A transgender computer game racing champion has shared their story in the hopes of encouraging other LGBT+ people to try something new. Fiona Siddon says that her story of success shows that if you put your mind to it, it won't hold you back.
Fiona took up racing during the lockdown and competes in a mixture of real-life and online competitions. She became interested in iRacing after Formula One wasn't on TV due to Covid restrictions.
Simulated racing is an eSport that has been growing in popularity across the UK especially during lockdown as people looked for new indoor hobbies. It is designed to replicate a real-world experience with accurate driving dynamics.
"In the world of British Sim Racing (BSR) everybody has been fine. I've even met up with people in real life in places like Donington Park and it's been great. When it comes to the online stuff, as my voice doesn't match the gender then you might get 'you don't sound like a Fiona' but I've never had anything nasty said to me," she said.
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"I got into it during lockdown because there was no Formula one on TV. I saw the British Sim Racing online on Year One TV and thought it looked like a lot of fun. So I tried iRacing and joined a radical UK and Ireland league. On Mondays, the British Sim Races (BSR) offers a free night so from there I decided to buy into the televised series."
The setup for iRacing can feel a little bit daunting if you are just starting out. However, Fiona says that you don't need much to get going as she has added to hers to create a more authentic experience.
"To get started, you need a steering wheel and a set of pedals. You can use a controller but it's not as easy. I've got a proper simrig here which I can sit in along with proper car seats and drive wheel but don't need to have that to do it," she explained.
Fiona is currently in two racing teams: Year One TV and also Result Clothing. She is also the current touring car racing am class champion. When it comes to eSports, you can often find yourself driving against real drivers and Fiona has found herself in a race with Max Verstappen.
Fiona says that the practice makes perfect, much like real-life driving, but she makes it work for her.
"I don't put in that many hours per week other than in races, I'll go on for half an hour if I have nothing to do. The more time you spend on it, the better you can get. It's the same with the real world, if you spend more time on the track then you can learn more."
The scene for iRacing online and offline forms of racing has increased in recent years. Fiona is also into go-karting and will be competing in the British Indoor Karting Championship this year. There are thousands of people taking part from all over the country.
"It's go-karts on indoor circuits all over the country in July and August. You need a minimum of three timed sessions to get a lap time then your best time will be taken as an average which will be your qualifying time for the regionals. The Nationals are in November with everyone from Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham and even Scotland," she said.
Fiona is proud of the effect that her involvement and visibility within the sport have done for other racers who may be LGBT+. She has already had messages from other drivers who have been inspired by her story and her standing in the community of racers.
"There is a female in America who is the same as me, is transgender. I got a message to say that she had changed her name to Elise because she had watched me race. She said she watched how I was respected in the community and it had given her the confidence to come out."
Fiona wants to encourage others who may be worried about bullying or discrimination to pick up a new sport, or hobby or just try something new.
"Whatever you want to try, if you are transgender or a member of the LGBT+ community, it doesn't hold you back. It could be racing like I do or even getting a job in the real world. Whatever you want to do it, just go for it."
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