Rainbow crossing

A rainbow crossing or rainbow crosswalk is a pedestrian crossing that has the art of the rainbow flag installed to celebrate the LGBT community.

The Rainbow Crossing on Oxford St at Taylor Square in Sydney, Australia (April 2013)
Part of the LGBT series
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As a symbol of the community, some have been subject to hate crime attacks and vandalism.

History

The rainbow flag or gay pride flag, is associated with the LGBTQIA+ community and LGBT activities around the world.

The idea to create rainbow crosswalks appears to have first emerged in Taipei, Taiwan in 2008.[1] The first permanent rainbow crosswalks were introduced to West Hollywood as part of the 2012 Gay Pride Month celebrations.[2] This inspired similar crossings in Sydney, Australia, the following year,[3] as well as some temporary rainbow crossings in other cities such as Tel Aviv[4] for a photo shoot to promote TYP: Ivri Lider and Johnny Goldstein, the act scheduled to headline the Gay Pride Parade's main concert. These photos, reminiscent of the Beatles Abbey Road album cover were posted on Facebook and the crosswalk was repainted white a few hours later.[5]

Following some of the temporary and early permanent installations in 2012 and 2013, the symbolism of rainbow crossings has since then gained widespread adoption by cities around the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community with many having been made into permanent installations. With that they have also been subject to regular attacks and vandalism by people opposed to them.

Community protests and internet activism

The removal of the crossing inspired a rainbow chalk community protest started by Sydney local James Brechney.[6] People followed his lead by creating their own DIY rainbow crossings with chalk and sharing pictures on social media.[7][8][9] The campaign also featured internet activism with the Facebook Page, DIY Rainbow.[10] Pictures of chalk rainbow crossings from many places around the world appeared on social media including Paris, Shanghai, Pretoria, Thailand and Cambodia.[11] Facebook would later credit DIY Rainbow as one of the top 10 pages of Facebook over its first 10 years.[12]

DIY Rainbow crossing protest movement in Australia

The DIY rainbow crossing movement was a protest movement that emerged in Sydney, Australia in 2013. The campaign involved individuals creating rainbow pedestrian crossings in chalk to protest the removal of a temporary rainbow crossing from Oxford Street. The temporary crossing was created by the City of Sydney as part of the 35th-anniversary celebration of the Sydney Mardi Gras. When the crossing was to be removed, the community protests and internet activism campaign emerged. In 2013, New South Wales' first permanent rainbow crossing was approved and installed on Lackey St, Summer Hill. In 2019, a permanent rainbow crossing was unveiled in Taylor Square, on the corner of Bourke and Campbell streets.

Summer Hill Rainbow Crossing

Support for the rainbow crossing spread across Sydney, including local communities. On 14 April 2013, in response to the removal of the Rainbow Crossing in Oxford St, Darlinghurst,[13] parents and children from several local schools chalked a rainbow in the public square at Summer Hill, as part of the DIY Rainbow Crossing movement.

The Summer Hill Rainbow Crossing

On 15 April 2013, Ashfield Council workers removed the rainbow.[14] After media attention, council issued a statement labelling it a slip hazard and requested a permit be obtained before it could be re-chalked. The events were covered in The Daily Telegraph,[15] The Australian,[16] Perth Now,[17] and on 2DAY FM.[18]

On 17 April 2013, it was rechalked by more than 100 people, including local councillor, Alex Lofts. On 18 April, it was again removed, only to be re-chalked. Since that date it has remained chalked. A group of families and supporters continue to chalk the rainbow, especially after rain. This group has also ensured the area remains free of litter; they also hold occasional performances and arts-related celebrations at the site. Some local businesses have offered discounts and support for the rainbow, these display a logo with a stylised image of the rainbow crossing on it. A Summer Hill Rainbow Crossing Facebook page was used to support the community protest.[19]

At an Ashfield Council meeting on 28 May 2013 the council passed a motion that a permanent outline of a rainbow be painted in Summer Hill Square, with the understanding that this may be periodically 'chalked in' by children, families and community members.[20]

Wider adoption of the protest movement

The original DIY rainbow crossing protest movement was generated by the debate over the rainbow crossing in Sydney, however DIY rainbow crossings continue to appear as protests in other settings including a crossing outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm, Sweden in August 2013 believed to be in protest against new legislation in Russia.[21][22]

Pedestrian safety

In 2011, the United States Federal Highway Administration advised that "crosswalk art is actually contrary to the goal of increased safety and most likely could be a contributing factor to a false sense of security for both motorists and pedestrians".[23]

In early September 2019, the city council of Ames, Iowa cut the ribbon on a rainbow crosswalk. Subsequently, the Federal Highway Administration sent them a letter "requesting" that it be removed. The city council ignored the letter.[24][25]

In the United Kingdom, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has complained about the risk of rainbow crossings for people with visual impairments, who may rely on the contrast between traditional black and white stripes in order to cross the road safely.[26][27] Other disability groups have said that people with dementia or leaning disabilities may not recognise that they are road crossings, or that the colours may be overwhelming for autistic people or guide dogs.[28] In response to an open letter by the RNIB, the Alzheimer's Society and Scope, London mayor Sadiq Khan temporarily paused the crossings.[28]

Defacement and vandalism

Rainbow crossings around the world have been regular targets of homophobic attacks and vandalism, such as defacement of them.[29][30]

In early June 2019, the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico unveiled a rainbow crosswalk on historic US Route 66.[31] Just a few days later, a motorcycle gang caused a significant amount of damage to the $30,000 crossing with their motorcycles. Even though at least a dozen bikers were shown on video, only one man, a Trump supporter named Anthony Morgan was arrested for the crime.[32][33]

In August 2022, police in Atlanta arrested a suspect that was said to have defaced the city's rainbow crosswalk by painting Swastikas over it.[34]

In October 2022, Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated a potential hate crime after a severed pigs head was found on a rainbow crosswalk in Alberta, Canada outside a school.[35]

Notable permanent installations

The list below does not include all rainbow crossings in existence and is limited to those of notability, such as the first installation in a country, first installation in the largest cities of a state of large countries or otherwise notable beyond its mere existence.

