Unfiltered Font: The F Word (And Why I’m Done Whispering It)

by Chasidy Rae SiskACCESS-Archive, ACCESS-Subscriber, Archive, Archived Issue Articles, Editor's Notes, Issue - Spring 2026, Unfiltered FontPosted on No Comments

Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off: I’m a feminist!

There — I said it. No euphemisms. No softening language like, “I just believe in equality” (although that’s true). No nervous laugh. No “but not like that kind of feminist.” Just…feminist.

          It’s funny how a word defined so optimistically — as the “belief in and advocacy for the political, economic and social equality of the sexes” — somehow became more controversial than misogyny itself. Apparently the idea of “equal rights” is more offensive than actual inequality. Make it make sense.  

          We live in 2026. We have vehicles that can calibrate themselves, scan their own ADAS systems and practically drive us to the grocery store. But say “feminist” in front of a group of men, and suddenly, everyone’s acting like you just keyed their F-150 Raptor!          Here’s the truth: feminism is the catalyst behind everything I do here at Glossed & Gritty. It’s the reason I care so deeply about women in collision repair. It’s the reason I get angry (and holy hell, do I get angry). It’s the reason I won’t shut up. And trust me, there have been plenty of moments when that would have been the easier option. (Click the Cover Image for Full Article)

Cover Story: What is a Collision DisruptHER?

by Chasidy Rae SiskACCESS-Archive, ACCESS-Subscriber, Archive, Archived Issue Articles, Cover Feature, Issue - Spring 2026Posted on No Comments

Less than 5%.
          That’s the percentage of women working in body shops in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — as of 2024, women made up just 4.9% of that workforce. Let that sink in.
Some broader data suggests women may represent closer to 18% of total career opportunities across the collision ecosystem, but when it comes to the shop floor? The spray booth? The frame rack? The structural pulls and weld tests and post-repair scans? We’re still hovering under 5%.
          And yet, that number is increasing. Slowly. Steadily. Undeniably. In fact, that figure is more than double what it was a decade ago.  
          There’s no question that women belong in collision repair. The real question is: What happens when they stop shrinking, stop blending in, stop apologizing — and start disrupting the status quo?!

          That’s where the Collision DisruptHER comes in!
          So, what IS a Collision DisruptHER? She is someone who changes the face of collision repair simply by being exactly who she is.