Drivers on Birmingham, Ala.’s Elton B. Stephens Expressway are getting an extra dose of self-esteem this week. Written in big, bold, white capital letters on the top of an overpass reads a simple message: "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL."
The Birmingham News reports the local police department received no complaints of "graffiti" there, "nor reports of anyone risking life and limb to hang over the bridge and spread the love."
But even more beautiful is that the message has the mayor’s support, too. NPR reports an official in the mayor’s office says he doesn’t know who’s spreading the love or why, but the mayor thinks it’s a beautiful message that should be replicated all over the city. So go at it, Birmingham taggers.
Several studies have found people in the U.S. see anywhere between 800 and 3,000 advertising messages a day. The vast majority sell people crap. Let’s hope drivers that see this message buy it, too. You should too. You are beautiful. And that my beautiful friends, is today’s love.
Although no one is sure who put the message up, the Birmingham News reports workers in the area suspect it could be Operation Beautiful, an online campaign that encourages women to post anonymous notes in public places for other women, in an effort to end negative self-images. However, you-are-beautiful.com is another project that has posted similar messages before on overpasses.
Below are a few more messages, courtesy of Creative Commons’ contributors via Flickr.
From Santa Monica, Ca. Photo by NH567.
New Orleans, LA. Photo by Andrew Mace.
Chicago, IL. Photo by Marymuses
Milwaukee, WI. Photo by bloohimwhom.
We’re ending the day as often as possible by celebrating love. We welcome your ideas for posts. Send suggestions to [email protected], and be sure to put Celebrate Love in the subject line. You can send links to videos, graphics, photos, quotes, whatever. Or just chime in to the comments below and we’ll find you. Be sure to let us know you’ve got the rights to share any media you send.