Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Protest movement that emerged in 2013 via social media in response to the removal of a temporary rainbow-painted pedestrian crossing at Taylor Square which had been created by the City of Sydney for the 35th Sydney Mardi Gras celebrations. Activists create rainbows and rainbow coloured crossings with chalk in public places to show support for equal rights and marriage equality.

Milestone
Formed
2013
Position
2013
Type

Sydney's Rainbow Crossings

CC BY-SA 2.0
,
2016

On 25 February 2013, Sydneysiders woke to a rainbow crossing painted at the intersection of Taylor Square and Oxford Street, Darlinghurst - the starting point of Sydney's first ever Gay Mardi Gras march in 1978. Despite community support for the crossing, it was removed on 10 April sparking a do-it-yourself movement of pop-up rainbow crossings chalked on streets, footpaths and driveways all over Australia.