Some South Florida cities are pushing back against new state and federal guidance that bans rainbow-colored intersections — a move that could shape how Pride street art survives across the state. While many cities quickly removed their Pride-themed crosswalks to comply with Florida’s June 30 mandate, Key West and Delray Beach are standing their ground.
On August 6, the Key West City Commission voted to explore every legal option to preserve its rainbow crosswalks at the intersection of Duval and Petronia streets. The city also voted to designate the colorful crossing as a cultural landmark and officially recognize the surrounding area as the “Historic Gayborhood of Key West,” honoring decades of LGBTQ life on the island.
Now, in Delray Beach, commissioners have overruled an earlier order from City Manager Terrence Moore, who in July said the city “must adhere to state guidelines.” Instead, the commission decided it would be premature to remove its Pride intersection without a direct order from the state. However, other South Florida cities, like Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, haven’t yet made moves.
Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez told Axios that the city has received no communication from Tallahassee and called the ban itself unnecessary, saying, “I believe this is a non-issue, a distraction, a solution in search of a problem.” St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth Welch has also said his city won’t make changes until it knows whether certain public art can be exempt.
