GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Amanda Hiatt, president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at the University of Florida, spray-painted a red line, the beginning of a pride flag, across the Norman Tunnel’s crosswalk as an act of protest.
Hiatt was joined by more than 50 other volunteers to repaint the rainbow path along the Norman Tunnel outside Normal Hall on the University of Florida campus, a symbol she says is being erased across Florida. On July 1, The Florida Department of Transportation ordered the removal of all artistic roadway decorations around the state, citing a new state law Senate Bill 1662. As a result, three rainbow crosswalks were removed in downtown Gainesville on August 25. Other LGBTQ+ murals in Jacksonville, Orlando and Boynton Beach were also removed.
Ginger Koehler, a UF alumna, identifies as straight but says the LGBTQ+ community is being targeted through mandates like the one FDOT implemented on rainbow murals. She believes it’s necessary to speak up.
“I really think that it's important to have spaces where people can show their pride for their community,” Koehler said.
Graffiti in the Norman Tunnel on the University of Florida campus is allowed and artwork is always changing as new expressions emerge on a sometimes hourly basis. But within two weeks, PPGA’s first pride flag was being painted over at a rate that felt targeted.
On the morning of August 30, Hiatt said she woke up to a text saying Phi Delta Theta’s Greek letters and “Trump 2028” had been spray-painted across the pride-colored sidewalk she helped paint on August 20.
“It doesn't matter what it said to us,” Hiatt said. “It's just the fact that someone felt the need to cover it up that specifically hurt us. It's a very personal thing. A lot of people here today are queer, are allies.”
In a response to the tagging, UF’s Phi Delta Theta chapter released a statement saying they are aware of the allegations and do not support or condone the tagging. “In response to the situation, members of the chapter are taking immediate steps to correct the issue. The chapter remains committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and positive campus environment for all students,” the statement reads. “Working in partnership with university officials, alumni, and volunteers, Florida Alpha continues to prioritize the respect for the diverse communities that make up the University of Florida.”
The following morning, Hiatt was informed that the rainbow path had been painted over again; this time, completely covered by an American flag. Below the flag, the painting was signed with the Instagram handle @yawnic3, belonging to Qingyuan Tian, a UF second-year computer engineering major.
“Yes, I painted it because there was a defaced pride flag with ‘Trump 2028’ along with some Greek letters that will displease anyone walking past,” Tian said. “I painted something over it that should unify everyone.”
On September 1, members of a UF Turning Point USA GroupMe discussed painting over the rainbow artwork, again. They covered the mural by painting American flags at both ends of the tunnel and filling the middle section with white paint. On the white, they added a red stripe with the phrases “God Bless America,” “America First,” and “Love God.” Additionally, the Phi Delta Theta Greek letters were scattered across the white section. After painting, they posted a photo and video in the GroupMe of their work.
Hiatt and members of PPGA said they didn’t view the American flag painting as a unifying symbol; they saw it as an attack on their community and on what the original pride flag represented.
“It hurts to know that there are such hateful people on our campus that we walk by every day, that we sit in class with that don't believe that we have the same right to love whoever we want to love, especially when they're writing things like love people, except for queer people, apparently,” Hiatt said regarding the American Flag painting.
During the second repainting, PPGA didn’t work alone. The College Democrats at the University of Florida brought members to help repaint the mural. Hiatt said her organization is nonpartisan, but Juan Osorio, vice president of the College Democrats, said that even though his group is partisan, this issue shouldn’t be.
“It upsets me that people feel that perhaps, one time or another, there is only one party or one ideology for them,” Osorio said.
Both Hiatt and Osorio said they knew the mural would likely be defaced again, so they know they’ll be back to repaint it.
“Maybe you'll see this whole tunnel painted rainbow one day,” Osorio said.
Alachua County Commissioner Anna Prizzia visited the tunnel after Alachua County voted to remove the rainbow sidewalks. She said the financial risk of keeping them was too high.
“It really wasn't an agreement,” Prizzia said. “Our state is taking away a lot of home rule and a lot of opportunities for us to decide for ourselves how we want to be governed, and that's really unfortunate.”
Prizzia said she donated money to PPGA for paint supplies, part of the $375 the organization raised in just two days.
Just hours after it was repainted on August 31, new messages appeared along the rainbow path painted, including Bible verses and phrases such as “God has risen,” “Love Christ,” and “Trust in God.”