This blog has been known to stretch the definition of ‘dominant’. Originally it was meant to be all about sexual domination, but I occasionally like to highlight examples of amazing and forceful women, regardless of sexuality or kink. Today’s post features one such woman – Beryl Swain.
You’ve probably never heard of her, but as the article explains, she was the first female entrant in the worlds most dangerous motorcycle race – the Isle of Man TT. In today’s world, where safety is always paramount and race tracks have become ever more sanitized, the Isle of Man race remains an anachronism. An insane, dangerous, stupidly exciting anachronism. The kind of race where safety precautions involve wrapping mattresses around telephone boxes. You can watch POV footage of it here, and even for someone who doesn’t ride it’s a thrilling video.
Beryl raced the TT just once, in 1962, placing 22 out of 25. After that, scared of the bad publicity if a woman was killed in the race, the racing authority imposed a minimum weight requirement to effectively ban her. I’ve no idea about her view of kink, but I do admire her courage and skill. Plus, she does look fabulous in leather on a racing bike.
