The city is abuzz, these last few days leading up to the weekend's Nashville Pride festivities, regarding a proposed idea to install a rainbow crosswalk somewhere in town. This petition, which began with a lofty goal of just 4000 signatures, eclipsed its objective quickly enough to warrant extensions in increments of 1000. The current target is 9000 signatures.
The petition's organizers, Muggs DeMayo and Karen Scott, note that similar petitions have resulted in a temporary rainbow crosswalk in Washington, D.C. and a permanent one in Atlanta. They consider the installation of a rainbow crosswalk locally "a small gesture Nashville can take to support LGBTQ folks and make our city a little brighter."
The community at large seems unsurprisingly divided regarding the issue. The Nashville Scene posted the story to its Facebook page where the news is not causing nearly as much rage as a similar post from the local Fox TV affiliate.
So far, Mayor Megan Barry appears interested in exploring the idea. According to Fox17, the office of the mayor has asked Metro Public Works to look into it.
The big question is: where would we put a rainbow crosswalk?
The obvious first option is Church Street. With Play/Tribe/Suzy Wong's between 15th and 16th Avenues and then OutCentral and Canvas Lounge between 17th and 18th Avenues, all on the same side of the street, no less, I suppose we could link those businesses together with a couple rainbow crosswalks parallel to Church Street crossing both 16th and 17th Avenues, kind of like a Wizard of Oz rainbow brick road.
Downtown is the next obvious choice. It's where Instagram negotiated its new rainbow wall. A rainbow crosswalk at the "pedestrian scramble" might be interesting.
Then there are the high pedestrian traffic areas, places where police have cited drivers for overlooking pedestrian right-of-way. They're further up Broadway, near the Vanderbilt campus and Music Row. But do we want to celebrate LGBT life in Nashville in a danger zone?
What about Elliston Place? Or Hillsboro Village? East Nashville?
Where would you like to see a rainbow crosswalk? Comment below or on Facebook!