The Antwerp district of Berchem – where I grew up – has now its own rainbow zebra crossing. I noticed it recently, walking in the Grotesteenweg (Great Causeway or Grande Chaussée), also known as the N1, at the crossing with the Driekoningenstraat (Magi Street) and Berchem District Hall.
As far as I know, there are currently rainbow crossings in the district of Antwerp and in Borgerhout. Borgerhout is a recent addition, with a rainbow zebra near Borgerhout Town Hall.
Rainbow zebra crossings are usually an item around the 17th of May, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT or IDAHOT, as it is more commonly known in Belgium).
Street ownership
Since 2021, municipalities in Flanders can ask the regional government for a rainbow zebra crossing. Sixty municipalities have already applied for such a crossing, including twelve in the province of Antwerp.
Why ask the Flemish Government? Its a question of ownerships. Some streets are owned by cities and communes, other by the provinces. And others by the region, in casu Flanders.
The twelve are and were:
- Beerse on the N132;
- Wuustwezel on the N1;
- Lille on the N153*;
- Heist-Op-Den-Berg on the N15;
- Zwijndrecht on the N70;
- Brasschaat on the N1;
- Mortsel on the N10;
- Boom on the N177;
- Hoboken on the N148;
- Deurne on the N12;
- Merksem on the N148;
- Berchem on the N1.
* Note that this Lille is not the Lille (Rijsel) in France.
Berchem
The Berchem rainbow zebra crossing is different to others. Instead of painting the rainbow flag colours in between the compulsory white stripes, the colours are painted around.
N1
The N1 is a national route that connects Brussels with Antwerp and the border with the Netherlands near Wuustwezel. The total length of the N1 is 73 km.
Other rainbow zebras in Antwerp
Where can you find the other rainbow zebra crossings?
At Het Roze Huis or The Pink House. Located at the Draakplaats (Dragon Square) in the Zurenborg neighbourhood. Het Roze Huis is Antwerp’s LGBTQI umbrella organisation. Queer bookshop Kartonnen Dozen is located nearby.
At the intersection of Nationalestraat and Kammenstraat in the shopping and fashion museum area of town.
At the Suikerrui and Scheldt Quays. A very visible spot in Antwerp, where many tourists come and Antwerp Pride parades.
In front of Que Pasa. The now closed gay, drag and trans bar at the corner of the Minderbroedersrui and Lange Koepoortstraat symbolizes the queer going out scene.
What are rainbow crossings anyway?
Since Gilbert Baker (1951 – 2017) designed the rainbow flag as a symbol for gay, queer, LGBTQI pride in 1978, the rainbow has been a rallying symbol for the LGBTQI community.
In 2012, the first rainbow crosswalk was painted in West Hollywood, Los Angeles‘ gayborhood. Tel Aviv in Israel and Sydney in Australia followed.
Since then, many countries and cities have painted rainbow crossings. They’re quite popular in Belgium and the Netherlands.
As a zebra must contain white stripes in Belgium, the rainbow colours are painted around the white stripes.
Pro and con
In Belgium, the visibility of LGBTQI people is widely accepted, so usually there’s little to no resistance. Infamously, Aalst (Alost) did resist in May.
They’re are always people who don’t like visibility of LGBTQI people and issues. When it comes to the zebras, they then claim they’re unsafe.
But also within the rainbow not everyone is a fan. Painting zebra crossings is only symbolic. They don’t say anything of an actual LGBTQI inclusive policy of the (local) government. They can be seen as tokenism.
That is true, but visibility is also important for acceptance and inclusivity.
Where will the next rainbow zebra crossing in Antwerp be?
Queer Antwerp
- ANTWERP | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen stops.
- Antwerp LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for shareholders and sympathizers, as current manager Johanna Pas reflects on the evolution of the rainbow community.
- Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
- Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
- Antwerp’s LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen needs new location by September 2022.
- City chronicle ‘De kleur van de stad maakt mijn ziel amoureus’ recounts Queer Antwerp history.
- ‘Masculinities: Liberation through Photography’ exhibition at FOMU, Antwerp’s photography museum.
- ANTWERP | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for new manager or takeover.
- Antwerp’s LGBTQI bookshop Kartonnen Dozen looking for a new home.
- Antwerp’s LGBTQI+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen wins Çavaria Media Award.
- PHOTOS | Rainbows lit Antwerp.
- Flemish LGBTQI+ press support rainbow community in Ukraine.
- ALLEMAAL ANTWERPENAAR | Antwerp launches campaign to motivate citizens to stand up against discrimination and intimidation.
- Borgerhout flies intersex inclusive Rainbow Progress Pride Flag for IDAHOT.
Antwerp Pride 2022 & Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022
- PHOTOS | Antwerp Pride 2023 from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 August.
- Antwerp Pride 2022 made big impact with Queertopia, monkeypox highjacked the festivities.
- Antwerp Pride 2022 theme, programme and schedule.
- Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022 programme and schedule.
