Hundreds gathered at the rainbow crosswalk on Miami Beach this past Sunday to protest against the state of Florida’s effort to remove a powerful symbol for LGBTQ+ rights.
“From my standpoint, it doesn’t harm anybody,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Joseph Magazine, who was in attendance. “This means a lot to many of the people I represent, which by definition means it’s important to me as well.”
The rainbow crosswalk was created on November 9, 2018, as a cultural landmark, representing pride, inclusivity, and the city’s LGBTQ+ community.
Recently, however, its future has been uncertain.
The state recently set a deadline of September 4 for removing the crosswalks across the state, citing safety concerns and the need to keep politics off the roadways.
One of the first rainbow crosswalks to be removed was near the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, where 49 lives were lost in 2016 in one of the deadliest attacks against LGBTQ+ people in U.S. history.
For some, the rainbow crosswalks serve as a memorial of resilience and visible support for a community that has endured violence and discrimination. Advocates say that removing the crosswalks now sends the wrong message, undermining years of progress towards equality.
This past weekend, Miami Beach City Commissioner Alex Fernandez and the Greater Miami LGBT Chamber of Commerce organized a united effort to celebrate diversity and protect inclusivity. They called it the Forever Proud March. It started at the LGBT Visitor Center on Washington Avenue and finished at the crosswalk at Twelfth Street and Ocean Drive.
Ultimately, the choice will reflect not just how Miami Beach views public art but also its broader commitment to honoring the values of those in its community and the legacy it represents.
