St. Petersburg, FL – Hundreds gathered in St. Petersburg Saturday to create art andโ demonstrate solidarity around the city’s โrecentlyโ repainted rainbow crosswalk, a vibrantโข symbol โnow facing potential removal amid heightened political debate. The rally drew families, LGBTQ+ advocates, and allies who expressed both joy in community and concern over โescalating legislative actionsโฃ targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and nationwide.Theโ demonstration unfolded as Beth VanMiddlesworth,โค 47, painted alongside โฃher children, โคages โข12โค andโ 21, tears welling in herโค eyes. VanMiddlesworth, who recently began โpublicly identifying as bisexual, spoke of the bittersweet experience of feeling included while concurrentlyโค facing a political climate increasingly opposed to her identity. The rainbow crosswalk, initially painted in 2015 and repainted in June 2023, has become aโฃ focal point in a broader struggleโค over โLGBTQ+ โvisibility โขand rights, particularly as Florida lawmakersโ advance bills restricting discussionsโ ofโ sexual orientationโ and gender identity in schools and public spaces. Its future is now uncertain following complaintsโ and calls for its removal from some conservativeโฃ groups.
“It isโฃ absolutely marvelous to come out here and just exist with a bunch of other people and make art that they’re trying to take away from us,” said Samuel VanMiddlesworth, 21, son of โBeth VanMiddlesworth. “They can’t take it away from us – becauseโข weโ will just keep โฃmaking more.” โ
The event underscored a growing determination among LGBTQ+ advocates to resist legislative efforts perceived as discriminatory and to visibly assert their presence in public life. organizers emphasized the โimportance of creating safe spacesโ and โfostering a sense of belonging, particularly for young people โnavigating a challenging political landscape.