Posters threatening that those who do not “respect trans people” will end up with the pronouns “was/were” have sprung up on the New York City Subway.
The posters are part of the Pride Train campaign first launched in 2017 in response to then-President Donald Trump promoting Pride Month with insufficient vigor, and are being promoted openly on the campaign’s Instagram.
Designed to look like service information posters, they warn passengers: “No bigotry, hatred, or prejudice allowed at this station at any time,” accompanied by messages such as “Travel alternative: Let go or get dragged,” “No TERFs allowed on our turf”, “Check your lipstick before you come for us,” and “Respect trans people, or your pronouns will be was/were.”
Bizarrely, the group has also used the Chinese flag, a symbol of the nation but also the Chinese Communist Party.
The Metropolitan Transport Authority is promoting “the importance of Pride and its message of diversity and inclusion across the transit system” with “Pride posters on display, trains decorated with Pride-themed decals, commemorative Pride MetroCards… and special Pride-themed public events,” but the Pride Train posters are reportedly “unofficial,” despite having MTA branding.