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The state of Florida has once again ignited national outrage after the removal of a rainbow-colored crosswalk outside the historic site of the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. The removal, reportedly carried out by state transportation officials under the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis, has been widely criticized as a blatant act of LGBTQ+ erasure – especially given the symbolic weight this location holds in American queer history.
The rainbow crosswalk, installed near the memorial to honor the 49 lives lost in the 2016 Pulse shooting, had stood as a colorful reminder of resilience, pride, and remembrance. Its sudden disappearance came without public notice or community input, sparking outrage across LGBTQ+ advocacy circles and among Orlando residents.
Pulse Nightclub: A Sacred Site in Queer History
The Pulse shooting on June 12, 2016, remains one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, and the deadliest targeting LGBTQ+ people. On that horrific night, 49 individuals – many of them young, Latinx, and queer – were murdered in what was meant to be a safe space. In the years since, the site of Pulse has transformed into a sacred ground for mourning, protest, and celebration. Annual vigils and events have honored the lives lost and affirmed the strength of the LGBTQ+ community.
Installing the rainbow crosswalk was a communal effort – both literally and symbolically – by local organizations and the City of Orlando to reinforce the message that queer people deserve visibility, safety, and dignity. The removal of that crosswalk, critics say, sends a message in the opposite direction.
Erased, But Not Forgotten: The Community Responds
Just hours after the rainbow was erased, members of the Orlando community began gathering at the site with chalk in hand. What emerged was not a single crosswalk but an explosion of color, messages, and artwork that stretched across the pavement. Words like “Love Wins,” “We Remember,” and “Pride is Power” were scrawled in bright, defiant pastels.
This image quickly went viral, symbolizing not just resistance, but love and community. Videos of people – including survivors, children, and elders – contributing to this grassroots act of defiance circulated widely online. One local resident wrote, “You can cover our paint, but you’ll never silence our love.”
Political Tensions Run Deep
This incident arrives in the broader context of escalating anti-LGBTQ+ policies in Florida. Under DeSantis, the state has passed legislation restricting LGBTQ+ education in schools, limiting gender-affirming care, and banning pride flags in public institutions. For many, the removal of the rainbow crosswalk is not an isolated act, but part of a larger campaign to undermine LGBTQ+ presence in public life.
Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Florida have condemned the move. In a public statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said, “Erasing symbols of LGBTQ+ remembrance and pride – especially at a site like Pulse – is a heartless act that wounds an already grieving community. But the people of Orlando have shown us that love and pride cannot be paved over.”
A Movement Reaffirmed
While the rainbow crosswalk was physically erased, the response has made it clear: symbols may be removed, but the spirit they represent endures. The chalk rainbows now multiplying outside Pulse are a reminder that pride cannot be legislated away, nor covered by asphalt. These new tributes reflect a truth that communities across the country are embracing: visibility, remembrance, and resistance go hand-in-hand.
Plans are already underway by local activists and city council members to reinstall a permanent rainbow installation, this time with even stronger community backing. The people of Orlando – and their allies around the world – are not just mourning a crosswalk, they are reclaiming a space that continues to represent both the pain and the power of LGBTQ+ history.
As one chalk message said: “We are still here. We always will be.”
The rainbow crosswalk, installed near the memorial to honor the 49 lives lost in the 2016 Pulse shooting, had stood as a colorful reminder of resilience, pride, and remembrance. Its sudden disappearance came without public notice or community input, sparking outrage across LGBTQ+ advocacy circles and among Orlando residents.
Pulse Nightclub: A Sacred Site in Queer History
The Pulse shooting on June 12, 2016, remains one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, and the deadliest targeting LGBTQ+ people. On that horrific night, 49 individuals – many of them young, Latinx, and queer – were murdered in what was meant to be a safe space. In the years since, the site of Pulse has transformed into a sacred ground for mourning, protest, and celebration. Annual vigils and events have honored the lives lost and affirmed the strength of the LGBTQ+ community.
Installing the rainbow crosswalk was a communal effort – both literally and symbolically – by local organizations and the City of Orlando to reinforce the message that queer people deserve visibility, safety, and dignity. The removal of that crosswalk, critics say, sends a message in the opposite direction.
Erased, But Not Forgotten: The Community Responds
Just hours after the rainbow was erased, members of the Orlando community began gathering at the site with chalk in hand. What emerged was not a single crosswalk but an explosion of color, messages, and artwork that stretched across the pavement. Words like “Love Wins,” “We Remember,” and “Pride is Power” were scrawled in bright, defiant pastels.
This image quickly went viral, symbolizing not just resistance, but love and community. Videos of people – including survivors, children, and elders – contributing to this grassroots act of defiance circulated widely online. One local resident wrote, “You can cover our paint, but you’ll never silence our love.”
Political Tensions Run Deep
This incident arrives in the broader context of escalating anti-LGBTQ+ policies in Florida. Under DeSantis, the state has passed legislation restricting LGBTQ+ education in schools, limiting gender-affirming care, and banning pride flags in public institutions. For many, the removal of the rainbow crosswalk is not an isolated act, but part of a larger campaign to undermine LGBTQ+ presence in public life.
Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Florida have condemned the move. In a public statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said, “Erasing symbols of LGBTQ+ remembrance and pride – especially at a site like Pulse – is a heartless act that wounds an already grieving community. But the people of Orlando have shown us that love and pride cannot be paved over.”
A Movement Reaffirmed
While the rainbow crosswalk was physically erased, the response has made it clear: symbols may be removed, but the spirit they represent endures. The chalk rainbows now multiplying outside Pulse are a reminder that pride cannot be legislated away, nor covered by asphalt. These new tributes reflect a truth that communities across the country are embracing: visibility, remembrance, and resistance go hand-in-hand.
Plans are already underway by local activists and city council members to reinstall a permanent rainbow installation, this time with even stronger community backing. The people of Orlando – and their allies around the world – are not just mourning a crosswalk, they are reclaiming a space that continues to represent both the pain and the power of LGBTQ+ history.
As one chalk message said: “We are still here. We always will be.”
