Texas banned rainbow crosswalks. San Antonio painted the sidewalks instead.

Rainbow crosswalks started disappearing from San Antonio streets this year after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Transportation to remove them or risk the city losing millions in funding. But Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, a gay City Council member, quickly had an idea for resistance: paint the sidewalks — which are not under state jurisdiction — instead. 

The New York Times reports the story. "'We thought, How do we send the strongest possible message to the L.G.B.T.Q. community that we’re not going to be bullied, and that they can get rid of the crosswalks, but we can follow that law and paint the sidewalks instead,' Mr. McKee-Rodriguez said," writes Edgar Sandoval for the Times. "Mr. McKee-Rodriguez said he considered Mr. Abbott’s directive to be an escalation of anti-gay and anti-trans legislation and policies coming from a Republican-controlled state government. In recent years, state officials have enacted laws and issued orders to limit drag queen performances, gender-affirming care for minors and how gender identity and sexuality are discussed in many public schools."

The proclamation was announced in early May during Trans+ History Week.

Read the colorful story below.