Diversity Rules Magazine

As the first professional transgender motorsports rac- er, Charlie Mar n is breaking records, personal bests and stereotypes. The LGBT+ and diversity speaker has first hand expe- rience of the impor- tance of inclusion, having experienced s gma as a trans- gender woman. Charlie is now using her influen al plat- form to promote acceptance and un- derstanding, from sport to business. Motorsports in it- self is a male domi- nated industry, so Charlie is having to face discrimina on as both a woman and a member of the LGBT+ commu- nity. Despite this, she remains steadfast in her mes- sage; "I want to share my story with everyone". As a racer, you can usually find Charlie compe ng in the Gine a GT5 Challenge. Star ng in 2018, she competed with Richardson Racing, followed by Ligi- er. This is where Charlie first tried her hand at en- durance racing, which would later lead to a place in the German VLN Championship. The championship includes a 24 hour race, the pinnacle of driving en- durance. Upon joining the Racing Experience team, Charlie took part in the 2019 Michelin Le Mans Cup - she even came fourth in the Circuit Paul Ricard. Charlie's a er dinner speeches discuss her ex- perience behind the wheel. A thrilling spectacle for audiences to enjoy, she also shares the in- valuable endurance and persistence techniques that she employs on the track. In the early stages of her career, Charlie took part in the 2006 Hill- climb Leaders Championship. Behind the wheel of a Peugeot 205, sheexperienced her first taste of compe ve motorsports. Fast forward 10 years, and Charlie soared past the compe on to take second place in Class B of the 2017 Race of Remembrance. Inspired by transgender model Caronline Crossey, Charlie is a vocal advocate for LGBT+ representa on. She has led a number of influen al campaigns in the sport, including encouraging drivers to proudly wear the rainbow flag at the 2018 Gine a GT5 Challenge, for Pride Month. Charlie wants transgender repre- senta on to become normalised, she wants people to look at her and see a good racer - not just a trans- gender woman. As the first racing driver to join Ath- letes Ally's, a non-profit LGBT+ organisa on, Charlie is highly regarded as a trailblazer of representa on, both in motorsports and across the world. Charlie Mar n is a beacon of hope in motorsports, a notoriously male-dominated sport. The transgender champion was listed in the LGBT Speakers Agency's 10+ LGBT Speakers for Pride Month, a testament to Charlie's impact on the sports industry. In this ex- clusive interview for Diversity Rules Magazine, she showed immense passion for the LGBTQ+ community and revealed the importance of inclusion: What were some of your main fears leading up to your transi on and how did you overcome them? "My main fears were primarily the effect [my transi- on] would have on all the rela onships in my life. My friends, my family, my work, my career, all those areas where I had no idea how they'd be affected. "I overcame that with a combina on of thinking things through and trying to move at a pace that al- lowed other people to be part of [my transi on]. Be- cause when you transi on, everyone in your life has to transi on with you. "Although these were things I'd known about my- self for 25 years or more, to a lot of people, it was an en rely new thing. And I think people, there- fore, had their own fears. It was a case of trying 4 | Diversity Rules Magazine | Nov 2021 Charlie Martin The First Professional Transgender Motorsports Racer An Interview Compliments of Champions (UK) plc, The Speakers Agency

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