‘The reaction to Bristol’s rainbow crossing proves exactly why we need it’

Bristol’s rainbow traffic crossing has landed, bringing a beautiful splash of colour to Wine Street, and a lasting, visible symbol of Bristol’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights.

In celebration, I decided to compile a photo gallery to showcase some of the many happy selfies taken on the crossing. Like any good child of the internet, I turned to Twitter.

Let me be clear: the vast majority of what I found was joy, positivity, and celebration, and a whole lot of people saying “finally!” and “about time!”. But among the smiling faces of queers and allies alike, I found multiple tweets expressing dislike for the crossing.

Criticisms ranged from “what a waste of money” all way to outright homophobia and transphobia, but one of the most frequent expressions among the detractors was “Why do queer people need special attention? We have gay rights, get over yourselves”.

Many, like this gentleman, repeat tired what-about-isms, forgetting that queer people exist within other marginalised experiences; identity erasure a constant struggle in their lives.

Bristol city reveals its first-ever Pride rainbow crossing https://t.co/gUKdcHpewT
-via @inshortsHow about other crossings for the disabled, abused, blacks, muslims and alien communities which all number a great deal more. These sick, gay appeasing acts are totally unbalanced!!

— D.R (@cammeag1965) July 1, 2021

The “who cares if you’re gay?” response comes up any time news breaks about a show of support for the LGBTQ+ community in the UK. The Team GB women’s hockey captain wore a rainbow band while competing in the Tokyo Olympics, prompting one user to ask what relevance “wearing the devil’s flag” had to hockey.

That user might do well to look to another Olympic sport for her answer. There’s a tweet currently doing the rounds concerning Tom Daley, who after winning his first Olympic gold in Tokyo, declared “I’m proud to say I am a gay man and an Olympic champion”.

When the “why does being gay matter?” tweets rolled in, author Nicholas Pegg eloquently answered them.

Because there are ten – that’s TEN – nations taking part in this year’s Tokyo Olympics which prescribe the death penalty for homosexuality. They would literally execute Tom Daley. List available on request. Next ignorant question. https://t.co/h8aDc0L80Y

— Nicholas Pegg (@NicholasPegg) July 26, 2021

While in this country we are fortunate enough to not have our mere existence be criminalised, the actions of our government are making this country an increasingly hostile place for queer people- particularly for trans and non-binary people.

Promised changes to the Gender Recognition Act that would allow trans people to more easily change their legal gender were scrapped earlier this year. A Labour MP who frequently promotes transphobic views online has, as yet, faced no sanctions. Queerphobia exists even in our fair city; just this week, allegations of transphobia have been levelled against the Bristol chapters of both Labour and the Green Party.

There are a significant number of people who think that the battle for queer rights in the UK is won. Many who are genuinely well-meaning, who would call themselves allies. They look at mainstream media and see Drag Race UK on TV, Queer Eye on Netflix, openly gay radio presenters on the BBC,  and think LGBTQ+ equality is a fight that’s been won, and that homophobia and transphobia only exist on the fringes of society.

But that’s not true. The response to the rainbow crossing, even in a city as liberal and accepting as Bristol, proves that queerphobia exists; not just in the extreme but in the mainstream.

Within days of the crossing being unveiled, it was vandalised with the words “Jesus Loves Sinners”.  Yet it is the queer community who are told that we are “ramming our beliefs down people’s throats”- our “belief” being that queer people deserve to live without persecution.

Queerphobic graffiti appeared on the crossing just days after it was installed. Image: Matthew Newby

According to a meme I found in the Facebook comments of a news report about the new crossing,  this belief amounts to “LGBTQ+ propaganda”; in the same thread someone suggests that queerness is the result of “normal, healthy people being molested”

Gallingly, one Facebook commenter posted “How about colours for heterosexuals, as without us there would be no gay pride”;  as if we should be grateful to them for the liberation that generations of queer people fought and continue to fight for.

Others reduce our existence and liberation to an annual gathering of “sexually depraved morons”  “wearing costumes made of dildos”.

A selection of queerphobic memes and comments in relation to the rainbow crossing from Facebook and Twitter.

The fact is, these kind of responses to something as innocuous as a rainbow painted on the road prove exactly why we need these visible symbols of support for LGBTQ+ people.

Yes, there are worse things than internet trolls, but the impact on one’s mental health does take a toll.

We need to remind queer people that the detractors, however loudly they try to shout, are in the minority, and their city as a whole is behind them.

We need visible symbols of queer joy to show those who attempt to put us down that we’re not going anywhere.

Our existence is beautiful and valid, and worthy of celebration for more than just the month of June.

Main photo: Martin Booth.

Read more: In pictures: Bristolians enjoy new rainbow crossing

Listen to the latest episode of the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast: