Fact or Fictn: Ford built a "Very Gay" Raptor?

Contents:

• IS THE FORD 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' TCK REAL?
• FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ SET TO REFE ‘TOUGH’ AT GOODWOOD
• FACT CHECK: HAS FORD ROLLED OUT AN LGBT 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' TCK?
• FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ AD GO VIRAL: IS THE WOKE COMMERCIAL REAL?
• FORD ROLLS OUT 'VERY GAY' TCK RPONSE TO HOMOPHOBIC TROLL
• WATCH: FORD HAS ROLLED OUT AN LGBT ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ TCK
• DID FORD REALLY MAKE A “VERY GAY RAPTOR” MERCIAL?
• REPORT: FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ A RPONSE TO A GAY SLUR
• AMID THE BUD LIGHT-DYLAN MULVANEY BACKLASH, FORD’S ‘VERY GAY’ TCKS HAVE RURFACED
• “VERY GAY RAPTOR” BUILT BY FORD
• FORD BUILDS 'VERY GAY' RANGER RAPTOR IN RPONSE TO HOMOPHOBIC COMMENT
• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
• FORD INTRODUC THE “VERY GAY RAPTOR” AND IT’S THE MOST AWOME CLAPBACK EVER
• FACT CHECK: HAS FORD ROLLED OUT AN LGBT ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ TCK?
• FACT OR FICTN: FORD BUILT A "VERY GAY" RAPTOR?
• FORD ACTUALLY BUILT A 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' RPONSE TO AN TER TROLL
• A GAY UPLE RAN A RAL RTRANT PEACE. THEN NEW NEIGHBORS ARRIVED.
• FORD'S VERY GAY RAPTOR READY FOR GOODWOOD ACTN

IS THE FORD 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' TCK REAL?

Ford created a tck lled the "Very Gay Raptor. ContextThe "Very Gay Raptor" is a real tck created by Ford 2021. The pany reportedly created the r rponse to a social media post that referred to the "Performance Blue" lor optn on Ranger Raptors as "very gay.

In May 2023, claims began to spread onle that Ford had buted a new tck lled the "Very Gay Raptor, " a vehicle pated gold dt and rabow graphics. " Attached to the tweet was a mercial claimg to show the "Very Gay Raptor" advertised by Ford. @44vatox Ford buts their new 2023 "Very Gay Raptor" #mexintiktok #fortheraza #lgbt #verygayraptor ♬ Spense Mic - Gabriel Andra Produçõ.

The "Very Gay Raptor" is real, but 's not new.

FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ SET TO REFE ‘TOUGH’ AT GOODWOOD

It began as an attempt by our team Europe to turn a negative to a posive wh -kd rponse to a social ment 2021 assertg that a lor of the then-new Ranger Raptor tck was 'very gay' – somethg which offend lleagu and ctomers. In September 2021, ABC 10 News reported that Ford of Germany had created the r rponse to a social media post that referred to the "Performance Blue" lor optn on Ranger Raptors as "very gay. On June 21, 2022, nearly a year later, Ford News Europe posted a vio to s YouTube page tled, "Ford's Very Gay Raptor Ref 'Tough' for a New Generatn.

Ford lled out a homophobic rponse to a Ranger Raptor vio last year by creatg the real-life "Very Gay Raptor. In a 2022 prs release about the tck, Ford said the vio was meant to tease the appearance of the "Very Gay Raptor" as well as the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor at the Goodwood Ftival of Speed, an annual U. Ford's Very Gay Raptor Ref 'Tough' for a New Generatn.,.

FACT CHECK: HAS FORD ROLLED OUT AN LGBT 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' TCK?

"FORD'S 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' SET TO REDEFINE 'TOUGH' AT GOODWOOD. "Fact or Fictn: Ford Built a 'Very Gay' Raptor?

“Very Gay Raptor”’ (VGR) and Next-Gen Ranger Raptor to appear at the Goodwood Ftival of Speed, reaffirmg Ford’s long-term mment to LGBTQ+ allyship.

GOODWOOD, UK, June 21, 2022 – Ford will ntue monstratg s allyship wh the LGBTQ+ muny at the Goodwood Ftival of Speed this week, brgg “Very Gay Raptor” and the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor along for the ri. The appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” at the event near Chichter, UK, will be ed to further iate important discsns and aimed at drivg out discrimatn the tomotive dtry, and beyond. As part of this, Ford will be prentg live ssns of s new “Tough Talks” seri at Goodwood om the tck bed of “Very Gay Raptor”, hosted by Welsh gby legend Gareth Thomas, the first openly-gay gby unn player.

FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ AD GO VIRAL: IS THE WOKE COMMERCIAL REAL?

Created 2021, “Very Gay Raptor” was born rponse to a negative ment on social media, wh Ford renrg s most badass nameplate sparklg gold adorned wh rabow graphics. In a vio teasg the appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” and Next-Gen Ranger Raptor at the event, both vehicl speed through off-road trails vered mud – at tim takg different paths, facg off, yet displayg their equally imprsive and tough abili, regardls of their differg inti. The Next-Gen Ranger Raptor, appearg for the first time as “Very Gay Raptor”, will make s European dynamic but at Goodwood, tacklg the challengg off-road track between ns up the famo hill, powered by a tw-turbo 3.

