DeSantis Isn’t Removing Pride Crosswalks for Safety—He’s Erasing Us

Let’s Talk Truth: DeSantis Isn’t Removing Pride Crosswalks for Safety—He’s Erasing Us

I’ve got to be real with you—all the talk about “traffic safety” being the reason for removing rainbow crosswalks in Florida is nonsense. If cities know it’s important to our community, to our kids, to our humanity, then maybe it’s time we stop pretending this is anything but a political attack. Because in truth, that’s exactly what this is.

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What’s Going On?

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is threatening to remove Pride-themed street art—the beautiful rainbow crosswalks some municipalities pay for—if cities don’t tear them down themselves by September 3. Otherwise, FDOT will just wipe them out “by any appropriate method necessary,” no warning, no nuance.

In Delray Beach, city commissioners just voted to keep theirs, and for good reason. Vice Mayor Rob Long gave one of the most powerful, honest speeches I’ve heard in a while:

“We all know this is not about traffic safety. This is political … symbols of inclusion are targeted precisely because they represent acceptance. It’s about erasing the visibility of our LGBTQ+ people.”

Bingo. That nails it.

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Why These Symbols Matter—a Lot

It's not just paint on concrete. These crosswalks tell our youth, our families, and even travelers: you are seen, you are valued, you belong. Removing them without even discussing where to put a replacement sends a loud, clear message: your existence is not welcome here. That’s not branding—it’s basic human dignity.

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This Is Part of a Larger, Sinister Pattern

Look closer. This crackdown on Pride crosswalks isn’t happening in isolation—it’s part of a widespread effort across Florida to squash LGBTQ+ visibility:

• In St. Petersburg, protesters were rallying to save not just Pride murals, but Black history murals too—calling out a pattern of erasing civil rights symbols and stories.
• The FDOT banned rainbow lighting on state bridges, restricting displays to red, white, and blue—meaning even a ceremonial show of Pride was deemed too divisive.

This is about making us invisible.

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What We Can Do—Because We Must

The forces behind these moves? They want us to shrink, hide, and apologize for who we are. But we mustn’t.

• Show up and speak up at council meetings.
• Share truths, like what Vice Mayor Rob Long said—explicitly: this is political, this is erasure.
• Support cities that stand firm in keeping their Pride displays, and push them to go further—plan replacements if something is forced down.
• Amplify our symbols, our pride, and our resistance.

Because the fight isn’t just for crosswalks or murals—it’s about refusing to let hate invisibly win.

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Final Thoughts

Removing a rainbow crosswalk isn’t an administrative choice. It’s a message: your existence is expendable. But let me tell you—we are not invisible.

So, show up, speak out, and resist. Because our full, loud, colorful humanity is worth everything. And no one should ever make us feel otherwise.

 

Read more at https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/08/desantis-admin-cracks-down-on-pride-displays-its-about-erasing-our-lgbtq-people/

Celebrating 10 Years of Love and Equality: The Legacy of Obergefell v. Hodges

June 26, 2025 marks a powerful milestone in American history—the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the ruling that made same-sex marriage legal across all 50 states. For millions of LGBTQ+ Americans and their allies, June 26 isn’t just a date on the calendar—it’s a symbol of love, dignity, and the enduring pursuit of equality.

A Landmark Decision

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5–4 decision that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples under the Fourteenth Amendment. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy stated:

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family... They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”

This ruling wasn’t just a legal triumph—it was a deeply personal victory for couples who had long been denied the right to publicly affirm their love and commitment. For people like Jim Obergefell, whose lawsuit was borne out of love for his late husband John Arthur, the case became an enduring testament to the personal stakes behind civil rights litigation.

A Decade of Progress—and Continued Work

Over the past decade, more than a million same-sex couples have married in the U.S., building families, sharing legal protections, and celebrating love openly. LGBTQ+ representation in media, politics, and business has grown. Young people today are coming of age in a society where same-sex marriage is not just legal—it’s part of the national fabric.

Yet the journey toward full equality is far from over. Across the country, LGBTQ+ individuals still face discrimination in housing, healthcare, and employment. Transgender rights are under attack in many states. Pride remains both a celebration and a protest—a reminder that visibility and activism must go hand in hand.

Honoring the Anniversary

As we celebrate this 10-year anniversary, here are a few ways to honor the legacy of Obergefell v. Hodges:

• Celebrate Love Stories: Share stories—your own or others’—of love, marriage, and resilience. Personal narratives are powerful tools for empathy and understanding.
• Support LGBTQ+ Organizations: Donate to or volunteer with nonprofits working to protect and expand LGBTQ+ rights.
• Educate and Advocate: Speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Use your voice and your vote to champion equality and inclusion.
• Reflect on the Progress: Take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come—and to recognize those who paved the way, from early activists to the brave plaintiffs who took their cases to the highest court.

