Brett Ratner -- Look ... I'm Backing a Lesbian!

Director Brett Ratner has put his money where his mouth is -- on a lesbian.

You'll recall, Ratner had to resign from producing the 2011 Academy Awards, after proclaiming "Rehearsals are for f*gs."

Ratner -- who's directed a slew of films including "Rush Hour" and "X-Men" -- has done a 180, raising $28,400 for Christine Quinn, an openly gay woman running for Mayor of NYC.

As for City Council member Quinn ... she told the NY Post she holds no grudges -- "What Brett Ratner said when he was preparing for the Academy Awards was completely unacceptable. [But] he went about fixing it and making it better and making sure he never does that again."