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Australian Pedestrian Crossing Lights Now Depict Same-Sex Couples

Australian Pedestrian Crossing Lights Now Depict Same-Sex Couples

The lights were introduced to mark the first anniversary of the legalisation of gay marriage in Australia

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

Pedestrian crossing street light signals depicting same-sex couples have been introduced in Australia.

Eight of the lights have been introduced in Braddon, Canberra, to mark the one year anniversary of the country having legalised gay marriage.

The lights depict male and female same-sex couples and are designed to celebrate diversity, acknowledging the fact that Canberra returned the highest percentage of votes in favour of gay marriage, with 74 percent supporting the change to the Marriage Act.

However, the lights haven't been welcomed by everyone. Broadcaster Ray Hadley argued that it was unfair to only introduce same-sex couples lights during his radio show on 2GB on Tuesday morning.

According to the Daily Mail, he said: "Why don't the nudists get a go... why don't we have nude caricatures?

"If we're going to be PC we've got to include everyone.

"As long as everyone gets a go - that's all I'm worried about."

The same-sex couples pedestrian crossing lights are similar to others across Europe, including these in Vienna.
PA

But Malcolm Snow, CEO of the City Renewal Authority (CRA), said the lights reflect that Canberra is a diverse and 'cool little capital'.

According to ABC, he said: "Braddon is a fantastic place. It already is the epicentre - if you like - the expression of diversity in our city.

"We want to strengthen that so Civic itself can be a place where people can celebrate and protest.

"That's what city centres exist to do, and I think it's important in our work that we provide the opportunity for people to reconnect with this.

"I think it gives further credence to the statement that we are a cool little capital."


Female traffic light signals were installed in Melbourne's CBD more than a year ago as part of a gender equality push, but the same-sex couples lights are believed to be the first of their kind in Australia.

Similar lights have already been introduced in cities across Europe though, such as Vienna, Brussels and Madrid.

Mr Snow said: "We're not averse to looking at what other cities are doing and, where appropriate, applying those sorts of ideas but giving a really distinctive Canberra twist to it."

Lonsdale Street in Braddon was chosen as one of the locations for the new lights after an impromptu street party broke out there, following the result of the gay marriage vote.

A rainbow roundabout was also introduced in the city towards the end of last year in recognition of Canberra's proud LGBTQI community.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News, Interesting, Australia