Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison, senior pastor at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church. (Read David Taffet’s story, LGBTQ+ Texan of the year)
Rev. Griffin-Allison earned this honor for helping her church build a culture of radical love and acceptance. The rainbow-colored steps leading to the church’s entrance are a bold symbol of that spirit.
OLUMC’s rainbow steps are, as Griffin-Allison said, “a visible witness to the gospel we preach that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of safety, dignity and belonging.”
Painting the steps brought international attention and a wave of pride, support, and appreciation for the church. At the same time, those rainbow steps also attracted criticism and anger from homophobes around the world.
This controversy began in October, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banned decorative crosswalks like Oak Lawn’s rainbow ones. Abbott says “non-standard” crosswalks are a safety hazard. However, many studies show that rainbow crosswalks improve pedestrian and traffic safety.
The governor also argued that crosswalks shouldn’t promote any “political ideology.” But rainbow crosswalks aren’t about politics. They stand for community pride, identity, and support—until politicians turned them into a political issue.
The rainbow, whether on crosswalks or elsewhere, is meant to symbolize joy, diversity, love, and community. In the Bible, after the great flood, God sent a rainbow as a promise never to destroy the world with floods again.
Because of this, rainbows now represent hope, good luck, new beginnings, beauty and peace after hard times, and personal growth and excellence.
Joy. Diversity. Community.
Hope and new beginnings; beauty and peace after a difficult time.
That is what the rainbow crosswalks are all about.
Why is that so controversial? Still, there has been nonstop debate since rainbow crosswalks were first mentioned in Oak Lawn.
Remember: The rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs Road, installed beginning in February 2020, were funded by private donations. When those first crosswalks were deemed to have degenerated too quickly and so were replaced earlier this year with a new rainbow design, the work was, again, paid for entirely through donations.
No public funds were used either time. Still, looking at comments on our website and social media, it’s clear how angry some people get—just over rainbows.
You’d think we were using public money for something outrageous, like putting on live LGBTQ+ shows for kids to teach them about being gay.
The harshest and most homophobic responses came from straight people who weren’t even directly affected.
They didn’t pay anything for the rainbow crosswalks. No one was painting rainbows in their neighborhoods. There weren’t groups of gay men breaking into homes to redecorate or fix hair, and no lesbian mechanics were showing up to repair their cars.
Still, stories about rainbow crosswalks probably got more readers and comments than anything else we’ve covered.
Then Abbott demanded the rainbow crosswalks be removed, which sparked another flood of comments. This time, the LGBTQ+ community spoke up, promising to do everything possible to protect our rainbows.
Businesses along the Cedar Springs Strip painted rainbows on their buildings. Oak Lawn UMC painted its steps, and Cathedral of Hope UCC put up rainbow flags at its campus entrance.
Our community sent a clear message to Abbott and the homophobes: This is our rainbow, too, and we won’t let anyone take it from us.
by: Staff
Purhem News 