Manatee lawmaker displays opposition to Pride month colors on Skyway Bridge

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Sunshine Skyway Bridge often is illuminated to highlight local and national holidays, events and celebrations.

But Pride Month apparently won’t be one of them this year.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, a Manatee County commissioner has expressed disapproval of requests for light displays honoring Pride and Gun Violence Awareness Day.

The Florida Department of Transportation regularly receives requests to light up the bridge. Recent examples saw the bridge lit in yellow and blue for Ukraine support, blue and white for Israel support and special colors for breast cancer, autism and mental health awareness.

Because the Skyway touches Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, the FDOT has made it policy that light displays have to be approved by all three county commissions.

According to the Times, Manatee Commission Chairman Mike Rahn expressed opposition for lights celebrating Pride month, saying in a February email he “will not be approving lighting of the Skyway for Pride Month or National Gun Violence Awareness Day.” 

Instead, the state will have three months of patriotic lights on the bridge it is calling “freedom summer.”