Texas works hard to reclaim and alter some aspects of its image. Naturally, they want to attract plenty of people to come live in their massive state. Moreover, they want to appeal to people of multiple kinds of backgrounds. With that, they don't want to ostracize too many people in the process. Rather, Texas looks to broaden its demographics. Austin is starting by making the city more inclusive, showing love to the transgender community.
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Artists Les Del Fuego and Taryn Wood recently painted a massive 52-foot-long and 16-foot-tall mural of the transgender flag. With this, they hope to emphasize a sense of belonging for those in the community. "We are here, and you are safe here. That is what makes this city so beautiful," Les Del Fuego says.
The idea comes from the owner of the establishment the two artists painted on. Beau Sutton owns Scissor Sisters Salon and Side Kitsch Vintage. Ultimately, it's a reaction to Texas enacting laws that specifically targets members of the LGBTQ community. "I wanted to ensure that the trans community knew they had a place in Texas where they were protected and safe," Sutton explains.
Texans Might Feel a Way Over The New Transgender Flag Mural
I live in the North Austin area. So I know good and well the varying reactions that will inevitably stem from this massive tribute to the transgender community. On one hand, Austin is a city that is a lot more inquired to be receptive to these sorts of things. In addition to the dozens of Walmarts and H-E-B's, there's plenty of local establishments. With that distinction, it creates the space for different backgrounds to exist in the marketplace.
However, Austin is not immune to its fair share of bigotry. No matter how hard they emphasize "keep Austin weird," they can't shake the fact that many Texans are going to hold onto traditionalist values. As a result, I do wonder how many old school types or younger, angrier kinds of people will look to deface this inclusive piece of art. As much as I want the transgender community to be safe and welcomed, I unfortunately expect some thorniness as a response.
