Reykjavík Mayor Defends City’s Rainbow Street on Twitter

Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson took to Twitter on June 29 to respond to Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson’s tweets against pride season and Reykjavík’s iconic rainbow street downtown.

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted a selfie from the famous rainbow on Skólavörðustígur, with a message celebrating Pride Toronto, which was ongoing while he was in Iceland attending the Nordic Ministers meeting. This innocuous tweet prompted Peterson’s response, where he accuses Trudeau of “virtue signalling” and claims he has taken his celebration of pride season too far.

Dagur B. did not let that stand.

Dear @jordanbpeterson – I want to inform you that in Reykjavík our Rainbow-street is not a signal of virtue but of human rights for all. And I am glad to assure you that the Rainbow-street is not seasonal – it is permanent – and so are human rights and our respect for them. https://t.co/WSTiwXHw5p

— dagur@reykjavik.is (@Dagurb) June 29, 2023

The mayor responded on Twitter: “I want to inform you that in Reykjavík our Rainbow-street is not a signal of virtue but of human rights for all. And I am glad to assure you that the Rainbow-street is not seasonal – it is permanent – and so are human rights and our respect for them.”

Boom.