Humble Heroes by Ben Shephard

Author:Ben Shephard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blink Publishing

Charlie Martin

W

hen Charlie Martin was a child, her great ambition was to be a fighter pilot. That’s probably not that unusual for someone who was a tomboyish type with two older brothers at home. She was a pretty happy-go-lucky kid, not that sporty but always active, who spent her time climbing trees and playing soldiers, and whose favourite film was Top Gun. The problem was that while being a fighter pilot was her dream, she was pretty sure she would never become one. Why? Because the other thing she knew about herself was that although she had been assigned male at birth, this felt completely wrong to her. From an early age, she just knew that actually she was a woman. So even when, slightly later on, she discovered that it might be possible to transition, her first thought was, well, if that happened, what am I going to do for a job? As Charlie puts it now, almost shocked that this was the reality, trans people seemed to be either impossibly glamorous drag presences in films, or involved in the sex industry in some way. And neither of those looked very likely or attractive for someone growing up in suburban Leicestershire.

Nowadays, Charlie is not a fighter pilot. Instead, she is a very successful racing driver, making waves in the endurance car-racing circuit. Her daily life involves speed, petrol, racetracks and adrenaline; not to mention podiums, trophies and brand partnerships. She has driven the Michelin Le Mans Cup, and last year took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. Glamorous and great fun (and occasionally terrifying) as her Instagram page makes it all look, there is no doubting that it has taken tons of hard work, ambition and dedication to get herself to this point. Her ultimate dream now is to take part in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, and I have no doubt she’s going to make it. Most importantly of all, she is able to be herself.

Thinking back to the limitations she saw on her life when she was young in the eighties and nineties, she can hardly believe that that was her thinking. ‘It’s so bizarre to me now that that was the scope of my imagination at that point,’ she says. ‘But that was the reality because that was what it was like back then. You didn’t see anything else.’

Which is why it is so important that people like Charlie are now flying the flag, showing that it is possible for anybody to live their true selves while following their dreams in any walk of life.

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I first encountered Charlie when I was presenting Ninja Warrior UK in 2018. On that particular course there was an obstacle – the I-Beam – that was incredibly difficult. It was the second-last obstacle, before the infamous wall, and it involved gripping tightly onto the ever-narrowing sides of an I-Beam that had a right-angle bend halfway down. Contestant after contestant was getting round the course, reaching the I-Beam, and dropping into the water hazard below.

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