Ford is going off the beaten path in its annual celebration of Pride Month. The Pride Bronco, a one-off two-door Bronco Wildtrak, is making a bold statement touring the country representing Ford’s culture of inclusivity and support of the LGBTQ+ community. All decked out in Progressive Pride colors and gold glitter, the Pride Bronco is an “American cousin” of the Very Gay Ranger Raptor created last year by Ford of Europe, in response to internet trolls deeming the truck’s production blue livery to be “very gay.”

The Ford Pride employee resource group, formerly known as GLOBE, typically customizes a vehicle for use in Pride events throughout June. This year’s graphic-wrapped Pride Bronco represents the group’s most dramatic vehicle customization to date. Bill Peters, IT integration supervisor, is chairperson for Ford Pride. “It speaks volumes that the company is willing to put this marquee brand out there at a time when this is a big topic of discussion politically,” he said.

Eric Mutrynowski, Ford Pride member and Pride Month lead, said this is not just a one-time tribute. “Ford isn’t just paying lip service – Ford supports the LGBTQ+ community,” said Mutrynowski, a global market representation planner. “They took on the negative trolls – they’re following through and supporting us.”

The eye-catching exterior wrap recently debuted at Memphis Pride Fest, where Ford also had representatives from the BlueOval City team on hand to answer questions about the company’s new campus nearby. The team will produce the next generation of electric trucks and advanced batteries for Ford.

Following the Tennessee stop, the Pride Bronco returned to Michigan for Motor City Pride and is scheduled to make an appearance at a block party at the Ann Arbor YMCA on Saturday. Earlier this month, it was on site at Ford World Headquarters for the raising of the Pride flag.

Peters is hoping to take the Pride Bronco to manufacturing facilities such as Michigan Assembly Plant, production home of the Ford Bronco. The vehicle is intended to bring awareness, acceptance and fun and to change mindsets, both at Ford and beyond. “We get a lot of support from UAW-Ford,” said Peters. “The Bronco is for everybody. LGBTQ people can take this thing out and have fun with it in the mud. There are many of us in the LGBTQ community who enjoy these types of outdoor activities. They see us repping this vehicle in their community environments. Hopefully, it gives them the confidence that Ford has these things in mind.”

Established by 14 founding members in 1994, the employee resource group now tops 900 members globally, including about 550 members and allies in the U.S. Ford Pride recently rebranded so the ERG name is inclusive of nonbinary and transgender employees. Ford Pride plays off the company’s brand promise, Built Ford Proud. The group adopted progressive new colors including white, pink and blue, in addition to the traditional colors of Pride, plus black and brown to represent people of color. The redesigned logo, a fanning of various colored ovals, represents openness and movement, in an overlapping pattern that depicts inclusion.

Alex Buckner, a global data insight and analytics product owner who joined the group in 2020, is co-chair of the Ford Pride employee experience committee for transgender, nonbinary and gender non-conforming employees. “It gives us, as employees, a better way to interact and provide feedback and input for the company,” they said. “It’s one thing to be the only queer person on a team or organization. As soon as you know there are others, it’s easier to feel more at home, but also to feel safe in advocating for yourselves and your community.”

Peters, who is a third-generation Ford employee, said he can mark the company’s progress on inclusivity when talking with family members. “Ford has a long history of support,” he said. “There’s always room for improvement, but Ford is further along than other companies. We’ve come a long way.”