Milano's Porta Venezia Metro Station Permanently Rainbow for Pride

The Porta Venezia metro station in Milan has permanently retained its rainbow-colored installation, originally created as a temporary setup for the 2018 Milano Pride. The announcement was made by ATM, the city's transport company, on Instagram on August 12, 2018, with the caption 'Porta Venezia resta' (Porta Venezia stays). The installation, designed by Netflix as part of its campaign for the 2018 Milano Pride, covers walls, pillars, staircases, and ticket machines along the platform. The campaign, titled 'Rainbow is the New Black,' featured large portraits of LGBTQ+ characters from Netflix series such as 'Orange is the New Black' and 'Sense8,' with the ironic slogan 'NON ESISTONO' (they do not exist) referencing controversial statements by Italian Family Minister Lorenzo Fontana, who had called rainbow families 'non-existent.' The permanent rainbow look is seen as a political statement by Mayor Beppe Sala, who had previously declared that the colors of the Pride are the colors of Milan. The city's move contrasts with the national government's conservative stance, and the installation was achieved at no cost to the municipality, as it was a sponsored project by Netflix and the Pride organization.