It's not all in me. Anything you want done, baby, do it yourself. Woo woo!
My new song. I'm working on it for next year's Talent Show.
Anyway.
I'm the living legacy of two people who fought very hard for parallel ladies
classes, way back in 1975. Things were different back then, and this was
regarded, believe it or not, as a step forward.
Back then, and even recently, women didn't run Open at a National level,
period. Nor at a local level. It simply wasn't done.
Barbara McKee was the first, I think in 1985 or 1986. She finished 2nd in A
Stock at the Solo II Nationals.
At this point, you should be amazed that I can remember these things.
Next to follow was the late Laurie Davis-LaPlant who competed in E Stock at
Nationals in 1988 or '89, I believe.
Can you imagine the intestinal fortitude of these women? There was a bio
piece about Laurie Davis-LaPlant in the nationals program. You know why?
Because she was simply running in the Open class! That was enough to make
even the press say, "Whoa!"
1989, folks. Not that long ago.
She was followed by Stacy Reitmeir in 1993, who would have finished 2nd in C
Stock, except for this little disqualification thing. But anyway. In 1994,
it was Stacy, and Lynne Rothney-Kozlak who wowed all of us in F Stock.
If I'm getting all this right, maybe I AM every woman.
In 1995, there were four women who competed in the Open class at Nationals:
Stacy Reitmeir, Shauna Marinus, Sally Brown, and... me!
Since then, it's been like an opening of the flood gates. Every year, it
seems as if more and more women are running Open. Now, it's becoming
*normal.* Believe me, it wasn't always like that. When I can go to an
autocross, and I feel general respect as a driver, and no one even mentions
my gender, it thrills me to no end. I really, really appreciate it, because
it hasn't always been like this. To me, this is progress, and wonderful.
What I really appreciate is the right to suck. I think a lot of women fear
Open classes, because it means if they do poorly, all they'll hear is, "You
drive slowly because you're a woman." They feel like everyone will be
watching them, waiting for them to screw up. I'm proud to report that as a
result of my struggle, I can go to any event, drive badly, and it's now just
a "bad day," versus, "Of course, you drive like a woman."
I am free at last!
Compare this to something that was told to me by another woman competitor
when I was seventeen, when I told her that my dream was to one day beat my
father. She looked at me with pity, and said, "Katie, get real. That will
NEVER happen. Women are slower than men."
That was in 1987.
Five years ago, I was treated as an idiot for running Open. It was a
terrible, terrible year. I didn't drive very well, like so many men, yet so
many people were there to point out it was because of my gender. It was
actually because the pressure was so great, I just crumbled. I cried every
night at Nationals. I have no idea what team.net conversations were like
back then but very few people were saying that we need to get rid of Ladies
classes. It appeared to be the opposite. We have Ladies classes for you, and
THAT'S where you should run was the feeling back then.
In 1999, I dedicated myself to running in the Open class to defy the
stereotypes in my own brain. There is truth to the old adage, "Sticks and
stones will break my bones, names will never hurt me." You just have to
train yourself. There were some unpleasantries, but over all, it was a
fantastic year. I improved so much as a driver, and gained so much
confidence. I learned how to ignore the naysayers, and to focus on myself
and what I need to do. Competing in the Open class helped me. How can I get
other women to see that? I don't know if I can.
I am now on a mission to set my own goals, and to set them very high, for
two reasons. Number one: as a human being living in the United States, I can
have any dream I want. Number two: I believe that things happen in waves, or
cycles. As more women enter autocross, they'll see women running Open, some
winning in Open, and they, too, will run there, without even thinking about
it. That's the best approach I can think of. Lead by example.
With all this fighting about it, though, you're going to create the opposite
result. You're actually creating a resistence. I think as a result of all
this fighting, you're going to see more women running in the Ladies class,
just because you've offended them so greatly.
I'd like all of you men and women who are so opposed to ladies classes to
really consider that nothing is black and white in this world, and to try to
consider other people's view points and backgrounds, to at least gain some
understanding as to WHY some somen choose to run in the Ladies class. Try a
more positive approach. Consider what women have to gain by running in the
Open class, versus what *you* feel we're all losing.
If that is impossible, then you should at least put your money where your
mouth is, and at the next autocross approach a woman who runs in the ladies
class, and tell her your feelings, that she's a wimp, that she's in a
powderpuff class, that she's taking away your money, trophy, whatever.
Better yet, try it at a ProSolo. Look her straight in the eyes, and say, out
loud, "I think that you devalue the other trophy winners, and you make our
awards ceremonies last too long. I think you should make us all cookies."
If enough of you do this, one of two things will happen. She'll tell you
where to go, and refuse to leave the Ladies class. Or, over time, she'll
just plain feel that autocrossers are a bunch of jerks, and she'll never
come back again. And she might drag her husband with her.
And we'll all pat you on the back, and thank you, for making our awards
ceremonies that much bearable.
Katie Kelly
I once knew my IQ score, but have since forgotten it. What does that mean?
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