UK

ScotRail hero Ste shuts down Twitter troll whining that there’s no ‘straight Pride train’

A photograph of a rainbow-coloured ScotRail train with a tweet imposed on it which reads: '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 social media staffer Ste seriously had no time for homophobia. (ScotRail/Twitter)

The world has, at long last, been blessed with a hero: a kind-hearted yet very, very blunt ScotRail staffer named Ste.

One of the handlers for the Scottish rail company’s social media has gone viral after effortlessly shutting down a Twitter troll.

The firm asked its 235,000 followers whether they have seen its Pride of ScotRail train – a vehicle splashed with the 11 colours of the Progress flag – on Friday (25 June).

While countless users praised the train, some were not as impressed.

One user, whose charming feed is filled with comments such as “Why don’t women stick to washing and ironing”, asked ScotRail: “I take it you’ll also be painting one in ‘straight’ colours?

“Or will we be discriminated against?”

Enter: Ste. One of ScotRail’s tireless social media operators who clearly has next to no times for people complaining about being privileged enough that they don’t need a special train?

The no-nonsense staffer hit back: “Straight people aren’t punched in the face for holding hands with their life partner, nor are they executed in other countries simply for being straight.

“Please educate yourself on the matter before commenting such nonsense.”

 

Ste’s sharp comeback quickly tallied more than 12,500 likes and 2,500 retweets as thousands of users praised him for telling the facts and refusing to back down.

After all, around 71 countries and jurisdictions around the world continue to criminalise being gay, according to the Human Dignity Trust. And countless queer people have been brutally beaten – or worse – for holding hands, a simple expression of love.

Ste, Patron Saint of Pride,” one user joked. 

Another added: “Ste needs a pay rise.”

Ste, you absolute star!” beamed a user.
“I would love to hold my husband’s 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.”

“Hi ScotRail,” a fourth user wrote. “I’d like to make a complaint.

“Whatever Ste is being paid, it’s clearly not enough. Please pay him more.”

While we can’t say whether a pay-rise is on the horizon for Ste, our new lord and saviour of Twitter clap backs, his colleagues are making sure he’s sufficiently rewarded and praised.

“Scotland’s Railway is for everyone and, this Pride Month, we wanted to do something really special to demonstrate our support for Scotland’s LGBT+ community,” said ScotRail commercial director Lesley Kane in a statement.

She added: “Regardless of background or your identity, you should feel welcomed and safe when travelling.

“And it goes way beyond the month of June. This design will stay on the train for the next eight years until it eventually requires repainting.”

 

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