Introduction
When it comes to professional sports, there has historically been a lack of representation from the LGBTQ+ community. While there have been trailblazers such as Billy Bean, who came out as gay after retiring from Major League Baseball, and Jason Collins, who played professional basketball for 13 years before publicly speaking about being gay, there are still relatively few openly LGBTQ+ professional athletes.
Enter Zach Herrin, the openly gay race car driver who is breaking down barriers and making history in a sport that has also been known for lacking diversity.
Who is Zach Herrin?
Zach Herrin is a race car driver from Georgia who first started racing when he was just six years old. He started out racing go-karts and slowly worked his way up to bigger and faster cars.
In 2018, Herrin made headlines when he came out as gay in an interview with Compete Magazine, a sports publication that focuses on LGBTQ+ athletes. In the interview, Herrin spoke candidly about the challenges of being a gay athlete, noting that “the stereotypes of racing are all kind of masculine and manly and ‘boys club’ type things, so for me coming out, I was definitely really nervous about it.”
But Herrin persisted, knowing that he wanted to be open about his sexuality and show other LGBTQ+ people that they could be accepted in the sports world as well.
Breaking Barriers in Racing
Because racing has historically been a male-dominated sport, it has often been seen as exclusive and even prejudiced towards those who are not white, male, and straight. However, Herrin is part of a growing movement of drivers who are pushing back against those stereotypes and working to create a more inclusive racing community.
One way that Herrin is making a difference is through his sponsorship by the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is an LGBTQ+ rights organization that focuses on legal advocacy and education. By sponsoring Herrin, the organization is able to bring visibility to LGBTQ+ athletes and show support for those who have faced discrimination and prejudice in the sports world.
Moreover, Herrin is also working to create a more diverse racing community through his involvement with the LGBT Racing Association. The LGBT Racing Association was founded in 2018 as a way to bring LGBTQ+ people together who love racing and to create a more inclusive racing community. In addition to hosting events and races for LGBTQ+ people, the organization also promotes awareness and education around LGBTQ+ issues in the racing world.
The Importance of Visibility
Perhaps most importantly, Herrin is showing other LGBTQ+ people what is possible by being open about his sexuality and continuing to race professionally. In a world where LGBTQ+ youth often feel isolated and alone, representation in sports can be especially powerful. By seeing someone like Herrin succeed and thrive in a sport like racing, LGBTQ+ youth are able to think about their own futures differently and to dream bigger than they may have thought possible.
Furthermore, Herrin’s visibility as an openly gay race car driver serves to break down stereotypes and challenge assumptions about what it means to be a “real” athlete. For too long, LGBTQ+ people have been told that they are not tough enough, strong enough, or competitive enough to excel in sports. By pushing back against those ideas and succeeding anyway, Herrin is paving the way for future LGBTQ+ athletes to do the same.
Conclusion
Zach Herrin is a trailblazer in the world of racing. As an openly gay athlete who is breaking down barriers and creating more inclusive racing communities, Herrin is showing what is possible when we are open about who we are and use our platform to create positive change. By being visible and unapologetic about his identity, Herrin is not only changing the sport of racing, but he is also changing the lives of LGBTQ+ youth who are inspired by his example.
FAQ
How many gay drivers are in NASCAR?
NASCAR is a sport dominated by men, where drivers race cars around a track at high speeds. While it’s not clear how many gay drivers there are in the sport, there is evidence to suggest that there are at least a few. In fact, Devon Rouse is just the second openly gay driver in NASCAR history.
Rouse, a native of Burlington, Iowa, made his debut in the Camping World Truck Series last summer, and he hopes to make a name for himself as a full-time NASCAR driver. He has faced some challenges and discrimination as a gay man in the sport, but he has also received a lot of support from his fellow drivers and fans.
It’s important to note that being a gay driver in NASCAR is still relatively rare, and there may be other drivers who are not publicly out. However, the fact that Rouse has been able to compete and make a name for himself in the sport as an openly gay man is a positive step forward for LGBTQ+ representation in sports. It also sends a message to other LGBTQ+ people that they can pursue their dreams and succeed in any field, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Has there been a gay f1 driver?
The question of whether there has been a gay Formula One (F1) driver is a topic that has been discussed within motorsport circles for many years. While there has been no public announcement of sexual orientation by any F1 driver during their career, there is one driver that is often described as the first openly gay one – Tom Buetler.
Tom Buetler was a British racing driver who competed in F1 between 1972 and 1974. Buetler’s sexuality was not publicly known during his racing career, but after his death in 2014, his former partner John Hogan revealed that Buetler was gay. Hogan also stated that Buetler had faced homophobia in the F1 paddock, and as a result, generally kept his personal life private.
Some sources, including former Autosport editor and friend of Buetler, Ian Phillips, have described Buetler as “semi-closeted”. This suggests that although Buetler did not publicly come out during his career, he may have confided his sexuality to certain people within the F1 community. However, there is no concrete evidence to confirm this.
It is worth noting that F1 has historically been seen as a male-dominated, hyper-masculine environment. As a result, drivers who identify as LGBTQ+ may feel pressure to keep their personal life private in order to fit in with the perceived culture of the sport. However, in recent years, F1 has taken steps towards inclusivity, such as adding rainbow branding to cars, and hosting Pride events at certain races.
While there has been no public announcement of sexuality by any F1 driver, the case of Tom Buetler highlights the possibility that there may have been gay drivers in the past, who felt unable to come out due to the attitudes prevalent in the sport at the time.
Are there any gay IndyCar drivers?
The representation of diversity in sports has always been a crucial issue, especially when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, many sports organizations have taken steps to create a more inclusive environment for different sexual orientations and gender identities. However, when it comes to the IndyCar series, there is no openly gay driver in the championship.
According to an article published by Outsports, a media platform that covers LGBTQ+ issues in sports, many barriers still exist for LGBTQ+ athletes in motorsports. In a sport that traditionally targets a male audience, there is still a stigma attached to the idea of an openly gay driver. Moreover, drivers who are sponsored by conservative companies or markets with anti-LGBTQ+ laws may hesitate to come out and risk losing those sponsorships.
In contrast, the W Series, a women-only racing series, has three openly gay drivers, including Abbie Eaton, a British racing driver who also competed in the 2019 The Grand Tour television series. The W Series was launched in 2019 with a mission to promote female representation in motorsports. Since its inception, the series has featured LGBTQ+ race commentators, and the championship has been open to all women, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
While it is vital to have representation in all sports, motorsports have been particularly slow to accommodate diversity in recent years. There have been signs of progress recently, as some drivers in other racing series have come out as gay. For instance, Justin Wilson, a British racing driver, who tragically lost his life in 2015, was a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. Justin was posthumously awarded the Advocate of the Year award at the 2016 British LGBT Awards for his efforts to support the community.
Although the motorsports industry still has some way to go in terms of inclusivity for LGBTQ+ athletes, the W Series has shown that it is possible to have an environment that is supportive of all women, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While there are currently no openly gay drivers in the IndyCar series, discussing the issue and creating supportive spaces can only help to encourage more drivers to come out in the future.
