Video - Is the Prius Gay?

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

 

Dave,

Interesting research.

But you seem to have over looked one thing that involves the actually meaning of the word "gay" amongst teens.

I have coached teenage boys, and have two boys (now in collge) of my own. So I know the lingo, and what makes them tick. The use of the word "gay", among teens, and/or college kids is not (necessarily) meant to denote sexual preference, but is used to denote, "lame". As in, "dad, that's so gay". My wife and i occasionally will dance to some oldie tune from out youth... if it's done in front of our boys, there's a good chance we'll hear, "dad/mom, that's so gay"....along with some other classic comments. They're not saying it's homosexuals....they're saying it's "lame".

By the way - the research of the top cars preferered by homosexuals, is spot on correct. I've known for many years that the demographics for many of the VW models are preferred by - (1) woman, and (2) homonsexual men.

 

I know there are a few homosexual Priuschat members: what's their take? I figure who better to say whether a car is gay than actual gay people?

I figure: It's a CAR.

 

Like many words in the English lanuage, it can have multiple meanings. But I have a LOT of experience working with teens, and the most common use of the word "gay", to them, is "lame".

My own kids said my prius is gay. But I know - for fact - that their meaning for "gay" is "lame", and not meant to mean sexual orientation. Duh.

But sure, there can be some kids that think it's a car for homosexuals. But as your own research has shown, they would be wrong. But I suspect the majority are using the word the way my kids use it...it's "lame".

 

Haters don't make much sense.

Why do they diss the Prius as "ghey", yet so many are tailgating and trying to sodomize it?

 

It's because of self hatred and difficulty controlling their urges. Many of the most vehement anti-homosexual preachers and Congresscritters have later been found out to be gay.

Being a homophobe is gay.

 

Funny stuff adric22. Unfortunately, I don't think people calling the Prius "gay" really care about the sophisticated level of analysis you've done.

Now after seeing the Nissan Leaf commercial, THAT is a "gay" car with an undercurrent of an unatural polar bear/metero man thing going on. Eeeeew...

 

That segway in the intro is what's ghey!

Great video. I agree that after kids start to make their own money and have to live on their own there's a whole new appreciation for what makes sense for them. Less time and effort is spent trying to impress others.

 

This absolutely blows my mind... If you are a parent, and your kid is spreading that hate-speak, smack them upside the head. You are the parent, do some parenting.

Next time they say "xyz is so gay" smack them, ground them, whatever. It is inapproproate and demeaning.

 

i thought the prius was wimpy techno geek.




as far as Subaru's go.

Subaru marketed to gay and lesbians years ago. it is a market like every other. it has money. the forester was known as the "lesbian car" because of the marketing campaign and it worked.


go watch bet tv and the Spanish channels. companies target them also. you'll notice the general channels get white actors, bettv gets african american, and Spanish well...spanish. it's no big deal. a buck is a buck

 

People use the term "gay" as the opposite to "macho". They see most Prii driving on the streets whimpily like starting up from stand still like a crawling snail, always less than 65 mph on the right lane of the highways, coasting way to early before a red light making a huge gap from the car in front, p&g to the extreme making the drivers following a Prius really frustrated, etc., etc.

They simply cannot apply the image of the word macho to such driving behaviour, hence the opposite image would be "gay".

I've always been posting to advice newbies not to baby the gas paddle, and just drive it like a "normal" car. Driving is a means to travel from A to B. Driving in a Prius getting good fuel economy is a bonus. Driving a Prius SHOULD NOT be treated as playing a game of scoring the highest mpg with total disregard to inconveniencing other drivers on the road. You do that and it's natural that they'll "hate" you and put the "gay" label on your car.

My point is: if you want to be respected, you must first be considerate to others.

 

Again the opposite of macho is not gay. There are effeminate heterosexual males and extremely masculine homosexual males. The two have no coorelation in "the real world".

I agree the snail start is annoying to other drivers (and effects mileage adversly in the Prius at the same time), but I see no problem with it when you are traveling 10 car lengths to another red light... Slowing to a stop over a long distance is no issue either. The cars behind you all get there at the same time. Exception being through a downtown area and you are "slowing" through other green lights for one much further ahead.

But that is a different point. Driving stupid should not equate to being macho. It equates to being stupid. Driving slowly does not equate to being gay. I am sure some very conservative "little 'ol ladies" would object to that.

 

I'm not trying to "define" the terms "macho" and "gay". Just want to put my 2 cents to why some people think that the Prius is a "gay" car. I think most people don't even know (or don't want to know) there are very masculine gay people. They just mostly associate "gay" people as males with faminine behaviour. So if a man drives a Prius with "faminine" like behaviour, I'm not surprised to hear them calling the man driver, and his car, "gay".

 

Then that is worse, no? Offending an entire gender (slightly larger than 50% in the US) vs a sexuality (which is at lowest estimates 5% and in more accepted estimates closer to 10% in the US).

I think people need to stop defending societies' false stereotypes. I would hate to see what these same people would say about a lesbian asian woman driver?!?!

And just for the record, no I am not gay lol.

 

I really don't need respect from people who do NOT respect the environment. This "inconvenience" to other drivers is more important than everything else? Why are these other fuel wasters not being asked to be considerate of ME - somebody who wishes everybody would respect the speed limits, somebody who wants clean air, clean water, energy independence, a more stable economy and better health?

When did the convenience of other drivers become our most important transportation goal? At one point the Auto Alliance at least dabbled in driver eduction to actually teach people how to drive with energy savings in mind. http://www.ecodrivingusa.com/ But of course that'll never fly. What about our freedom to do stupid things!? That's just trying to take our rights away!

 

Of course you were also tellings us how we should and should not be operating our cars... in all caps no less. That part didn't seem to be as much tied in with the "gay" thing - as it was how you percieve people should respect others (I can't see how being respected and being thought of as gay are related). Or maybe my interpretation is wrong, and you understand the benefits (to everybody) of driving conservatively.

 

Well, I think these are completely separate issues. I accelerate with gusto and drive at average traffic speed which is always higher than the posted limits. Like the other thread floating around, when it is stop and go and you drive so that you dont brake I see that as a benefit to other drivers. I feel it do be more soothing to drive a constant speed vs constantly speeding up and slowing down. Ironically I did this more with my manual transmission coupe since start/stop was a PITA versus just keeping it in gear and driving.

 

Wow. That's a bit pious. Don't you think you'd be comtemtibly looked at as a "fuel waster" by your average subsistance level farmer in Africa or India?

Why don't we all reduce our speed to an even more economical 30 mph on the highway thereby increasing congestion to the point of locking up all our roads and highways because the carrying capacity has been decimated?

This attitude totally reinforces how selfish and arrogant hypermiling can be.