The story of the Rainbow Crossing 

 2 years ago, the TU/e Diversity committee awarded Compass funding for the construction of a Rainbow Crosswalk on the campus. This was supposed to bring to life a permanent visual representation of the Diversity of the TU/e community on Campus. A reminder for all students and staff, that who you are, who you love, or where you come from does not matter.🏳‍🌈 

However, as was revealed in a CURSOR article, this amazing project was cancelled. There were practical issues such as that the design was not sustainable enough to be put on the clinkers near atlas. Even later it was said that: 

"The rainbow crossing didn’t fit in with the design of the campus".
A different permanent artwork, which reflected diversity, was also turned down. This was because: 

• Art is not supposed to be a means of communication 
• The high aesthetic value of the campus should not be altered 
• Art should not be political, or a form of propaganda 

The practical issues raised by the committee are not hard to overcome. The current Crosswalk under atlas is already worn and needs to be updated. Also, other locations were not even considered by the committee. 
 

The other arguments of the Committee, even for a different permanent art installation, seem weak at best, and harmful at worst. Not only does all art communicate something, it also always makes you think. But most important: 

ADVOCATING FOR DIVERSITY, IS NOT PROPAGANDA! 
 
 
The decision of the Committee, to reject a rainbow crossing, or even an artwork to be put on permanent display on the Campus, is embarrassing and not in-line with the values of the TU/e. We therefore believe that something needs to be done!
 
 
Our Proposal: 
The university should put in place a rainbow crossing, or different permanent artwork, displaying the values of diversity on the TU/e Campus in a visible location.  
 

Such a project would bring day-to-day attention to the important topic of diversity and make it so that there is no way of getting around it. All students and staff are unique, and all students and staff are respected. Having this on permanent display shows these values 

💖🧡💛💚💙💜 

Signed by, 

Groep-één

Compass

DAS

PUR

Simon Stevin
Thor
Jan Pieter Minckelers
GEWIS

DSA Pattern
Lucid
Intermate

Industria
Protagoras
CHEOPS
Van der Waals

Compositum
ESC

SSRE

DEMOS

ESSF

COSMOS

Scala
Hubble Community Café

Unipartners
VSA Eindhoven

DWARS afdeling Noord-Brabant


You❤

UPDATE: 8-10-2021
It has just been announced via CURSOR that the EB will leave the rainbow flag up for 4 more days, and that they will paint some of the benches. Even though this is some progress, it still is not the
permanent symbol of diversity that was promised by the introduction of a rainbow crossing!