City Country Date installed Location Image Notability Ref.
Los Angeles United States 2012 West Hollywood First permanent rainbow crossing in the world.

First in the United States and California.

 [36][37][38][39]
Sydney Australia 2013 Lackey Street Piazza, Summer Hill First permanent rainbow crossing in Australia [40]
Vancouver Canada 2013 Davie and Bute streets First permanent rainbow crossing in Canada [41]
San Francisco United States 2014 Castro District First permanent installation in California's fourth largest city [42]
Toronto Canada 2014 Church and Alexander Streets First permanent rainbow crossing in Ontario and largest city of Canada [43]
Seattle United States 2015 Broadway and Pine Street, Capitol Hill, Seattle
Main article: Rainbow crossings in Seattle
First permanent rainbow crossing in Washington state		 [44]
Philadelphia United States 2015 13th & Locust streets First permanent rainbow crossing in Pennsylvania [45]
Swift Current Canada 2017 Central Avenue First permanent rainbow crossing in Saskatchewan [46]
Saskatoon Canada 2017 Third Avenue and 23rd Street and Fourth Avenue First permanent rainbow crossing in Saskatchewan's largest city [47]
Atlanta United States 2017 Pedestrian scramble at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue First permanent rainbow crossing in Georgia, US [48]
Paris France 2018 Marais district First permanent rainbow crossing in France [49]
Canberra Australia 2018 Elouera and Lonsdale Streets, Braddon First permanent rainbow roundabout in the world.

First in the capitol of Australia.

 [50]
Milwaukee United States 2018 N. Jefferson St. First permanent rainbow crossing in Wisconsin [51]
London United Kingdom 2019 Herne Hill First permanent rainbow crossing in the United Kingdom and London [52][53]
Guildford United Kingdom 2019 Stag Hill, University of Surrey First permanent rainbow crossing at a British university; installed after the council refused to allow rainbow crossings elsewhere in the county, as it is a crossing on private (university) land [54]
Vienna Austria 2019 Burgtheater, Innere Stadt First permanent rainbow crossing in Austria [55]
Chicago United States 2019 North Halsted Street at West Buckingham Place First permanent rainbow crossing in Illinois [56]
Key West United States 2020 Duval and Petronia streets First permanent rainbow crossing in Florida [57]
Derry Northern Ireland 2021 Peace Bridge First permanent rainbow crossing in the country of Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland [58]
Arklow Ireland 2021 Main street First permanent rainbow crossing in Ireland [59][60]
Dublin Ireland 2022 Clondalkin First permanent rainbow crossing in Dublin, largest city and capital of Ireland [61]

See also

References
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  3. Moore, Clover. "Item 3.1. Rainbow Crossing Oxford Street" (PDF). Minute by the Mayor, 25 February 2013. City of Sydney. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  4. "Tel Aviv Crosswalks Painted Rainbow Colors for Gay Pride Parade". The Algemeiner. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. Lior, Ilan (16 May 2012). "Tel Aviv's rainbow crosswalk draws cheers, then jeers, online". Haaretz. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  6. "DIY Rainbow on 9 News, April 2013". Youtube. 9 Network. 15 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
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  14. "Homepage". Ashfield Council. Archived from the original on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
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  16. Campion, Vikki. "Chalk Rainbow Crossings Washed from City Streets by Councils". The Australian. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  17. "Councils over the rainbow... Crossings". 15 April 2013.
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  21. Ogelid, Linn (10 August 2013). "Regnbågskupp utanför ryska ambassaden". Svt Nyheter. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
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  28. O'Dell, Liam (12 November 2021). "Will colourful pedestrian crossings make our streets safer?". BBC Science Focus. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
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  31. "Albuquerque unveils rainbow crosswalk". New Mexico Daily Lobo. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
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  33. Writers, Matthew Reisen And Jessica Dyer | Journal Staff. "Motorcycle crew vandalizes $30,000 rainbow crosswalk". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
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  39. "City of West Hollywood Installs New Inclusive Pride Crosswalks in the City's 'Rainbow District' at the Intersection of Santa Monica and N. San Vicente Boulevards". 23 March 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
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  50. "Braddon's rainbow junction named international roundabout of the year". 7 August 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
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  54. Evans, Alec (24 September 2019). "University of Surrey unveils county's first rainbow crossing". SurreyLive. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  55. "Regenbogen-Zebrastreifen vor dem Wiener Burgtheater". 6 June 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  56. "Rainbow crosswalks being installed in Boystown in time for Pride Fest". Chicago Tribune. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  57. "Key West Installs New Permanent Rainbow Crosswalks". 16 June 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  58. "Rainbow crossing: NI's first rainbow crossing unveiled in Londonderry". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  59. "Arklow makes history with Republic of Ireland's first permanent rainbow crossing". 23 December 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  60. "Anniversary of Ireland's first Pride Crossing landing in Wicklow sparks calls for similiar initiatives". Independent. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  61. Schad, Saoirse (25 April 2022). "Clondalkin becomes home to South Dublin's first rainbow crossing". Gay Community News. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
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