A social media administrator for a train operator has received praise for their clap back to a critic of the company’s new rainbow-flag train.
ScotRail is a leading operator of trains in Scotland. Last week, it unveiled a new train decorated with the rainbow ‘progress’ flag.
Although launched during Pride Month, the ‘Pride of ScotRail Train’ is due to keep its livery until 2029, when the metalwork will need repainting.
Unsurprisingly, a photo of the train was posted to the company’s social media accounts.
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Although many posted messages praising the design, others were critical.
One person, in a now-deleted Tweet, said, “I’ll take it you’ll also be painting one in ‘straight’ colours? Or will we be discriminated against? 🤔”
A ScotRail employee who identified themself as ‘Ste’ responded: “Straight people aren’t punched in the face for holding hands with their life partner, nor are the executed in other countries simply for being straight. Please educate yourself on the matter before commenting such nonsense. ^Ste”
Straight people aren’t punched in the face for holding hands with their life partner, nor are the executed in other countries simply for being straight. Please educate yourself on the matter before commenting such nonsense. ^Ste
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) June 26, 2021
Related: This guy really should have known not to complain about Pride getting a whole month
The ScotRail tweet has had over 16.7k likes and 2k retweets. The vast majority of comments praised Ste for his response.
Ste, you absolute star! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ I would love to hold my husbands hand without fear! And go anywhere in the world on holiday without having to research which countries are safe to go to, including locations in the UK
— Marc McKenna-Coles © (he/him) (@marcmc77) June 27, 2021
Don’t worry Jacqueline, I’ll 100% be buying Ste a drink or 5 next time we are out for this! ^Megan pic.twitter.com/1tblUSi9bJ
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) June 28, 2021
Ste needs a pay rise pic.twitter.com/yRWiYu6EIw
— Rob McDowall FRSA (@robmcd85) June 26, 2021
👏 👏 Thanks for calling this out ❤️ Hoping to see more allyship like this every day, every year and not just for #PrideMonth – as we aren’t at risk of being punched in the face only in June.
— Kit Rackley (Geogramblings) (@geogramblings) June 29, 2021
Yesss Ste, we love you for this. Good to see Customer Service putting Bigots in their place rather than bowing down.
— Daniel Vass (@DanV1989) June 28, 2021
This is the difference between an ally and PR.
— Warrender.🇲🇪 · 🇨🇦 ·🏳️⚧️🏳🌈 · · ½💉· · ·🍸 (@Warrender) June 28, 2021
ScotRail said “choo choo mother fucker”
— Paul Klein 👾 (@paulkleinyoo) June 28, 2021
Thank you ste. You support us. Will be upgrading to First Class next time I use Scotrail as a thank you.
— Kieran’s Transport Diaries (@KWTransportVids) June 27, 2021
Related: Rainbow-flag train with LGBTQ crew launched by major travel operator
galileo
Haha! “Scotland, UK” not the other Scotland?
GayEGO
Beautiful Train!
amanwithanedge
love it!
Fahd
Boris Johnson should allow Scotland to hold a referendum so that they can at long last break away from little England, become an independent nation, and join the EU. There I said it.
Invader7
Exactly. What is Boris afraid of? The Brits lose another former colony? Let me people go…