Between SEMA at the beginning of the month and tomorrow’s Los Angeles Auto Show, we’ve been buried beneath a wave of press releases the past few weeks. But amid all the “news” about garish high-tech paint jobs and jacked-up rear ends, there was one item that really made us smile.

Over the weekend, the New York Times profiled some of our colleagues at Queers4Gears.com. For those who haven’t visited, that’s a site devoted mostly to NASCAR and other motorsports, and as you’d guess from the URL, it puts a decidedly LGBT spin on things.

Not only was it great to see gay gearheads get their due in what’s arguably the most important newspaper in America, but it was also nice — and kind of bittersweet — to read Mike Myers’ take on being an out gay man in a crowd of people who are assumed to be pretty conservative. Said Myers: “NASCAR has more fans who are accepting of me being gay than gays have
been accepting of me being a NASCAR fan.”

We couldn’t agree more. Queers4Gears may be devoted to hardcore racing, and Gaywheels may be devoted to kinder, gentler consumer reviews, but we’ve felt exactly the same prejudice from our LGBT friends.

We’re not sure where that reaction comes from. Maybe our pals just don’t like greasemonkeys — though the Herb Ritts posters in their boudoirs would indicate otherwise. (As would their private collection of “special movies”.) Or maybe our friends still hold a grudge against that linebacker-turned-salesman who bullied them into a car they really didn’t want. Either way: we wish they’d relax and enjoy the ride with us.

[NYTimes]