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How do you guys feel about seeing a female race car driver, an all girl car crew or even women who hold executive positions in automotive companies that are predominantly run by men? Working in the business as a model, “I can’t help but wonder” (as Carrie from Sex in the City would say), how men who are primarily driven by testosterone feel about us females working and competing in the auto biz and motorsports. Does the idea of us ladies working with and competing with you boys make you sweat? Do you feel threatened? Do women still get treated differently than their male co-workers?
From a women’s perspective, it’s really nice to see other women working hard to achieve success and making careers for themselves in the automotive industry. And I’m not just talking about the pretty ones posing in front of cars gracing the front covers of magazines! I’m talking about the executives who are behind the scenes, the movers and shakers. Power women! Personally, working in the corporate world isn’t really my forte as I’m more of an artist who enjoys the entertainment side of the business. But almost everywhere you look in corporate America, you see that most executive jobs are held by men and nowhere is that more apparent in my opinion than in the automotive industry. One must have a true passion for cars to enjoy the work they do and to really make a career in this industry. Me, I love cars. Burning the rubber and fixing them up, but to work in a company at the corporate level is something I can’t really see myself doing (although I am intrigued by the challenge).
Working as a model in the automotive industry constantly surrounded by men, I sometimes wonder what goes on in the mind of the male species. Do they think that all we’re good for is standing around looking pretty? I can recall one occasion when I was working an event as the spokes model for a company and my supervisor (who was female) held the position of Marketing Director. During the course of the event I observed her carefully and noted the way she interacted with the audience. She was friendly and approachable, but her male co-worker who held a lower position within the company seemed to get more respect from the spectators than she did.
It seems that men in general do feel more comfortable talking to another man than they do a female even if the female counterpart is more knowledgeable about the topic at hand. I’m not trying to say that females don’t get any respect in the industry but I think that most guys really feel intimidated when a female knows more about cars than they do. Perhaps it’s a sense of feeling dim-witted that makes men ignorant. Sorry boys, just my opinion.
In this two-part article, I will do some more research and interview some female execs working in the auto industry to find out how it has treated them and how they continue to accelerate their careers within this industry. So be sure to check in again next month to see what I find out!
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