0-lre EBoost V6 homologated CO2 emissns 315 g/km and homologated fuel efficiency om 13. It looks like the Ford executiv who uld have stopped their brand om beg the “Bud Light of Tcks” had already done the ed a year ago, when they ran the “Very Gay Raptor” — y, that is s real name — at a major motorsports event.

FORD ROLLS OUT 'VERY GAY' TCK RPONSE TO HOMOPHOBIC TROLL

The ad featur the Worlds Strongt Men to nvce you how tough the new “Very Gay Raptor” really is! The ad shared by London featur Rob Kearney, the first openly gay petor the World’s Strongt Man petn, talkg up the allyship he found the event.

Others also recently posted promotnal vios of the “Very Gay Raptor, ” a rabow flag-becked versn of the $56, 000-pl tw-turbo performance tck:. The only thg that’s wrong about the statements is that the “Very Gay Raptor” isn’t somethg new.

WATCH: FORD HAS ROLLED OUT AN LGBT ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ TCK

“Ford will ntue monstratg s allyship wh the LGBTQ+ muny at the Goodwood Ftival of Speed this week, brgg ‘Very Gay Raptor’ and the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor along for the ri, ” Ford said a news release last June, clarg that the tck would “refe ‘tough. “Created 2021, ‘Very Gay Raptor’ was born rponse to a negative ment on social media, wh Ford renrg s most bada** nameplate sparklg gold adorned wh rabow graphics, ” the news release said.

‘Very Gay’ was a pliment, right? ✨? #VeryGayRaptor. Footage of the “Very Gay Raptor” also featur promently a rep of Ford’s numero petn rs and productn specials at Goodwood last year:.

Whereas prevly an ostentatly woke mpaign specifilly targetg nsumer products that are cidly unwoke would fly unr the radar for most people, the “Very Gay Raptor” sudnly seems like a “Very Bad Ia” — particularly for a pany stgglg other areas at prent that has to sell the Ford Ranger Raptor to a mostly male, generally nservative clientele that’s not nsirg a sendhand Nissan Leaf the Raptor’s stead. (Before Mulvaney), ’ll be cur to see what Ford do wh the “Very Gay Raptor” and what kd of publicy gets over the next few months. Advertisg, Automobile, Boytt, bs and pani, Culture, Homosexual Agenda, inty polics, LGBT, social media, Transgenr, Tweet, vio, wokens.

DID FORD REALLY MAKE A “VERY GAY RAPTOR” MERCIAL?

Advertisg, Automobile, Boytt, bs and pani, Culture, homosexual agenda, inty polics, LGBT, social media, transgenr, tweet, vio, wokens.

REPORT: FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ A RPONSE TO A GAY SLUR

Very few people know that the vio was released rponse to a homophobic ment.

The mercial qutn is tled “Ford’s Very Gay Raptor Ref ‘Tough’ for a New Generatn. The ptn of the vio suggts Ford lled out a homophobic rponse to a Ranger Raptor vio last year by creatg the real-life “Very Gay Raptor.

Y, the Ford mercial wh the Very Gay Raptor is, fact, real and was created to show support for the LGBT muny.

AMID THE BUD LIGHT-DYLAN MULVANEY BACKLASH, FORD’S ‘VERY GAY’ TCKS HAVE RURFACED

In an article on Ford’s webse dated June 21, 2022, has been stated that the Very Gay Raptor will be “aimed at drivg out discrimatn the tomotive dtry, and beyond.

On May 17, Ford’s ad for s Very Gay Raptor went viral as people started tweetg wh the tags: “How to Dtroy 120 Years of Amerin History 1 Mute…”. As a proud F-150 owner, I have never met anyone who driv one who's gay. Ford is not the first victim of this strange homophobic phenomenon; don’t look like the last on their h list.

Ford Very Gay RaptorWhen Ford Germany recently unveiled s new blue Ford Ranger Raptor, got plenty of praise, but there was one piece of feedback the pany said “stopped our tracks. — But that blue lor is very Gay!! ” What happened next was a masterclass shuttg down homophobic a vio released on Twter by Ford Europe, the tomaker revealed s new and improved “Very Gay Raptor” cked out rabows and gold glter.

“VERY GAY RAPTOR” BUILT BY FORD

A 60-hour procs saw the vehicle draped rabow and gold glter Alpha foil, then topped wh rabow and heart isn’t even the first time that Ford has cked out a Gay Pri vehicle. One “malic” rponr said his genr was “aerosol, ” his race was “Ao/Klgon-Asiatic Galapogayatn, ” and his disabily was “beg 2. ” when he was quizzed on gay prits back 2013.

“Beg homosexual isn’t a crime, ” Francis said durg an terview wh the Associated Prs January this year.

