At Ginger Rogers Beach in Pacific Palisades, two lifeguard towers emblazoned with the vibrant colors of the Progress Pride Flag were operational on Tuesday, despite being vandalized shortly after their unveiling.
During a dedication ceremony on Saturday, County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, along with other local officials, celebrated the redesign of Towers 17 and 18, which are located at a section of Will Rogers State Beach known as a refuge for the LGBTQ+ community. The ceremony also included the unveiling of informational signs that detail the beach’s history.
However, by Monday morning, both towers had been targeted by vandals who had smashed their windows.
In response, Horvath stated, “Hate will not prevail. Neither today nor ever. We will repair the towers and persistently combat the extremism that provokes acts of hate like this, because the only way to counter hate is with love.”
No injuries were reported. ABC7 mentioned that the insides of the towers were filled with broken glass, although nothing was stolen.
According to Horvath’s office, as early as the 1940s, this stretch of beach became a popular spot for gay men, earning it the nickname Ginger Rogers Beach in honor of the legendary film star.
Over time, the location evolved into a hub for political activism, hosting events such as fundraisers for AIDS victims and petition drives against the Vietnam War.
Horvath acknowledged that the beach served as a sanctuary from discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals during the “post-war era.” It was at this beach that activists gathered signatures in protest of McCarthyism, leading to the establishment of one of the earliest gay rights organizations, the Mattachine Society.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the beach became a center for social gatherings and fundraisers dedicated to addressing the AIDS crisis.
In 1995, San Diego’s Gay and Lesbian Times described the beach as the “West Coast’s equivalent of the Statue of Liberty.”
Ginger Rogers starred in over 70 films during Hollywood’s “Golden Age,” including 10 iconic musical comedies alongside Fred Astaire. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 83.
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