Philadelphia crossings painted rainbow permanently for Pride
The City of Philadelphia and Philly Pride Presents worked together to paint the zebra crossings rainbow-coloured in the local ‘Gayborhood.’
By coincidence, the eight walkways- planned since March- were unveiled in Pennsylvania the same day that the US Supreme Court announced its ruling in favour of same-sex marriage.
According to the Philadelphia Gay News, Philly Pride Presents executive director Franny Price said: “We know that other cities have installed rainbow crosswalks and we have been trying to do the same in Philadelphia for a long time.”
Other metropolitan areas that boast rainbow-coloured walkways include Seattle, Key West, Toronto and San Francisco.
The red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet-striped crosswalks were deemed to be visual support from the city of its LGBT community.
Independence Visitor Center employee Albert Lee told Out: “We keep talking about how this is the city of neighbourhoods and this is the Gayborhood.
“I think it helps with trying to mesh the ideas of being welcome.”
On July 5, the crosswalks will be officially welcomed to the Gayborhood at the Annual Reminders Block Party commencement. They will be dedicated to the LGBT advocates who protested at Independence Hall each fourth of July from 1965 to 1969. This will serve as celebration for the 50th anniversary of the first LGBT-rights demonstration in US history.
Originally thought to be a $26,000 expense, Philly Pride Presents senior adviser Chuck Volz reported that it costs much less, according to Time Magazine.
