The women breaking the mould when it comes to cars
20 September 2021
With car culture on the rise, more than ever, women are getting involved in what has always been a male dominated industry.
Gemma Williams
31-year-old petrol head Gemma Williams has always been car-mad, and at just 17 she swapped out her first engine. She’s now undertaking a year long project to build her dream car.
“It’s got me through a lot of really difficult times, and I think that’s why I’ve invested a lot of my time into this car.”
Gemma has loved cars for most of her life, yet she still faces negative assumptions based on her gender.
“Quite often, people will come up and talk to my [male] friends rather than talk to me about the car. It is almost engrained in us that women don’t do this kind of thing, but we’re here to prove them wrong.”
So how did she get into cars?
“It’s no different to how any man gets into it to be honest, it starts with an interest and it just tumbles from there. I go to meets and shows, and I hope to get into racing in the future”.
Louise Baker
It’s a depressing cliché and an enduring stereotype that women don’t know their stuff when it comes to cars, especially what’s going on under the bonnet. Six years ago, Louise Baker opened her garage in an attempt to change attitudes and remove the intimidation often felt by women when they visit a mechanic. Louise’s is no ordinary garage, as all of her mechanics are women – something which makes her business unique, as nationally, women make up less than 2% of mechanics.
As well as rolling up her sleeves and getting under the bonnet, Louise also runs weekly ‘Heels to Wheels’ courses, designed to empower women to maintain their own cars. Her classes cover all the vital motoring basics, from checking oil levels, filling up screen wash to checking coolant, brake fluid and tyre pressure.
Jade Paveley
Championship winning rally driver Jade Paveley is used to being one of few women on the track.
“I’m usually one of the only girls there, but I can’t say it really matters, because as soon as you’re in the car, no one can see if you’re a girl or a boy."
Jade, who started karting at just 15 would love to see more women taking the track, and has made it her mission to show other women that they can do it too.
“I would love to inspire girls to try and get in racing. Giving girls the confidence and saying ‘look you can do it’, because quite frankly if I can do it anyone can."
