Restoring Rainbows, Ignoring Real Suffering: When Symbolism Becomes Distraction

Recently, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), under Governor Ron DeSantis’s direction, painted over the rainbow crosswalk at the Pulse nightclub site in Orlando—a tribute to the 49 mostly LGBTQ+ victims of the 2016 mass shooting. The state defended the move through a new “Safe Roads Initiative” led by the Trump ­administration, asserting that non-standard road markings like rainbow crosswalks are traffic distractions and must be removed  .

Democrats and local authorities branded the action a politically driven erasure—especially given that the crosswalk had been officially approved and installed by state authorities in 2017. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer called it “a cruel political act,” while state Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith labeled it “cowardly” and emblematic of the administration’s hostility toward LGBTQ+ communities  .

The Community’s Defiant Response

Almost immediately, community members reclaimed the space—using chalk to restore rainbow colors onto the blacked-out crosswalk. Despite FDOT repainting the area twice in one week, local activists and residents persisted, restoring the rainbow again and again. Rep. Anna Eskamani and Senator Smith were among those participating in these symbolic acts of resistance  .

Chalk, as one resident poetically stated, “is kind of beautiful … it’s going to keep washing away, but we’re also going to keep coming back”  . The message was clear: the rainbow isn’t just street art—it’s a memorial, a beacon, a promise.

A Symbolic Focus Amid Structural Wrongs

However, here’s the deeper problem: while the political furor over rainbow crosswalks dominates headlines, people everywhere—particularly immigrants—are being snatched off the streets and held in torturous, inhumane detention centers, some even perishing in custody. This stark reality demands more than symbolic gestures. Yet, progressive focus often remains on reclaiming symbols rather than dismantling systemic brutality.

By prioritizing rainbows and memorials, there’s a risk of inadvertently enabling the very powers demanding conformity—those who use such theatrics to claim to “restore civility,” while brutal policies persist behind the scenes.

Consider this: a federal judge has ordered Florida to shut down the “Alligator Alcatraz” detainment facility within 60 days, citing environmental and human rights violations. Yet while the judge’s decision may roll back a specific injustice, the broader detainment regime continues largely unexamined  .

Are Symbols Enough?

Symbols matter. Memorials, rainbows, artistic refusals—they unite, heal, and resist. But by themselves, they’re not enough. We must challenge the policies, not just the paint on pavement.

• Public Visibility vs. Public Reality: A painted-over crosswalk makes for a vivid photo-op—and so does a viral chalk resistance. But it’s worth asking: are we more energized by symbolic victories than actual policy wins—like shutting down inhumane detention centers or ending abusive municipal practices?

• Distraction Tactics: When officials use slogans—“roads are for safety, not political messaging”—they frame the battle on their terms. If Democrats and progressives don’t counter by setting their own, the fight becomes about appearances, not substance.

• Test of Commitment: Are the same energies spent in restoring rainbows also directed toward legislative actions, support for detainees, public oversight, and humanitarian relief? If not, the rainbow risks becoming a decorative substitute for action.

What Real Solidarity Should Look Like

1. Policy Over Paint: Advocate for laws protecting immigrants’ rights, transparency in enforcement practices, and humane conditions in detention—while also defending symbolic structures.

2. Resource Leveraging: Turn community mobilization at Pulse into broader civic infrastructure—legal aid booths, sanctuary networks, public health clinics.

3. Sustained Pressure: Just as activists repeatedly repaint the crosswalk, they must also repeatedly pressure officials to close hostile facilities like “Alligator Alcatraz” and hold them accountable.

4. Intersectional Solidarity: Lift LGBTQ+ issues and immigrant justice together. The communities affected are already intersecting—our responses should too.

Final Thought

Restoring the rainbow crosswalk in Orlando is a show of solidarity and a refusal to be erased—but it’s not a rebuttal unless paired with tangible structural change. Symbolism without substance is easily co-opted, packaged, and dismissed as superficial outrage. Let the colors stay—but let our justice strategy go deeper.