Growing up as someone who’s very passionate about a certain topic, chances are that you have experienced being called a fan girl before, and chances also are that it was not in a loving, wholesome way. Fangirls have faced the stereotypes of being “crazily obsessed” for as long as society has been marketing to teenagers, especially teenage girls, so what happens when they decide to reclaim this term? This is exactly what Amanda Paolicelli is doing, and teaching others to do so too.
Who is Amanda?
Amanda is the founder and CEO of Dare To Be Iconic, through which she aims at empowering young women to unleash their potential, break barriers and embrace their iconic selves by providing actionable tools and strategies. Between all of this, she is also a self proclaimed Professional Fangirl.
Her journey started in a way that many of us can unfortunately relate to; heartbreak.
“Dare To Be Iconic all started because of a letter and a box that was left at my front door by my ex boyfriend of three and a half years to end our relationship. From that breakup, I went on a journey of self discovery where I leveled up my life, rebuilt myself, learned how to love myself again, healed, and so much more. While on this journey, I realized that there was a gap in the market-there was no one my age (early 20’s) openly sharing their journey of learning how to heal from heartbreak, discover who you are, and fall in love with yourself again.”
In a way, we can say that Amanda turned the pain of this life event into a power, a strength to inspire others to learn from her experience and healing journey.
“I started Dare To Be Iconic to show other young women in their early twenties that your pain does not define you-that someone else’s action and words do not dictate your narrative and that you too can take a traumatic or painful situation and turn it into a source of strength”
So, what does Dare To Be Iconic mean? Amanda tells us that it means to dare to be you, to “to be so comfortable and confident in your skin that you can walk into any room being unapologetically yourself”. As motorsport fans, many can relate to this aspiration, to not be controlled by stereotypes and the unspoken gender rules dictating the sport.
Being a professional fangirl
In my opinion, Amanda is currently an innovator when it comes to fans being perceived and included in professional spaces, like on LinkedIn.
“I chose LinkedIn as my main platform to declare my professional fangirl status because my goal was to initiate discussions and challenge the status quo of professional dialogue and perspectives on the platform. I believe my perspective as a professional fangirl is just as valuable as those with more 'distinguished' job titles. So by sharing my voice, I aim to create a space for important discussions that might be overlooked in the sports industry. Additionally, I wanted to establish a safe space for fellow fangirls, showing them the power and importance of their voices in these conversations.”
She is working towards reclaiming the narrative for fangirls by challenging stereotypes and sharing about the power that they can hold. Fangirls bring a new perspective to a sport, they bring a loyalty that is beneficial to a brand, offering their devotion and creativity in exchange for their place at the table, or in many cases, for nothing in return.
The term “fangirl” was often used in a demeaning way towards Amanda growing up, in an attempt to undermine her passion, interest and intelligence and reduce her to “just a girl who thinks the athletes are attractive and not know anything about the actual sport.” Her work to change the narrative is inspirational and a step towards a more inclusive future in motorsport and fan communities.
Inclusion in Motorsport
The way that Amanda first became a motorsport fan, one that is very fitting to her brand as a professional fangirl, is through Drive to Survive, the Netflix show following each Formula 1 season since 2019. The show, if well appreciated by many and a great way for the sport to reach new audiences, has also opened the door to a new wave of toxicity in the fandom, especially directed at female-identifying fans, by calling those who discovered F1 through it “fake fans” who are only chasing attention for their fleeting interest. This negativity also brings a new discourse regarding the changes in the Formula 1 fan community, as well as the efforts to make the sport a more inclusive environment for all.
“The current inclusion of women in motorsports has been amazing to see. It's beautiful to witness the strides we are making to be more inclusive and to champion women’s voices in the field, especially with initiatives like F1 Academy, and partnerships with brands like Charlotte Tilbury and ELF. However, I know we can still do better. There is a unique opportunity in motorsports to truly champion the voices of fangirls, yet it hasn't fully happened. Fangirls are the heartbeat of motorsports. They fuel the spirit and energy you see on your screen. To continue on the current inclusion of women in motorsports, there should be affordable and stylish merchandise, partnerships with female content creators, and safe meetup spaces. These steps will ensure fangirls feel valued and included, enhancing the vibrant motorsports community”
It is possible to say that we are working towards the right direction when it comes to inclusion, but more can always be done. It is important to keep in mind that motorsport is not the most accessible of sports, especially when it comes to Formula 1. Race tickets and merch is not something that every fan can afford. From the standpoint of an aspiring racing driver, there are also monetary challenges, especially for women. Amanda shares with us how she believes that more funding and sponsorship opportunities, especially for underrepresented groups, could help those who are pursuing their dream career.
Words of wisdom
Amanda’s story and journey is one that we can all take inspiration from. She is a powerful positive force within the motorsport community, empowering young fans to find their voice and be the change they want to see. In a community like motorsport, where not fitting a certain mold can make it feel impossible to find your voice, she tells us that being yourself is the most important choice you can make.
“I wish someone would’ve told me to not be afraid to use my voice and create opportunities for myself. Going on this journey, I’ve realized that the beautiful thing about life is that we have so many opportunities to start again and create the magic we want for ourselves, so why not write the story you want to star in and dare to be iconic.”
You can find Amanda on Instagram and TikTok under @amandapayo1219 and @daretobeiconic_ as well as on LinkedIn under Amanda Paolicelli. New episodes of her podcast, Dare To Be Iconic, are dropping every Wednesday. You can also find her guided journal Break Up With The Past, Fall In Love With The Future, your five step guide on turning your pain into power on Amazon.
So proud to be a fangirl in this sport! #unashamed