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Public Spaces
Public Displays
of Pride
Queering
the Cityscape...
Beyond personal expressions of LGBTQ pride, like buttons
and apparel... Beyond group expressions of LGBTQ
pride like parades and posters... Let's examine public
displays of pride.
LGBTQ
pride displays in public spaces, such as libraries, city
streets, shopping areas, storefronts, and community
centers, are used to foster inclusivity, visibility, and
celebration, often featuring rainbow-themed decorations,
book displays, and outdoor art installations. These
creative displays, including rainbow crosswalks, special
signage, library showcases, serve as visible symbols of
community support, particularly during Pride Month.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Key
Forms of Public Pride Displays...
--Libraries: Public library and independent bookstores
use Pride-themed book displays featuring authors and
stories from the queer community.
--Urban Installations: Cities install permanent,
colorful, painted, rainbow crosswalks to mark visibility
in downtown areas.
--Community Support: Displays, ranging from flags to
parades and festivals, are designed to create welcoming
environments.
--Municipal Displays: Communities install banners along
public streets or light up public buildings with rainbow
colored lights.
--Flag Displays: Rainbow flags are commonly flown in
public spaces, on municipal buildings, and in corporate
locations.
--Corporate and Retail Support: Companies and brands
frequently update their storefronts, merchandise, and
marketing with pride themes.
--Homes
and Houses: Home owners may choose to paint their house
interior in rainbow colors, or pain their front door,
fences, or walkways.
Public displays of LGBTQ pride, which serve to promote
visibility, equality, and celebration, take many forms,
including parades and marches, cultural and educational
events, banners and signs, storefront decorations,
permanent outdoor art installations, and special
lighting for buildings.
Among the
most famous examples of public expressions of LGBTQ
pride include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the
Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Empire State Building in New
York City, and the White House in Washington DC. These
prominent structures were lit up with rainbow-colored
lights.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Urban Expressions...
LGBTQ
pride expressions in public spaces and urban
environments range from temporary banners, signage, and
special lighting on special occasions (Pride Month) to
permanent fixtures like large-scale outdoor
installations like rainbow crosswalks, monuments, and
murals.
--Individual Expression: Personal fashion statements,
including rainbow apparel, graphic tees, buttons, hats,
scarves, or hairstyle.
--Rainbow
Crosswalks and Street Art: Pedestrian crossings, street
signs, and murals painted in rainbow or Pride flag
colors serve as permanent or semi-permanent markers of
inclusive, queer-friendly, and safe spaces.
--Public Installations and Sculptures: Art pieces that
highlight queer history and diversity are increasingly
used to make the public realm more welcoming.
--Lighting and Architecture: Buildings and public
landmarks are illuminated with pride colors to celebrate
Pride Month or show solidarity.
--Flag Displays: Flying the Pride flag on municipal
buildings, in parks, or at local businesses have become
a core component of LGBTQ identity and solidarity.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Queer Community:
Feeling Proud and Safe
From
Marginalization to Mainstream...
In recent years, the visual landscape of cities and towns
has undergone a significant, colorful transformation.
Rainbow flags, crosswalks, and banners have increasingly
moved from private shop windows into the heart of public
spaces... city halls, libraries, public parks, and streets.
These displays, which mark LGBTQ Pride, are far more than
just decorations; they are critical tools for visibility,
inclusion, and, increasingly, focal points in a growing
cultural and political debate.
Public Pride displays serve as powerful, often permanent,
declarations that a community is welcoming. For the LGBTQ
community, these visual signals are directly tied to
feelings of safety, belonging, and inclusion. Research shows
that 75% of queer women and 79% of other LGBTQ individuals
feel safer when they see a Pride flag in a public place.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Traditional urban design often assumes a heteronormative
structure. "Queering" public spaces... using art, lighting,
and design to represent the LGBTQ community... challenges
norms and helps counteract this, turning sterile
environments into inclusive, welcoming ones.
--Rainbow Infrastructure: Rainbow crosswalks, benches, and
painted lamp posts have become common, often serving the
dual purpose of beautifying areas while also slowing down
vehicle traffic and improving pedestrian safety.
