Daily Mail furious about pro-LGBT traffic lights that have been up for months without incident
The Daily Mail has only just noticed pro-LGBT traffic lights that were put up for Pride in London four months ago… and they’re not happy.
In a bid to emulate traffic lights installed in Vienna to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest, Transport for London rolled out a number of special equality traffic lights in Trafalgar Square for Pride back in June.
Instead of simply showing a little green man, they light up in symbols signifying two little green men or two little green women – as well as symbols signifying transgender people and same-sex love.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launched the initiative on June 19, saying: “One of the greatest things about this city is our differences and every Londoner should be proud of who they are. I am very proud of our LGBT+ community here and I am looking forward to working closely with them as their Mayor.
“These new signals show that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them and display the tolerance and celebration of difference in our city.”
But despite being launched literally four months ago, and made permanent a month ago, the Daily Mail only just noticed and ran a full-page splash on the story today.
It fumed: “As Trafalgar Square gets new PC crossing lights depicting same sex pedestrians… what would Nelson say!
“Nelson was fond of a signal or two – most famously using flags to say that England expects every man to do his duty. Were he alive today, however, he might raise a quizzical eyebrow at the signs being used to help pedestrians cross the road at Trafalgar Square.
“Dozens of ‘gay-friendly’ traffic lights now greet visitors at the London landmark. In the shadow of the monument to Britain’s greatest naval hero, walkers are directed safely across junctions by a little green man – and his same-sex partner.”
The newspaper even claims that the double-masculine symbol pointing to the right could lead to tourists wandering off to the right instead of crossing the road.
There have been zero reported issues since the lights went up.
