Sunshine Skyway, Ringling Bridge to be lit rainbow for Pride month after all

Two local landmarks, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Ringling Causeway Bridge, will be lit in rainbow colors to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month after all.

Each June, Pride month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan that sparked an important turning point in the gay rights movement. The events of 1969 also raised national awareness of violence and persecution faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

“The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally,” the Library of Congress says.

The Florida Department of Transportation originally denied requests to illuminate the two bridges for Pride month, but the agency reversed course this month after public outcry. In the reversal, transportation officials said that the special lighting requests would be approved if local governments could show “broad public support” for the displays. The agency also said that same policy will be adopted for all future bridge lighting requests.

Transportation officials had also originally said that the Skyway’s lights could not display a rainbow pattern, but they have since developed a modified lighting scheme that includes the Pride colors. Both the Skyway and Ringling bridges were recently upgraded with LED lights that can display custom color combinations for holidays and and other celebrations.

On Monday, Sarasota city commissioners passed a unanimous resolution in support of the Pride lights for the Ringling Bridge on Monday evening. Similarly, commissioners in Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties expressed support for lighting the Skyway. FDOT confirmed on Monday that the Skyway request has been approved, according to WUSF Public Media.

Both bridges will be illuminated in Pride colors starting Tuesday. The display will last a week and run through June 28, the 52nd anniversary of the beginning of the Stonewall Riots. A year later in 1970, the first ever Pride parade was held on the same date, according to the Library of Congress.

This story was originally published June 21, 2021 at 9:12 PM.