I know I REALLY need to write-up my weekend at Infineon, and I will, but I had to write about the NASCAR-themed episode of The Glades that aired yesterday on A&E. It included appearances from NASCAR drivers Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers, Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.
While I loved that NASCAR got some primetime attention, I’m not happy with how female fans were depicted (that and all the bad acting). First, why were there tons of women milling around the garage wearing the same outfit, all the same age and dress size? What’s up with the girls behind the fence jumping up and down, screaming incessantly, in tank tops being called “wafflebellies” with the hopes of being “wife’d”? (that’s an actual term people use??)
This whole thing drives me NUTS. The show made it seem like ALL of the female fans were groupies. And it wasn’t even necessary for the plot! Of course I know that there are many pit lizards out there (saw an inspired group of them at Infineon) but there are more women who purchase hot passes because they’re fans, and only that, not because they want to troll the garage for a husband. A woman shouldn’t have to walk into the garage with a guy to be considered a legitimate fan of the sport. We shouldn’t have to wear a burka to be taken seriously.
I’ll give them the storyline with the little girl who wants to be a racer when she grows up, but other than that all the episode did was create a false stereotype of female racing fans. Like I said before it wasn’t even integral to the plot, so why bother?
The whole episode is here, if you’re interested in watching.
(photo credit: A&E)
