The rainbow-colored steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church are safe for the next three years. Dallas\u2019 Landmark Commission unanimously approved the church\u2019s request to permit the stairs and banners at the church\u2019s doorstep as the artwork is temporary, reversible and aligns with preservation standards.<\/p>\n
The commission\u2019s decision drew applause from dozens of church supporters at the City Hall hearing. They described the stairs as a symbol of solidarity and belongingness in a neighborhood at the center of the city\u2019s LGBTQ community. No one spoke in opposition.<\/p>\n
The steps were painted after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered cities to remove rainbow crosswalks and other symbols from public streets. Church leaders said the steps, on private property within a historic district, are a visible sign of welcome in the neighborhood, not a political statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the state tries to erase us from the streets, the community will rise up on the steps,\u201d said one of the speakers, Andrew di Benedeth.<\/p>\n
Another, Seth Knieval, said, \u201cWe should allow that church to practice what it preaches and to carry on the legacy of the Christ they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel Griffin-Allison, the church\u2019s senior pastor, said the religious institution has been active in the community for decades, \u201cnot as a museum, but as a living landmark.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because the church sits within a designated historic site, certain exterior changes fall under the Landmark Commission\u2019s jurisdiction. The panel approved the church\u2019s temporary art installation after city staffers said it would be temporary, removed after three years and primarily is an expression of community pride.<\/p>\n
A separate task force recommended denying the application, citing development code that didn\u2019t allow painting structures with colors that didn\u2019t match the building\u2019s existing exterior.<\/p>\n
However, Commissioner Rosemary Hinojosa said the artwork reflects the city\u2019s inclusive character. \u201cWe should show our visitors the true diverse historic character or city,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Political Points<\/p>\n
The approval of the rainbow-colored steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church is a significant victory for the LGBTQ community in Dallas. The church\u2019s commitment to inclusivity and diversity is reflected in the artwork, which will remain in place for the next three years.<\/p>\n
The decision also highlights the importance of preserving the city\u2019s historic character while promoting community pride and expression. As the city continues to grow and evolve, it is essential to strike a balance between preserving the past and embracing the present.<\/p>\n
A: The steps were painted in response to Gov. Greg Abbott\u2019s order to remove rainbow crosswalks and other symbols from public streets. The church leaders wanted to create a visible sign of welcome in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
A: The artwork is temporary and will be removed after three years.<\/p>\n
A: The Landmark Commission unanimously approved the church\u2019s request to permit the stairs and banners at the church\u2019s doorstep.<\/p>\n
A: The task force\u2019s recommendation was rejected because the city staffers said the artwork would be temporary, removed after three years, and primarily is an expression of community pride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rainbow-Colored Steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church Saved for Next Three Years Introduction to the Issue The rainbow-colored steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church are safe for the next three years. Dallas\u2019 Landmark Commission unanimously approved the church\u2019s request to permit the stairs and banners at the church\u2019s doorstep as the artwork is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":20151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20149","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com\/resizer\/v2\/FAFDJ74RZRBXJLUN25AUFWGGZE.jpg?auth=e9e9ccd0ed216dc43570859c4b5e60d60dd1848233409d4abb749cbe84f85794&quality=80&width=1200&height=630&smart=true","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20149"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20149"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20152,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20149\/revisions\/20152"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}