For Immediate Release: August 23, 2025 by President Julie Kent, Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) president@flnow.org

FL NOW Denounces Overnight Removal of Rainbow Walkways Across Florida

Orlando, FL — In a sweeping and deeply disturbing move, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), under directives aligned with the Trump administration’s SAFER ROADS initiative, has painted over rainbow crosswalks across the state—including the memorial walkway outside the Pulse nightclub, where 49 lives were taken in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

The removal was carried out in the middle of the night, without public notice, safety data, or consultation with local officials. The Pulse Memorial crosswalk, installed in 2017, was not only a tribute to LGBTQ+ lives lost—it was a federally compliant safety feature designed to enhance pedestrian visibility in a high-traffic areas.

“This is more than vandalism—it’s a calculated act of erasure,” said Julie Kent, President FL NOW. “By removing these walkways, the state is endangering pedestrians, undermining public safety, and desecrating sacred spaces of remembrance.”

Safety and Visibility at Risk

• The Pulse crosswalk was installed in coordination with FDOT and met national safety standards.
• Rainbow walkways increase pedestrian visibility, especially in high-traffic or memorial zones.
• FDOT’s own memo acknowledges that “surface art” can enhance safety—but now labels it “non-compliant” if tied to social or political meaning.

Erasure of LGBTQ+ History

• The Pulse Memorial crosswalk honored victims—predominantly LGBTQ+ people of color—and symbolized resilience.
• Its removal coincides with broader efforts to suppress DEI initiatives, LGBTQ+ visibility, and historical truth.
• Gov. DeSantis omitted LGBTQ+ references in this year’s Pulse Remembrance Day proclamation.

FL NOW Demands:

• Immediate restoration of the Pulse Memorial crosswalk and the others removed statewide.
• Public release of FDOT’s safety data and decision-making process.
• Protection of memorial spaces from political interference.

“Our communities deserve safe streets and honest history,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW.  “We will not allow the state to weaponize transportation policy to compromise safety and erase lives, identities, and truth. We will rally against making the LGBTQ+ and Marginalized communities invisible.”