Stockholm will become the latest city to install ‘same-sex’ traffic lights during the city’s Pride celebrations. It joins London, Turin, Utrecht and Madrid in replacing the traditionally lonesome figure with a gay couple.
The traffic light displays will be temporarily installed for the Pride events in the Swedish capital, which runs from July 31 to August 6. There will be 48 sets of the lights installed in the city’s upmarket Östermalm district at a cost of 100,000 Swedish Krona ($11,750).
“We are trying to find new ways of showing this is something that we think is important,” the city’s deputy mayor, Daniel Helldén said, as cited by Expressen.
Other cities have taken similar initiatives in the past with Austria leading the charge in 2015.
not where I live but in Vienna they've had gay traffic lights for a few years :) pic.twitter.com/ILIbqYarN7
— sarah saw IW (@chrisftlouis) June 12, 2017
Earlier this year, Madrid also replaced the little green man with same sex couples for World Pride, which the city hosted between June 23 and July 2. The Spanish capital spent €21,747 to the lights at 72 crossing in the city.
Even the traffic lights are gay. ?️??️?❤️?️??️? #WorldPride2017 #WorldPrideMadrid pic.twitter.com/Rw5ozb5ZiJ
— Helen Highwater (@HighwaterDrag) July 1, 2017
#Madrid gets ‘gay friendly’ traffic lights for Pride pic.twitter.com/CnvjIzaqNd
— Nepareizais (@Nepareizais) June 6, 2017
“Through this action, and in partnership with social groups and parties, we are creating a symbolic element that conveys a message of diversity, which is a symbol of our capital,” Mayor Manuela Carmena said. “Traffic lights are intended to take care of citizens, and they had to reflect the city’s diversity.”
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