New Pride Crossing in West London Debunks Anti-LGBTQ+ Claims

A new rainbow crossing, named Rainbow Junction, has been unveiled in Chiswick, West London, by the Hounslow London Borough Council, to commemorate both LGBT+ History Month and Football vs Homophobia Month of Action. The crossing features the colors of the Progress Pride flag, which was created in 2018 to represent the diverse communities within the LGBTQ+ movement, including people of color, trans individuals, and those across the gender spectrum. The council emphasized the crossing as a “vivid demonstration” of its dedication to the rights of its LGBTQ+ community.

However, Baroness Emma Harriet Nicholson, an unelected Tory peer, took to Twitter to voice her concerns that the new crossing would “inevitably” cause migraines and trigger epilepsy. Medical experts, including senior GP headache specialist Dr. Katy Munro and the team at the charity Epilepsy Action, have discredited Nicholson’s claims, pointing out that a regular zebra crossing with high-contrast stripes is more likely to be a trigger for migraines and epilepsy than the multicolored pride crossing.

The rainbow crossing was the idea of the West London Queer Project (WLQP), which worked with the council to develop its new Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion strategy. The leader of the council, councillor Shantanu Rajawat, expressed his pride in the borough’s commitment to welcome individuals of all sexual orientations and identities. Aubrey Crawley, the founder of WLQP, expressed his delight in the continued collaboration with the council and the celebration of important landmarks for the LGBTQ+ community.