Earlier right this moment, the New York Metropolis Metropolitan Transit Authority did what any proud new mother or father would do: Posted pictures of its new child on Twitter. After all, the MTA isn’t simply any mother or father, and its new child was one thing distinctive as properly — an R211 prepare, set to start service on the town’s A line.

However one of many 4 pictures posted by the MTA perturbed the Twitterati. It confirmed the inside of a automobile on the brand new prepare, stuffed with time-relevant delight flags, however with a curious omission: The flags’ trans colours had been nowhere to be discovered.

The particular Delight flags proven on the shows within the prepare automobile are the Progress Delight design — a contemporary replace to the six (initially eight)-stripe Gilbert Baker flag, which added chevrons to characterize POC and trans individuals. Within the MTA’s Twitter picture, the black and brown chevrons are current, however the pink, blue, and white have mysteriously vanished.

Jalopnik reached out to the MTA, nonetheless, and discovered that the picture is solely an instance of unhealthy timing. The delight flags within the new R211 prepare are animated, and the picture on Twitter captured them because the chevrons had been flying onto the display screen – the trans colours merely hadn’t appeared but. The animation, in its full kind, seems to be like this:

Each shade of the Progress Delight flag is represented on the trains’ screens, each within the flag animation in addition to the center surrounding the MTA brand on the finish. The picture on Twitter might not have captured all the pieces, however the full animation doesn’t erase any part of the Progress Delight design. Whether or not animated delight flags on subway trains are appreciated recognition of the variety of NYC transit riders, or just a obscure gesture at illustration in lieu of any significant enchancment to the lives of queer New Yorkers, is its personal debate. However, not less than the brand new trains aren’t erasing any member of the neighborhood.