trend will continue far into the future, unlocking new possibilities and roles for women; allowing us to have equal opportunities and mutual respect in the garage or on the track. So ladies, start your engines.

 

[1] “Top 25 Chick Cars Guys Should Never Drive.” Men’s Magazine. 2014. http://www.mensmagazine.com/top-10-chick-cars-that-guys-should-never-drive/

 

[2] Yoann Demoli. “Women and Cars: A Long-Standing History.” Womenology. 24 July 2013. http://www.womenology.com/sectors/automobile/women-and-cars-a-long-standing-history/

 

[3] Robert Tate. “The Early Days of Women Automobile Drivers.” Motorcities. 21 July 2013. http://www.motorcities.org/Story/The+Early+Days+of+Women+Automobile+Drivers+br+By+Robert+Tate-313.html

 

[4] Marina Ruben. “Alice.” Smithsonian.com. 4 June 2009. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/womens-history/alice-ramseys-historic-cross-country-drive-29114570/?no-ist

 

[5] Tate. “The Early Days of Women Automobile Drivers.” 1.

 

[6] “The Early Days of Women Automobile Drivers.” 1.

 

[7] Margaret Walsh. “Gender and the Automobile in the United States.” Automobile in American Life and Society. 2004. http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Gender/Walsh/G_Overview2.htm

 

[8] “Gender and the Automobile in the United States.” 6.

 

[9] “NASCAR History: Fast Cars, Freedom & Fierce Females.” Livin’ on Cloud 9. 2015. http://www.cloud9living.com/blog/nascar-history/

 

[10] Michael Antonovich. “Fifty Years of Women in Motocross.” Mobius. 25 March 2014. http://motocross.transworld.net/features/fifty-years-women-motocross/#AEcSVFETkCAfB3l2.97

 

[11] Alex Taylor III. “10 Most Powerful Women in Autos.” Fortune.com. 25 November 2013. http://fortune.com/2013/11/25/10-most-powerful-women-in-autos/

 

[12] “NASCAR History: Fast Cars, Freedom & Fierce Females.” 3.

 

[13] “RAB Racing Announces Female Driver Addition.” NASCAR Green. 4 August 2014. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/8/4/milka-duno-rab-racing-addition-nationwide-series.html

 

WORKS CITED

Antonovich, Michael. “Fifty Years of Women in Motocross.” Mobius. 25 March 2014. http://motocross.transworld.net/features/fifty-years-women-motocross/#AEcSVFETkCAfB3l2.97

 

Demoli, Yoann. “Women and Cars: A Long-Standing History.” Womenology. 24 July 2013.                 http://www.womenology.com/sectors/automobile/women-and-cars-a-long-standing-history/

 

“NASCAR History: Fast Cars, Freedom & Fierce Females.” Livin’ on Cloud 9. 2015. http://w ww.cl

 

“RAB Racing Announces Female Driver Addition.” NASCAR Green. 4 August 2014. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/newsmedia/articles/2014/8/4/milka-duno-rab-racing-addition-nationwide-series.html oud9living.com/blog/nascar-history/

 

Ruben, Marina. “Alice.” Smithsonian.com. 4 June 2009. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/womens-history/alice-ramseys-historic-cross-country-drive-29114570/?no-ist

 

Tate, Robert. “The Early Days of Women Automobile Drivers.” Motorcities. 21 July 2013.  http://www.motorcities.org/Story/The+Early+Days+of+Women+Automobile+Drivers+br+By+Robert+Tate-313.html

 

Taylor III, Alex. “10 Most Powerful Women in Autos.” Fortune.com. 25 November 2013. http://fortune.com/2013/11/25/10-most-powerful-women-in-autos/

 

“Top 25 Chick Cars Guys Should Never Drive.” Men’s Magazine. 2014. http://www.mensmagazine.com/top-10-chick-cars-that-guys-should-never-drive/

 

Walsh, Margaret. “Gender and the Automobile in the United States.” Automobile in American Life and Society. 2004. http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Gender/Walsh/G_Overview2.htm