- Antwerp Pride Parade 2022 route & map.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | ‘Trail of Stories’ from 1 to 31 August.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Opening concert night at OLT Rivierenhof.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Human Rights Friday.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Antwerp Pride Parade on Saturday 13 August 2022.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Love United Festival after the parade, at Cockerillkaai.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Eurovision Song Contest royalty Johnny Logan at Antwerp Pride Closing Festival.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Pride Village at Cockerillkaai.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | The 11 locations of the Trail of Stories.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Pride Information Center at Stadsfeestzaal.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Café Den Draak’s Midsummer Party at Draakplaats on Thursday 10 August.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | Ladies* party at Vrijdagmarkt on Friday 12 August.
- ANTWERP PRIDE 2022 | A quiet spot with ‘Pride in Town’ at Sint-Andriesplein.
- Antwerp Queer Arts Festival 2022 from 5 to 28 August.
- Full edition ft. parade and festival days for Antwerp Pride 2022.
- Antwerp Pride 2022 from 10 to 14 August for a 15th edition.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | De Gerlachekaai at the Scheldt.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | Sint-Andriesplein.
- Antwerp Pride 2021: “Long time, no see”.
Darklands 2022-2023
- DARKLANDS 2023 | A-Stay to become official Darklands: The Hotel.
- Darklands 2023 from Tuesday 7 to Tuesday 14 March in Antwerp.
- MONKEYPOX IN BELGIUM | Darklands warns visitors, as gay men are more at risk.
- Darklands 2023 to and from Deep Space.
- Darklands 2022 programme, schedule, gym and concert – 4 to 9 May in Antwerp.
- ANTWERP | Darklands 2022 set to go ahead as scheduled on 4 to 9 May.
- Darklands 2022 hints at postponement.
On the look of Antwerp
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | Scheldekaaien or Scheldt Quays.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | Zurenborg.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | Cogels-Osylei between Berchem and Antwerp’s Zurenborg neighbourhood.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | De Gerlachekaai at the Scheldt.
- AREAS OF ANTWERP | Sint-Andriesplein.
- ANTWERP | Part of Scheldepark / Schipperspark / Zuidpark at Gedempte Zuiderdokken now open.
- ANTWERP | Major revamp of the Meirbrug – Suikerrui – Scheldt Quays axis to complete the Via Sinjoor.
- ANTWERP | Looking for Linkeroever Railway Station.
- ANTWERP | Renovation of Scheldt Quays between Sint-Andries and ‘t Zuid.
- ANTWERP | Final design revealed for Scheldt Quays at Nieuw Zuid.
- ANTWERP | 2023-2024 Park Gedempte Zuiderdokken to have grass and water.
- ANTWERP | City forest, orchard and pond for Nieuw Zuid Scheldt Quays by 2024.
- ANTWERP | Groenplaats to become green again.
- A sneak peek into Antwerp’s renovated City Hall.
- Antwerp’s Middelheim Museum rearranges sculpture park by the end of 2023.
- Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
- Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
- Redesigning Antwerp’s central Scheldt Quays between Noorderterras and Zuiderterras.
- Borsbeek to become Antwerp’s 10th district.
- Antwerp’s Droogdokkensite redeveloped into maritime experience area.
- VIDEO | The renovation of Antwerp City Hall.
- Antwerp-Central Railway Station to get new facade lights.
- Antwerp’s renewed Scheldt Quays at Loodswezen to get World War II victims memorial.
- ANTWERP | Bonapartedok to become centre for water sports and recreation.
- PHOTOS | Het Steen, Antwerp’s new Visitor Centre.
- VIDEO | Walking the future Spoorpark between Zurenborg (Antwerp) and Borgerhout.
- 5 spots in Antwerp to soak up the sun for free.
- VIDEO | Sunset over Antwerp’s Scheldt river.
- Antwerp to be car-free by 2024?.
- BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
- Antwerp landmark Boerentoren to become Art & Culture Tower by 2027.
- Antwerp to get a pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the Scheldt.
- VIDEO | Bicycle ramp for Parkbrug at Park Spoor Noord / ‘t Eilandje in Antwerp opened.
- VIDEO | Antwerp researching old castle at Noorderterras.
- VIDEO | Pedestrian bridge in Antwerp’s Stadspark restored.
- Antwerp’s Rubens House to have new visitor centre by 2024.
- ANTWERP | Rubens House to close on 9 January 2023 and reopen in 2027.
- Noorderterras to become Kaailine, Antwerp’s New York-inspired High Line.
- Antwerp’s City Theatre Stadsschouwburg to be demolished, new playhouse elsewhere.
- ANTWERP | Wapper near Meir and Rubens House to be renovated into a contemporary and climate-robust city square.
- ANTWERP | Schuttershofstraat to become fully pedestrian shopping street.
- ANTWERP | Zuidpark to be completed by 2024.
- ANTWERP | Construction of Park Groot Schijn enters final phase.
- Antwerp lists Wolvenberg-Brilschans in Berchem now as nature reserve.
- ANTWERP | Preliminary design for revamped Stadspark approved.
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