The air inside an Emsdale garage was filled with laughter and curiosity as Almaguin Pride hosted a unique International Women’s Day event focused on automotive empowerment.
The “Grease Grrrl Car Care” workshop drew an energetic crowd inside the mechanic bays of Truck Accessories Plus, a space donated by David Richards.
The workshop was aimed at empowering people with knowledge of “the basics” when it comes to their vehicles. It was also aimed at dismantling the intimidation often felt in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
CJ Blake, an organizer with Almaguin Pride, said the heart of the event was about creating a “judgment-free zone.”
“I find male-dominated spaces can be intimidating for female or women-identifying folks,” Blake said.
“There could be some feelings of being made to feel stupid or things like that. Based on personal experiences and those of my friends, I thought it would be great to create a space where folks can come and ask all the ‘stupid’ questions,” they added.
The atmosphere at the garage was warm and communal. Attendees huddled around the open hood of a red jeep and identified dipsticks and fluid reservoirs while snacking on cookies and muffins donated by Sips Sundridge.
The event also served a local mission: Almaguin Pride collected donations of hygiene products to support the Women’s Own Resource Centre in South River.
For first-time attendee Miranda Peebles, the workshop offered a sense of agency when making decisions about her vehicle.
“I just wanted to learn more about car maintenance so that I knew what I was doing when I walked into a mechanic shop or (if) I could just do it myself,” Peebles said.
She said the social aspect was a major draw, “I also just wanted to meet cool people.”
Peebles said having a dedicated space for women and non-binary people to learn is essential for financial security.
“It’s so important,” she said. “How many times have you gone to a mechanic and felt like, ‘I don’t know, is this the price? Is $400 a reasonable price? Is that not a reasonable price? Could I just do it myself?’ I really hope they do more of these.”
However, the workshop highlighted the systemic gaps that remain in the trades.
Christine Marcoux, who uses she/they pronouns, said she came to the event because it was the only International Women’s Day programming she could find in Almaguin and it was inclusive.
“I think these kinds of events are really important to just get representation, because we live in a society where there is still so much work to do,” they said.
While she enjoyed the session, Marcoux shared her hope for a future where more of these sessions could be led by women.
“I was really hoping that it would be female-led, an actual woman that was teaching us stuff about the cars,” they said. “It’s still a thing where women probably feel not as comfortable entering the field because it’s such a male-dominant thing.”
Despite these challenges, the takeaway from the day was one of success. Blake said the feedback from the community, including those who couldn’t make it, indicates a desire for this type of practical education.
“Based on the success from today and the feedback we’ve gotten, I’d say there’s demand for it,” Blake said.
“There’s always going to be more to learn, so I think it’d be great to keep it going.”
