Bristol grid girl’s campaign against Formula One ban

Bristol ‘grid girl’ Isabella Worlock has spent the last few days signing petitions against the banning of Formula One women in the sport.

The 21-year-old from Withywood, who has worked at the Monaco Grand Prix, also freelances for local boxing, darts and promotional events.

She strongly objects to this decision, and sees it as a violation of her rights and livelihood.

“I am more than a little upset to hear the news, the world has clearly gone mad,” she says.

Formula One grid girls

The banning of Grand Prix ‘grid girls’ this week follows on from the Professional Darts Corporation, the governing body for darts, announcing the cancellation and banning of ‘walk on girls.’

Pressure has been building nationally against the use of promotion girls and hostesses in general.

A tidal wave of public opinion has turned against certain sports, who hold such tradition, with broadcasters leading the charge.

Such traditions, deemed by many as unnecessary, sexist, exploitative and the objectification of women are being challenged in some quarters. Particularly by women working in the industry themselves.

For Isabella, it’s a matter of choice, and she says her experience has been very positive.

“I am well respected and am always looked after, models in these industries do these type of jobs because they love doing it, they have a passion for it and, of course, love to get all glammed up. For years, the boxing industry has always had promo/ring girls.

“We are never made to feel uncomfortable in glamorous jobs and always know the brief before any job. We want to be there.”

There is a big national drive by Sport England called This Girl Can which is about challenging perceptions and images of women in sport.

What kind of impression does the concept of the ‘walk in’ and ‘grid girl’ have on young women and girls?

Alex Rotas works to shine a light on female competitors (competitor Dorothy Fraser pictured)

Alex Rotas of Westbury, who takes photos of sport athletes, is clear on the matter.

She said: “I’d like to think my granddaughter doesn’t think her role is limited in sport to her appearance, but what she can achieve playing it. It sends the wrong message.”

Zoe Thompson, a Bristol based strong woman competitor, thinks the employment of promotion girls is absurd.

She said that at one of her competitions it was suggested that men walk the female competitors out, but this didn’t go ahead. Zoe adds: “Oddly, us female competitors actually manage to walk independently from one side of the room to the other.”

As a teacher, Rachel Fry from Downend, is acutely aware of the impact of images.

She said: “I think having promotion girls is damaging – it annoys me. It happens in boxing and UFC, women strutting around the ring or octagon. Even in football, with hostesses flanking the tunnel. Why is it needed? You wouldn’t see men doing it the other way around?”

We have come such a long way with female empowerment – why spoil it now?”

To Isabella it’s just a bit fun, nothing more, nothing less. Show business, something that adds marketing and glamour to the sports.

Far from feeling objectified she identifies herself as a feminist.

“All this palava about exploitation of women and sexualising them is just coming from anti-feminists that are still living in ancient times,” she says. “We have come such a long way with female power and the empowerment of women and the female body – why spoil it now?”

Read more: ‘You can’t be what you don’t see’