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| CNN photo - Motorsports star Charlie Martin |
Wave of anti-trans bills is 'really alarming,' says transgender motorsport starThe Republicans are using our lives and our deaths as a wedge to divide Americans, so when I see brave trans people like Charlie Martin stand up to hate it is encouraging, she is bring about change both on and off the track.
CNN
By Christina Macfarlane and Sana Noor Haq
May 17, 2021
Anorexia. Depression. Loneliness. If motor racing requires a high level of endurance, then Charlie Martin is well versed in navigating life's twists and turns -- on and off the track.
It was in 2012 that Martin transitioned. Two years later, she won her first event in France at Saint-Gouéno at the wheel of a Westfield SEiW, breaking the class record by two seconds. Now, she's intent on becoming the first transgender driver to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Alongside her commitment to supporting LGBT communities -- which she signifies with a distinctive blue butterfly logo -- Martin is the only elite transgender driver in motorsport and one of the few athletes defending the right for trans girls to take part in women's sports.
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Changing sport through activism
Martin says that sharing her story has allowed her to change the course of her career for the better, a trajectory she hopes to mirror through her work as a Stonewall Sport Champion.
"When you have an opportunity like this, it feels too important, especially at a time like now where there is so much discrimination happening against the trans community," she says. "It's really alarming to see."
She's not wrong. Activists have already called 2021 a record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation in the US, with 31 states introducing bills that ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identities. The bills are also seeking to limit access to gender affirming health care.
From a caterpillar to a butterflyFor many trans the butterfly is an apt symbol of trans people where a caterpillar molts into a shiny chrysalis and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.
After transitioning, Martin says she was able to unlock her full potential, coming out as transgender within motorsport on International Transgender Day of Visibility to improve trans visibility and acceptance.
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It seems that her boundless sense of optimism has led her to where she is today, a motif encompassed by her blue butterfly logo.
"If a caterpillar can turn into a butterfly, then to me, it symbolizes possibility ... incredible things can happen in life if you believe in them."
On her website Go Charlie she writes more about her journey.
Charlie Martin is a game changer in motorsport, her inspiring story has captured the imagination of people around the world, proving that she represents a paradigm shift in motor racing.We can do it, it is not easy but we can overcome the animosity against us. Be like Charlie… be strong and don’t let nothing stand in the way of your dreams!
She started hillclimbing at club level in a Peugeot 205 (in 2004), without any family history of motorsport. In 2014 she won her first race in France at St-Gouëno at the wheel of a Westfield SEiW, breaking the class record by 2 seconds! Hard work & determination enabled her to progress into single seaters & prototypes which she raced throughout Europe, competing in the Championnat de France de la Montagne & FIA European Hillclimb Championship. Driving at speeds of up to 140mph on closed public roads requires huge amounts of skill and bravery, and Charlie achieved regular success in this challenging discipline learning to speak fluent French after 3 seasons of European competition.
This morning I am getting a bone density scan... if you are on hormones you should also be getting bone density scans every 8 to 10 years. One of the side effects of hormones is the loss of bone mass, so ask you healthcare provider if you should have one.
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