--Public Art and Monuments: Murals, sculptures, and
memorials create dedicated, permanent spaces for queer
memory and history.
--Civic Recognition: The hoisting of the Pride flag on
government buildings has become a key, though often
contested, symbol of local government support for its LGBTQ
residents.
--Educational
and Cultural: Curated book and literature displays,
historical sites, themed campaigns.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Famous
Gay-Themed Structures
Rainbow Decor Honoring the LGBTQ Community...
Gay-themed
structures painted in rainbow colors symbolize LGBTQ
pride, diversity, and community, often appearing as
crosswalks, public art, and illuminated landmarks.
Prominent examples include the Rainbow Pylons and Legacy
Walk in Chicago, the "Rainbow Road" mural in DC, and
vibrant rainbow crosswalks in cities like Miami Beach
and Provincetown. These installations are often created
to commemorate pride, though some, particularly in
Florida, have recently faced removal due to state
regulations.
Key
Examples of Rainbow-Painted Structures...
--Rainbow
Pylons/Legacy Walk (Chicago): Located on North Halsted
Street, these 20 pylons were installed in 1997 and now
feature plaques honoring LGBTQ individuals.
--Rainbow Crosswalks (Various Locations): These are
common, including in Miami Beach (Ocean Drive),
Provincetown, and previously in several Florida cities,
often serving as both art and, according to studies, a
traffic-calming measure.
--Rainbow Road (Washington DC): A half-mile-long mural
featuring rainbow colors and the DC flag, painted for
the 2019 World Pride.
--Equilateral Network (DC): A 12-color, rainbow-hued
mural on the National Building Museum lawn designed to
facilitate social distancing.
--Community Art and Murals: Many neighborhoods feature
rainbow-painted benches, steps, and, as in the case of a
home in Alberta, entire residential houses, often
created to show solidarity.
Restored: Rainbow House
Queer Outdoor Art: Painting a Park Bench
Pride in Design: Evolving Queer Places and
LGBTQ Identity
Rainbow Crosswalks Return to Chicago
Reel: Rainbow Crosswalk
Rainbow-Colored Structures Light Up Across US to Celebrate
Pride
Rainbow Road Mural Painted for WorldPride
The Story Behind Omaha's Rainbow House
Rainbow House Brightens Up Neighborhood
Queer Spaces: Why Are They Important in Architecture and the
Public Realm?
Rainbow Intersections
Pulse Memorial
Crosswalk Painted Over
Message From Orlando
Mayor...
We are
devastated to learn that overnight the State of Florida painted over the Pulse
Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue here in the city of Orlando. This callous
action of hastily removing part of a memorial to what was at the time our
nation’s largest mass shooting, without any supporting safety data or
discussion, is a cruel political act.
The City of
Orlando’s safety crosswalks were all installed in close coordination with the
state and adhere to national safety standards. In fact, the crosswalk that is
part of the Pulse Memorial was installed by the state. This crosswalk not only
enhanced safety and visibility for the large number of pedestrians visiting the
memorial, it also served as a visual reminder of Orlando’s commitment to honor
the 49 lives taken at the Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016.
While the state works to erase the memory of the victims of the Pulse tragedy by
painting over the crosswalk, our community’s commitment to honoring the 49 lost
lives, and completing the memorial, will never waver.
[Source: Mayor Buddy
Dyer, Orlando, Florida, August 2025]
Outrage
After Florida Quietly Paints Over Orlando Pulse Shooting Memorial
Orlando Officials Condemn Removal of Rainbow Crosswalk Near Pulse Nightclub
Pulse Crosswalk in Orlando Painted Over by State
Protests Erupt After Florida Painted Over Pulse Memorial Crosswalk
Christopher Macken:
Orlando Rainbow Crosswalks
How Florida’s Rainbow Crosswalks Became a Political Lightning Rod
Florida Vows to Remove City’s Pride Crossing by any Appropriate Method Necessary
Outrage After Florida DOT Quietly
Paints Over Pulse Memorial Landmark...
