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NASCAR racer Zach Herrin is using his rainbow-colored car to fight “Don’t Say Gay” laws
“When the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill was first brought to Florida, there was a lack of large LGBTQ+ voices, specifically athletes, taking their stance to say we’re highly against this," Herrin says.
Not only has NASCAR competitor Zach Herrin helped transform the racing world by competing as an out gay man, but now he’s partnering with a big-name organization to raise awareness about anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
This racing season, Herrin will be sponsored by the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Lambda Legal. Their logo will be emblazoned upon his Toyota Camry stock car along with a sleek rainbow design, providing a perpetual reason for him to discuss the group’s vital advocacy work.
“Like me, Lambda Legal cares deeply about LGBTQ+ causes and partnering with them is a perfect fit,” he wrote in a recent Instagram post. “I want to be visible in professional sports so that my voice is heard by those who feel silenced and resonates on their behalf.”
Their partnership is especially important considering that he’s participating in the largest race of the season in Florida, the ARCA Menards Series-opening ARCA Daytona 200. Florida passed its infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law just last year. leaving educators subject to possible lawsuits and firing if they acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ+ people in classrooms.
“When the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill was first brought to Florida I thought there was a lack of large LGBTQ+ voices, specifically athletes, taking their stance to say we’re highly against this,” Herrin told Outsports.
He said he approached Lambda Legal last year for possible sponsorship. He hopes their sponsorship will give him an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the law as well as the fact that even stricter laws like it are being introduced across the country.
Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings, himself a big NASCAR fan, told the aforementioned publication, “This is a great opportunity to educate people about this hateful law and how much damage it’s doing to young people… and, to give young people a symbol of hope in the form of Zach Herrin.”
Herrin actually debuted as a racer at Daytona at age 16. But he walked away to find himself. He returned 10 years later as an out and proud gay man, he told Queerty hoping “to help create a more inclusive and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ fans to feel welcome.”
“I wouldn’t have walked away from living my dream if I had a role model to look up to and someone to help guide me as I chased my dreams and looked for acceptance at the same time,” he said.
Herrin said he has seen NASCAR’s fandom become younger and more diverse, thanks in part to its hosting of Pride events at NASCAR races, sponsoring local Pride parades, and creating an official NASCAR Pride merch line.
“I know these are minor steps that should have been done years ago,” he admitted, “but the sport is moving in the right direction and I’m along for the ride!”
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