Ford builds ‘very gay’ pickup truck in response to homophobic remark, displays it at Pride parade

Ford has launched a 'Very Gay Raptor,' a dazzling LGBTQ+-themed pickup truck, to counter homophobia. The car manufacturer displayed the stunning rainbow-themed flag car at a parade in Cologne, where the company has its German headquarters. It all started with a homophobic comment on social media. After Ford posted an image of a blue color Ford Ranger Raptor, one user described the color as 'very gay.' The car manufacturer replied with an image of animation of the Ford Ranger Raptor but this time painted in gold dust and rainbow colors. It's common for companies to issue statements against homophobia in such instances but Ford went one step further and decided to let their actions speak for themselves. 

The car manufacturer didn't want ambiguity on where it stood when it came to homophobia and made a statement with the reply. Ford didn't stop there and decided to launch an LGBTQ+-themed pickup truck in response to the comment. The 'Very Gay Raptor' was thus born and was launched ahead of Christopher Street Day – an annual LGBTQ+ commemoration of the Stonewall riots. The car was on the road as a photo motif in Cologne city center as part of Cologne Pride 2021 from August 26-28. It was also part of the traditional parade last Sunday.

Ford has been a fixture at the Cologne pride for 25 years now but this time it's launched an LGBTQ+-themed pickup truck to go with it. The car was wrapped in 30 sq meters of rainbow-colored and gold glittered Alphafoil and it took a total of 60 hours to give it the new look. Unlike other years, the pride won't be in full gusto due to the pandemic. The 'Very Gay Raptor' lined up alongside a 1998 Ford KA which was also wrapped in rainbow colors, for the pride. The Ford employee network GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees) also celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. This is a significantly inclusive move from the car manufacturer, given its history of allegedly working with the Nazis. A U.S. Army report by investigator Henry Schneider dated September 5, 1945, accused the German branch of Ford of serving as "an arsenal of Nazism, at least for military vehicles" with the "consent" of the parent company in Dearborn, reported The Washington Post.

Brands have become more conscious of their role in being inclusive in recent times. Earlier this year, as we reported, NFL started an inclusive campaign to show its support for the LGBTQIA++ community. "Football is gay," announced the sports body in an ad that was released to coincide with Pride Month. The ad had been released days after Carl Nassib, an NFL player of the Las Vegas Raiders, had come out as gay. Carl Nassib is the first player to come out as gay during his NFL career. Several former NFL players, including Dave Kopay, Ryan O'Callaghan, Wade Davis, and Ryan Russell came out as gay after they retired from the game.

"Football is gay. Football is lesbian. Football is beautiful. Football is life. Football is exciting. Football is culture. Football is transgender. Football is queer. Football is heart. Football is power. Football is tough. Football is bisexual. Football is strong. Football is freedom. Football is American. Football is accepting. Football is everything," read the NFL ad, before concluding with, "Football is for everyone." The NFL also urged its fans to support the cause. “If you love this game, you are welcome here. Football is for all. Football is for everyone. The NFL stands by the LGBTQ+ community today and every day,” said the NFL in a post. The video also included a stat that shows that youth members of the LGBTQ community "with at least one accepting adult" have a 40 percent lower risk of attempting suicide.