Reflections At The Footprint Of The Pulse Nightclub
The former Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida – future site of a memorial to honor the victims of the 2016 massacre.
Photos by Margaret Hetherman
Standing in front of the Pulse nightclub footprint in Orlando, the atmosphere is quiet, and unexpectedly peaceful. The sound of birds chirping fills the air as traffic noise recedes into the background. It is a sharp contrast to the scene of the massacre that took place on June 12, 2016, when 49 people were fatally shot and 58 wounded at the gay club – one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. modern history, and the deadliest targeting the LGBTQ community.
The fencing around the perimeter is draped in large purple fabric bearing the names of the innocent victims. It ripples lightly in a breeze that cuts through the Florida humidity.
Since the attack, rainbow crosswalks have become a political flashpoint. Near the Pulse nightclub, the rainbow crosswalk that memorializes those lost has itself become a battleground. It seems never-ending – Florida officials painting over the colors, and activists quickly restoring them. In 2025, six people were arrested for re-chalking the site. The focus on rainbow crosswalks, and their erasure, has spread beyond Orlando. They have become symbols of queer joy, resistance, and refusal to succumb to erasure.
Sometimes you have to leave a stripe. It doesn’t have to be grand. It might even get washed away. The important thing is that you were there.
