Hailie Deegan, a rising NASCAR star, is ready to take every race opportunity she can get. However, her career may have been damaged after she used an inappropriate term during a Sunday night virtual competition. During the broadcast of a video game race on Twitch, the young female NASCAR driver said a slur that offends many individuals with disabilities. She has now apologized for her word choice and has accepted the fact that people expect her to respect others and not insult them as a way to amuse herself.
During a video game, Deegan was racing when another motorist closed in on her and made a threat. The attacker pushed against her and expunged the insult from Deegan’s mouth.
“Oh! Hey!” Deegan reacted. “Who’s the r***** behind me?! Don’t do that, please.”
Because the video was live-streamed on Twitch, it rapidly spread throughout the internet. Deegan’s supporters were furious with her and requested an apology for offending disabled individuals. Many fans of NASCAR consider themselves disabled – both physically and mentally.
She apologized for her mistake and tried to win back her alienated fans by uttering the “R-word.”
She stated: “Earlier tonight, I used an insensitive word during an online race being broadcast on Twitch. It was inappropriate slang and a stupid thing to do. I apologize to everyone who was offended by it. There’s no excuse for it, and I know I have to do better for my sponsors and my fans.”
Deegan is the most recent NASCAR driver to get into trouble after using inappropriate language in a virtual race. Kyle Larson, a NASCAR driver, publicly used the N-word during a live streaming event and was immediately disciplined in April. He was fired from Chip Ganassi Racing, and he lost several sponsorships. He has been suspended by NASCAR not just because of his use of the term but also because of his public comments about it. Larson was reinstated after meeting a series of conditions set forth by NASCAR, although he is currently on suspension until 2023 for using the epithet against African Americans.
Deegan’s issue is somewhat different, as she used a pejorative against the disabled community. NASCAR, on the other hand, will almost certainly come down hard on her for using insulting language and may possibly suspend her from future events.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing has made it clear that they will not tolerate any form of discriminatory or hurtful language, especially when used against marginalized groups. Deegan may have thought her comments were amusing, but they were anything but to the individuals who heard them. She now has a chance to learn from her mistake and go on to have a successful career in NASCAR.
Is it your position that the National Auto Sport Association (NASCAR) should discipline Deegan for slighting the disabled community?