In the predawn hours, the Florida Department of Transportation sent crews to
Orlando’s Pulse nightclub memorial and quietly erased one of its most visible
tributes: the rainbow crosswalk that had stretched across West Esther Street
since 2017. By sunrise, the vibrant symbol of resilience had been replaced with
the stark black-and-white lines of a standard crossing.
For LGBTQ leaders, allies, and survivors of the Pulse massacre, the timing and
secrecy felt like an act of desecration. “In the middle of the night, FDOT
painted over our rainbow crosswalk at the Pulse Memorial,” Florida state Rep
Anna V Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, said. “A tragedy that we have worked
so hard to find power in pain. A rainbow crosswalk that sparked joy and showed
our love for all people.”
Eskamani said Orlando officials had been working within FDOT protocols to
preserve the rainbow crosswalk, citing its significance not only to LGBTQ
Floridians but to the city as a whole. “We experienced a tragedy of 49 LGBTQ
people being murdered almost 10 years ago. And so we wanted to preserve this
crosswalk,” she said. “Then, apparently, in the middle of the night, FDOT
painted over it, with no notice, no warning, and did not tell the city. We only
found out this morning because there was no more crosswalk there. It’s so
incredibly shameful. Doing it in the middle of the night emphasizes that they're
trying to hide their bigotry.”
[Source: Christopher Wiggins, Advocate Magazine, Aug 2025]
Protests Erupt After Florida Painted Over Pulse Memorial Crosswalk
Restoring the Rainbow
Crosswalk
Protestors Vow to Restore Pulse Memorial Crosswalk After Ron DeSantis Destroys
it
Volunteers Use Chalk to Restore Crosswalk Honoring Pulse Shooting Victims
Orlando Residents Repaint Pulse Nightclub Rainbow Crosswalk After
State Removal Sparks Outrage
Protestors in Orlando
Restore Rainbow Crosswalk
We Will Not Be Erased
DeSantis Painted Over Pulse’s Pride Crosswalk. Protestors
Restored It Twice
Houston’s Montrose Rainbow Crosswalk Erased Overnight After Four Arrests
Atlanta Mayor Says Midtown Rainbow Crosswalk is Safe Following Orlando Removal
Chicago Crosswalk Comeback
Key West Installs New Permanent Rainbow Crosswalks
Delray Beach to Defy Ron DeSantis and Fight to Keep its Pride Crosswalk
How Florida’s Rainbow Crosswalks Became a Political Lightning Rod
Ron DeSantis Erases Rainbow Crosswalks in Key West and Delray Beach in Dead of
Night
Meanwhile,
in Texas...
Oak Lawn United Methodist Church
in Dallas TX, has painted rainbow colors on their church steps, defying the
governor’s call to remove rainbow crosswalks. Senior Pastor Rev Rachel
Griffin-Allison emphasized that this act expresses the church’s love for the
LGBTQ community and their belief in the inherent worth of every person.
Gov Abbott Calls for Texas to
Remove Rainbow Pride Crosswalks — So This Church Painted Its Steps
Church Stands Up for the Gayborhood
Community response...
"The removal of the crosswalk is a
disgusting act of betrayal and a bigoted decision by the state of Florida. I
cannot believe that the DeSantis administration has engaged in this hostile act
against the city of Orlando, that they have insulted the families and survivors
of this horrific tragedy."
-Florida State Sen. Carlos
Guillermo Smith, 1st openly LGBTQ Latino in Florida legislature
"Dear Governor DeSantis, No matter how many rainbow crosswalks you paint over,
we will never let you erase the lives taken at the Pulse nightclub."
-National Organization of Women
"This is a mean-spirited attempt
to demoralize the LGBTQ community and an insult to the 49 people who lost their
lives there nearly a decade ago. The rainbow crosswalk at Pulse was a tribute,
not a political statement. It was authorized by a Republican administration and
was specifically designed to enhance pedestrian safety for people paying their
respects.”
-Florida State Sen. Lori Berman
(Democrat)
“In the dark of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity, our
declaration that we will never forget. The cowards who feel threatened by our
lives should feel lucky they didn’t have to bury the ones they love — then watch
the state come and desecrate their memory.”
-Brandon Wolf, Pulse
Massacre Survivor
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