FORD CONTINUES TO "DEFINE TOUGH" DURING PRIDE MONTH

 

In 2021, Ford UK debuted their Pride-themed Raptor pick-up truck. In 2021, they followed up that effort with a new campaign, “Redefining Tough” for a new generation. This featured this great video showing the 2022 re-designed Pride Raptor: 

Along with that, they released a longer, 20+ minute video featuring former professional rugby player, Gareth Thomas to explain more about what “Tough” really means to Ford. [CLICK HERE to see Gareth’s video].

Last year’s video promoting the redesigned truck, which was created to reaffirm “Ford’s long-term commitment to LGBTQ+ allyship,” has started trending again and the comments are decidedly harsh. Among them is one person who claimed they “had an appointment with [a] Ford dealership to order fleet vehicles for my company, but after one of my guys showed me this video, I think I’m good. Guess it’s Chevy or Toyota moving forward!”

Another user chimed in saying, “As someone coming from a Ford family of many generations, I will never buy a new Ford again.” Another noted the Very Gay Raptor “would go real good with a couple cases of Bud Light.”

Unfortunately, only a year later and fueled by the current rise in anti-LBGTQ+ boycotting, online attack against Ford and it’s “Very Gay Raptor” is rearing its ugly head. However, for all those internet haters going after Ford’s position on LBGTQ+ equality and its Pride themed Raptor Pickup, they’ll have trouble finding a replacement for Ford.  If they omit Pride-friendly truck companies like Ford, they won't find many alternatives, since General Motors, Chrysler/Dodge, Nissan, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, and Volkswagen are actively showing support of the LGBTQ+ community.  

Even Elon Musk actively celebrated Tesla’s 7th straight year of inclusion on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s list of companies scoring “100/100 on LGBTQ workplace equality” on Twitter in 2022. He went further to state, “We are trying to accelerate sustainable energy, so what matters is how much someone can contribute to that goal. Personal choices are your own and are respected.” So, by opting for a Tesla vehicle, is anyone really supporting an anti-LGBTQ+ company, regardless of what Elon Musk is saying on social media now?

CLICK HERE to see Elon Musk’s own personal tweets in June, 2022 (and in 2018).

All else aside, it is June and the time when we observe Pride month. Let’s celebrate companies like Ford who support equality and inclusion.

Happy Pride Month!