The battle over rainbow-colored crosswalks in Florida is heating up — and Fort Lauderdale is the next flashpoint. This Wednesday, August 27, at 6:00 PM, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission will hold a special meeting to decide the fate of its Rainbow Crosswalk on Sebastian Street.
In a call to action, Dolphin Democrats President Alfredo Olvera urged LGBTQ+ residents and allies to attend, writing, “The Rainbow crosswalk is more than just paint on the street; it’s a symbol of visibility, inclusion, and pride. And right now, we all need to stand up for it.”
The debate comes as South Florida cities weigh how to respond to new state and federal guidance banning rainbow intersections. While some cities have quickly removed Pride-themed street art, others are resisting. Key West voted earlier this month to protect its iconic Duval Street crosswalks by designating them cultural landmarks and officially naming the area the “Historic Gayborhood of Key West.”
In Delray Beach, commissioners overruled their city manager, saying they’ll wait for a direct order from Tallahassee before making any changes. Meanwhile, Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez dismissed the ban as “a distraction, a solution in search of a problem.” And in St. Petersburg, Mayor Kenneth Welch said his city will hold off until it knows whether public art can be exempt.
Fort Lauderdale’s meeting this week could signal whether its Rainbow Crosswalk — and Pride visibility in public spaces — will endure or be erased. Fort Lauderdale’s Mayor, Dean Trantalis spoke exclusively to Queer News Tonight’s Al Ferguson. He said “The state wasted no time in targeting Ft Lauderdale in its stampede to erase the pride of the LGBTQ community.
I have called for this special meeting of the City Commission to determine our response to the state’s demands, and to allow the voices of our community to be heard. This program against the gays is a wake up call for all communities to stand tall adn firm against discrimination and hatred. Let us stand our ground together and deny these aggressors what they are seeing to achieve.”
Hotspots Happening Out will follow this evolving story closely.
