It seems as though Piers Morgan has been triggered by a pride flag-covered train, after calling it a “virtue signal”.
Transport company, Avanti West Coast, recently unveiled a train covered in a Pride flag (one that includes the trans and black and brown stripes) and were asking for Twitter users to come up with a name for what they’ve dubbed the ‘Pride train’.
Piers Morgan responded with “THE VIRTUE-SIGNALLING EXPRESS’, which started a massive Twitter backlash against the train’s design, with Morgan’s fans piling on criticism of the train company.
One user, wrote, “We don’t want a bloody rainbow train or rainbow police cars – It just makes more people turn against the idea of Pride when they see money wasted on this virtue signalling. Can we be clear, WE did not ask for this, we are being used for publicity.”
While another added, “I’m gay and this makes me cringe”.
One user questioned the motives of the train company for unveiling the flag, saying,
“Piers is not being anti-LGBT here or begrudging the community of their train or validity of PRIDE, but questioning the motives of a commercial enterprise…..so let’s keep our heads on eh? This is branding!!! We should be questioning their motives. Better spent on our charities.”
Some users said that they approved of the train’s colourings. One user wrote, “I think it’s fantastic, it’s nice to smile & see a bit of colour in what has been a terrible year”.
What should they call the pride train?
There have already been many serious naming suggestions for the pride train, from Marsha (to celebrate the LGBT+ icon Marsha P Johnson, who would have been 75 this year) to Alan Turing, the scientist whose widely credited for bringing a swifter end to World World II with his code-breaker. But one of our favourites from @yagsieoj is LIL, which stands for Love Is Love.
