{"id":63645,"date":"2025-03-14T10:38:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T10:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=63645"},"modified":"2025-03-14T15:19:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T15:19:18","slug":"successful-film-screening-celebrates-pioneering-history-of-female-mechanics-in-sheffield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/03\/14\/successful-film-screening-celebrates-pioneering-history-of-female-mechanics-in-sheffield\/","title":{"rendered":"Successful film screening celebrates history of pioneering female mechanics in Sheffield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sheffield Central Library hosted a packed screening of short film Gwenda\u2019s Garage on Wednesday night, featuring the ground-breaking women-run garage from 1985.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The screening was followed by a panel discussion with LGBTQ+ activists, highlighting the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated automotive industry of the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ros Wollen, one of the garage\u2019s founders, said: \u201cWe couldn\u2019t get jobs as women, so we were really forced to set up the garage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film detailed how Wollen, along with Annette Williams and Ros Wall, navigated a landscape of sexism and homophobia as lesbians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wollen said: \u201cIt was empowering and liberating because I was using my body and my brain.\u201d Wollen emphasised the need to conceal their lesbian identities due to prevailing societal attitudes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event sold out almost immediately and underscored the enduring interest in LGBTQ+ women\u2019s history, serving as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for gender equality.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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A post shared by Historic England (@historicengland)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n