Looking Ahead

The spirit of Obergefell reminds us that change is possible—that the arc of the moral universe does bend toward justice, even if slowly. As we mark this 10th anniversary, we recommit ourselves to the ideals that fueled the movement: love is love, families come in all forms, and everyone deserves equal dignity under the law.

Here’s to love, to equality, and to the road still ahead.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Obergefell v. Hodges.

A Dark Day for Trans Youth: Supreme Court Fails Tennessee’s Transgender Children

A Dark Day for Trans Youth: Supreme Court Fails Tennessee’s Transgender Children

On June 18, 2025, the United States Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to transgender rights when it upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors in United States v. Skrmetti. In a 6–3 decision, the Court ruled that denying puberty blockers and hormone therapy to trans minors does not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause—a ruling that should send chills down the spine of anyone who believes in justice and human dignity. 

A Moral Failure of Epic Proportions

Chief Justice Roberts frankly admitted the medical debate surrounding these treatments, but declared that democracy—not fundamental rights—should decide whether trans kids receive life-saving care . Yet the core question was never about policy—it was about human lives. Trans youth are already facing alarming rates of depression and suicidal ideation; denying access to well-established, medically necessary care is a moral obscenity . 

Reinforcing Structural Discrimination

By allowing states to ban trans healthcare under the pretense of “neutral medical regulation,” the Court is sweeping sex and gender identity discrimination under the rug. Justice Sotomayor’s dissent was scathing—and entirely correct—when she said the Court has “abandoned transgender children … to political whims”.

A Slippery Slope for LGBTQ+ Rights

This ruling doesn’t just hurt trans kids; it sends a message that the rights of LGBTQ+ communities are negotiable, expendable even. If constitutional protections can be so easily dismissed, all of us—gay, lesbian, bisexual, nonbinary—are vulnerable. This ruling empowers anti-LGBTQ+ forces and emboldens lawmakers poised to strip away civil rights. It gives a legal green light to hateful rhetoric and bigotry, plain and simple.

Enough Is Enough: Stop Gay Hate

We must confront the underlying forces driving this regressive, dangerous wave: intolerance, fear, and outright gay hate. It is not hyperbolic to say that removing basic health care for a group of vulnerable young people is hate in policy form. It’s time to stop gay hate—with every voice, every action, every vote.

What Must Happen Next

• Organize: Support state and community efforts to safeguard gender-affirming care. Fight the spread of copycat bills.
• Educate: Medical associations—and all of us—must continue presenting the evidence: access saves lives.
• Vote: Elect leaders who uphold the constitutional dignity of all people, not those who violate the rights of the few because they’re unpopular with a hateful majority.

Final Word

This decision is not merely disappointing—it’s an assault on justice. It strips transgender youth of essential medical care, reinforces societal bigotry, and chips away at constitutional safeguards protecting LGBTQ+ Americans. We must respond with urgency, bravery, and unwavering commitment to equality. We will fight back—and we will prevail.

 

At Start of Pride Month, Defense Secretary Orders Navy to Strip Name of Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk from Ship

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to take the rare step of renaming a ship, one that bears the name of a gay rights icon, documents and sources show.

Military.com reviewed a memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy -- the official who holds the power to name Navy ships -- that showed the sea service had come up with rollout plans for the renaming of the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk.

A defense official confirmed that the Navy was making preparations to strip the ship of its name but noted that Navy Secretary John Phelan was ordered to do so by Hegseth. The official also said that the timing of the announcement -- occurring during Pride month -- was intentional. 

READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE AT MILITARY.COM https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/03/hegseth-orders-navy-strip-name-of-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk-ship.html.

Pride parades 2025: Here's when major cities are celebrating

This June marks the 55th anniversary of the first LGBTQ+ Pride march held in the United States.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month, also known simply as Pride Month, is held each June, an observation of queer culture through celebration and protest.

Click here to find how major cities are celebrating:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/01/pride-month-parades-2025/83880446007/

Irvine, CA hoists Pride Flag at City Hall in honor of Harvey Milk Day

 

Irvine, California leaders raised the Progress Pride Flag in front of City Hall on Thursday, May 22, in honor of Harvey Milk Day and the city’s fourth annual Pride in Irvine event.

The flag will fly through the end of Pride month, June 30.

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office in California, serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1977 to 1978. Milk was assassinated in 1978 by a former colleague on the board. 

From the Orange County Register

https://www.ocregister.com/2025/05/23/irvine-hoists-pride-flag-at-city-hall-in-honor-of-harvey-milk-day/