FORD BUILDS 'VERY GAY' RANGER RAPTOR IN RPONSE TO HOMOPHOBIC COMMENT

In the middle of the massive wave of “woke” mercials emergg 2023, tryg to stay far om the challengg bate on social works, we need to provi some rmatn about a cursy that me up May 2023: people have been discsg a mercial that Ford released some months before, wh a “very gay” mol of their ranger raptor, the rabow lors. You fd below:At that time, was a quick vio ma for social media to answer a er ment sayg: “the blue lor is very gay.

” It’s important to note that the statement was not tend as a homophobic attack but only as a joke. As Sports Keeda reported, “Ford’s ‘Very Gay’ Raptor adopted a gltery gold body adorned wh a wave of rabow nng om the ont si of the r to the back.

The Pri-themed Raptor was rponse to a homophobic ment about a Ranger Raptor vio that was shared 2021. In rponse, one social media er lled the lor “very gay.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

That “Very Gay Raptor” ad cid wh a seri of vios lled “Tough Talks.

” Ford posted the seri featurg Gareth Thomas, a former Welsh gby player who is the first gby unn player to e out as openly gay. Thomas speaks wh people the seri about alleged homophobia the tomotive dtry.

FORD INTRODUC THE “VERY GAY RAPTOR” AND IT’S THE MOST AWOME CLAPBACK EVER

The Ford Raptor is very gay.

FACT CHECK: HAS FORD ROLLED OUT AN LGBT ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ TCK?

That’s not a middle school joke, ’s an actual vehicle offered by The Ford Motor Company, which created a special edn “very gay” versn of s Raptor pick-up tck two years ago, plete wh a rabow pat job. Yet nobody even noticed until recently — which sort of mak the whole thg a lot more May 18, Robby Starbuck tweeted, “Did you know that Ford has a tck they ll their ‘Very Gay Raptor’? ” Did you know that Ford has a tck they ll their "Very Gay Raptor"?

Me when the Ford ms guy slis to the DMs cryg that we told the world about their “Very Gay Raptor”… — Raheem.

FACT OR FICTN: FORD BUILT A "VERY GAY" RAPTOR?

(@RaheemKassam) May 20, 2023While the very gay tck has gaed new promence, or famy pendg on your persuasn, has actually been out of the closet for some time, and Ford Europe was que proud of s Very Gay Raptor (VGR). “Created 2021, ‘Very Gay Raptor’ was born rponse to a negative ment on social media, wh Ford renrg s most badass nameplate sparklg gold adorned wh rabow graphics, ” a Ford Europe prs release said. ”Somewhere along the le, an tersex dividual or an “ally” felt that dividuals born wh an extremely rare ndn where they have a batn of both male and female parts weren’t reprented on the, the flag has now been updated to clu tersex as seen here, shared by the Uned Stat Secretary of State Antony Blken jt this past Internatnal Day Agast Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia we ll for an end to harmful nversn therapy practic, cludg those that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientatn, genr inty or exprsn, or sex characteristics.

Individuals who supported gay marriage ls than 10 years ago, but don’t support radil genr iology are labeled bigots. Tips, Tricks & TrendsWhen an onle rponse lled the Performance Blue pat on Ford's entry to the Christopher Street Day para "very gay" Ford cid to transform the tck to the "Very Gay Ranger Raptor. That said, is Ford who has named s special pickup the “Very Gay Ranger Raptor.

FORD ACTUALLY BUILT A 'VERY GAY RAPTOR' RPONSE TO AN TER TROLL

Of urse, the Very Gay Ranger Raptor was one of the para’s ma attractns. Why did Ford name the Ranger “Very Gay?

Ford’s “Very Gay Ranger Raptor” pickup | Ford.

The Very Gay Ranger Raptor is s rponse. Origally meant to be the standard Ford Performance Blue, thgs changed after someone posted that the lor looked “very gay. When was fished Ford lled the pickup Very Gay Raptor.

A GAY UPLE RAN A RAL RTRANT PEACE. THEN NEW NEIGHBORS ARRIVED.

The Very Gay Raptor took over 60 hours to be transformed. So, the GLOBE (Gay, Lbian, or Bisexual Employe) at Ford are celebratg 25 years of celebratg diversy the workplace. Ford’s “Very Gay Ranger Raptor” wh Ka pickup | Ford.

The gay pri celebratns began the US 1970 after the famo 1969 Stonewall Inn Rts New York. In all, 46 German ci celebrate the gay pri ftivals.

FORD'S VERY GAY RAPTOR READY FOR GOODWOOD ACTN

It was also created due to a specific, negative social media menter that lled the Raptor's origal lor of Performance Blue "very gay. " As such, Ford specifilly named this pickup the Very Gay Raptor.

Gallery: Ctom 'Very Gay' Ford Ranger Raptor Regnizg the discrimatory tone of the ment, the tomaker rpond wh an over-the-top image of a rabow Ranger to make the pany's posn very clear. Addnally, Ford's GLOBE (Gay, Lbian, or Bisexual Employe) work celebrat s 25th anniversary this year, supportg LGBTQ+ employe and diversy the workplace.

The Very Gay Raptor will be on display Cologne through Augt 28 and partake the annual ColognePri 2021 para on Sunday.