The rainbow steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas are here to stay — at least for now. The city’s Landmark Commission unanimously approved the church’s rainbow-painted staircase as a temporary art installation, granting permission for three years. The Late Gothic Revival building is both a local landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The steps were painted last October as Texas Governor Greg Abbott carried out a Trump-era order to remove rainbow crosswalks across the state, including one outside the church itself.
Church leaders called the action an expression of faith. Senior Pastor Rachel Griffin-Allison Said, “Silence in the face of harm always sides with the oppressor…Painting our steps in the colors of the rainbow is a visible witness to the gospel we preach: that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of safety, dignity, and belonging.” At a packed public meeting, every speaker supported keeping the steps. After the vote, Griffin-Allison said the decision “filled my heart…And three years is great.”
