Last month in the middle of the night, state transportation workers painted over the rainbow-colored crosswalk outside the LGBTQ-friendly Pulse nightclub in Orlando where 49 patrons were massacred in what was the worst mass shooting in the U.S. at the time. Since then, protesters have repeatedly colored-in the crosswalk with chalk.
“Art has always been a form of resistance and healing,” Gregory said. “If they want to erase symbols of pride and acceptance, then we’ll create even more of them. This isn’t just about paint, it’s about community, visibility, and love.”
Critics say the crosswalk restriction is the latest attack on the LGBTQ+ community by the DeSantis administration and Republican-controlled Legislature, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and Florida’s measure commonly referred to as Don’t Say Gay, which banned classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in certain grades.
Other communities also are using art to protest the new prohibition on street art. Members of the Harvest Sarasota Church in Sarasota on Sunday painted 500 feet (152 meters) of rainbow colors between two buildings. Pastor Dan Minor told reporters that church members felt compelled to act once the crosswalk crackdown took off last month.
