Driver of the Week – Charlie Martin

A transgender champion for LGBT representation in the industry

 

Charlie Martin is a racing driver, with a huge passion and big ambitions. She’s already known for her successes with Formula Renault, CN2 and Ginetta GT5 and her goals include taking on the legendary Le Mans 24hr. Charlie is also transgender.

In 2012, she started her transition, and, through a fear of being rejected from the sport, quit from motor racing.

Speaking to the BBC, Charlie said: “I pretty much accepted the fact that I wouldn’t continue in motorsport because I didn’t think that I’d have any support. I thought that people would ostracise me, laugh at me. Rightly or wrongly, those were the thoughts in my head.

Friends and family wouldn’t let her give up that easily, though, encouraging her to rejoin her passion. “I couldn’t imagine my life without motorsport.”

She said that coming out to her fellow racers received a mixed response: “One was really supportive, one didn’t speak to me for over a year. I remember the first time I went back into the paddock… to see what it would be like. I was shaking. I had to really push myself to do it.”

But she soon realised how accepting the rest of her teammates were, after being greeted with hugs and messages of support.

“I honestly know don’t if they’ll realise the impact that had on me. Had they not made the effort, I honestly don’t know if I would have gone back at the beginning of the year.

“Now when I look in the mirror, I see the real me. In terms of how it makes me feel to be a complete person and how that translate into my performance when I’m driving – it has a huge effect.”

A quick Google for ‘LGBT motorsport’ reveals an incredibly limited amount of exposure, recognition or discussion of racers and role models in the sport. Charlie will no doubt be a huge influence in the industry and we look forward to seeing her take on the world.