Motorsports has a long history of using women as adornments, but because of the high-profile role of its title sponsor, AMA Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, is among the most visible examples. Especially considering that more children go to Supercross than probably any other professional racing series, I’ve questioned before what lessons kids learn from the racing spectacle and the role of the smiling, skin-baring, racially non-diverse and mostly mute “Monster Energy girls.”
Watching the opening round at Anaheim, California, I was pleasantly surprised to see at least a small effort to counteract that. Toyota and Feld Motor Sports, the Supercross series promoter, have produced a series called #Makeup2Mud that highlights women who are actually participating in the sport, not just standing around smiling at it. It’s a small start, but it’s something.
#Makeup2Mud is looking for another woman to highlight in the final episode at the last round of the series. Want to nominate someone or yourself? Send in your details using this form at Supercrosslive.com.
