Maebe A. Girl, a drag queen and elected local official, defended her decision to remove "homophobic" U-turn signs from her Los Angeles community, sparking a national debate about public safety and the targeting of queer individuals.
A local official and drag queen in California has sparked a national debate after removing "homophobic" traffic signs from her community.
Maebe A. Girl, a member of the Silver Lake neighborhood council in Los Angeles, defended her decision to take down signs that said, "No cruising. No U-turns. Midnight to 6 a.m."
Homophobic Traffic Signs Removed from California Neighborhood by Local Official
The signs were originally posted in 1997 to curb gay men from roaming the streets to hook up, according to Maebe.
"Cruising is a euphemism for gay men searching for sex," she said. "And I'm not here to say I'm here to make sure that gay men can cruise for sex."
Homophobic Traffic Signs Removed from California Neighborhood by Local Official
Maebe argued that the signs were a form of discrimination against the queer community.
"LAPD and neighbors in the area perceived gay men cruising for sex as a problem," she said. "And they responded by putting up these signs."
Homophobic Traffic Signs Removed from California Neighborhood by Local Official
Critics have expressed concerns that removing the signs could impact public safety, but Maebe dismissed these claims.
"If U-turns were really a problem on these residential streets, then the no U-turn signs should be in effect 24/7," she said. "But they were only in effect during the least busy time for traffic, midnight to 6 a.m."
Homophobic Traffic Signs Removed from California Neighborhood by Local Official
Maebe said she believes the signs were being used by police as a way to target the queer community.
"Cops were using this as a way to sort of crack down on the queer community in the neighborhood," she said.
The removal of the signs has sparked a national debate about public safety, the targeting of queer individuals, and the role of local officials.
Some critics have accused Maebe of being too sensitive and of putting the safety of the community at risk.
"People are saying they're fed up with the queer community because we've gone too far," said Maebe. "They say we've asked for too much. Now we're saying, ‘No U-turn signs are homophobic,’ which is absolutely not the case."
Maebe said she never imagined the removal of the signs would become a "divisive moment of the culture wars."
"This was just a local issue that we were asked to address," she said. "We did, and it just traveled very far outside of our community."
Maebe's decision has also raised questions about the role of local officials in addressing issues of public safety and discrimination.
"As an elected official, I have a responsibility to represent my community and to make sure that everyone feels safe and welcome," she said. "For me, that means taking down these homophobic signs."
The debate over the traffic signs is likely to continue as the issue of discrimination against the queer community remains a contentious one in the United States.
