Upside down world: While they are put into operation elsewhere with solemn speeches or fiercely fought, traffic lights with gay and lesbian symbols were installed in the Carinthian district town of St. Veit without anyone noticing. Not even in the town hall had they known about it before.
The heavily controversial pair of traffic lights created in Vienna in 2015, but now recognized worldwide, have also arrived in St. Veit. Almost unnoticed by the public, traffic lights with gay and lesbian couples at the pedestrian crossing at the post office have been signaling tolerance and cosmopolitanism for some time.
On the occasion of the Eurovision Song Contest and the Life Ball in May 2015, Vienna traffic lights were equipped with new symbols. The three subjects show in the form of pairs whether pedestrians are currently red or green. In addition to men and women, men and women couples also light up.
Even then, Gerhard Mock (SP), who was mayor of St. Veit from 1989 to 2020, suggested such traffic lights for his city: “I could well imagine this as a sign of tolerance. Even if it was an idea from the Greens, I suggested that these pairs could be installed as part of maintenance work. “
Then nothing happened for a long time. After all, the company responsible has carried out the order. However, hardly anyone has noticed the new pair of traffic lights. Until recently, not even in the town hall was aware of it.
Mock: “We also wanted to paint the zebra crossing at the post office in rainbow colors, but there were legal concerns. Zebra crossings have to be black and white, they said. ”After all, the benches at the sculpture park were painted in the rainbow colors – as a symbol of tolerance.
Incidentally, Villach has also had six pairs of traffic lights for a year, although Mayor Günther Albel was still against it in 2015 and said: “Carinthia really has more important things to do.”
Martin Radinger