Chalking Up a Storm: Finding the Rainbow Connection

Abstract

Chalk rainbows have appeared all over the streets, pavements, public and private spaces of Sydney and across the globe. This initially stemmed from a protest call on social media to replicate the rainbow pedestrian crossing which had been painted across Oxford St in Darlinghurst, Sydney as a temporary feature to mark the 35th anniversary of Mardi Gras. This movement quickly moved from a campaign about retaining a permanent marker of the importance of this space to the LGBQTI community to one about marriage equality. This article explores the background to the DIY rainbow crossing movement and discusses some of the possible legal implications of doing-your-own chalk rainbow crossing.

Keywords: Marriage equality, protests and resistance, graffiti, criminal damage

JEL Classification: K10, K30