World Pride
World Pride is set to take place in Jerusalem in August and as a Jewish/Arab-American lesbian I have strong feelings about the choice of this location. I have even stronger feelings about the defining silence I experience from U.S based queers that are not collectively outraged by World Pride taking place in middle of a bloody and unjust occupation.
I am often asked if being Jewish and Arab creates conflict and inner turmoil for me. Some people have even suggested that because these identities are "so contradictory" that my existence somehow defies logic since there is nothing about Jewishness and Arabness that can equally co-exist. The truth is that being Jewish and Arab provides me with tremendous clarity.
Given this gift of clarity, let me break a few things down:
The U.S. has a deep and long history of perpetuating and supporting Anti-Semitism nationally and internationally. Anti-Semitism is alive and kicking in this country and in movements for social justice. We often do not talk about it nor do we, as LGBT activists, have the political education we need to understand how insidious it is in our society and in our movement building work.
The U.S. has a deep and long history of perpetuating and supporting anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia nationally and internationally. Anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia are alive and kicking in this country and in movements for social justice. The silence about the oppression of Arab and Islamic people in this blindly pro-Israeli country and LGBT movement is deafening.
Lastly, if the LGBT community is committed to justice and ending all forms of oppression than we need to get a backbone and stand just as strongly against Anti-Semitism as we do against anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia. There is nothing contradictory about challenging oppression wherever and whenever it exists.
This brings me back to World Pride.... How can US based queers think that joining a party in the middle of an occupation furthers our vision of justice? It is inconceivable to me that as LGBT people, who are fighting for our own social and economic justice, we cannot connect our struggles to those of thousands of Palestinians who are suffering under this occupation.
The US based queer movements support of World Pride is a "perfect" example of how disconnected the mainstream LGBT movement is from other movements for social and economic justice. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not honor the history of queer folks--particularly queer People of Color--who have done some of the deepest and most intersectional work across every movement for social justice. This aspect of our queer movement continues to work to end the occupation of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, challenge Anti-Semitism and organize for workers rights, environmental justice, reproductive justice and disability rights.
It is time for the LGBT rights movement to get with it! Remember: silence equals death not only for the LGBT rights movement but also for all communities that experience oppression.
I am often asked if being Jewish and Arab creates conflict and inner turmoil for me. Some people have even suggested that because these identities are "so contradictory" that my existence somehow defies logic since there is nothing about Jewishness and Arabness that can equally co-exist. The truth is that being Jewish and Arab provides me with tremendous clarity.
Given this gift of clarity, let me break a few things down:
The U.S. has a deep and long history of perpetuating and supporting Anti-Semitism nationally and internationally. Anti-Semitism is alive and kicking in this country and in movements for social justice. We often do not talk about it nor do we, as LGBT activists, have the political education we need to understand how insidious it is in our society and in our movement building work.
The U.S. has a deep and long history of perpetuating and supporting anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia nationally and internationally. Anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia are alive and kicking in this country and in movements for social justice. The silence about the oppression of Arab and Islamic people in this blindly pro-Israeli country and LGBT movement is deafening.
Lastly, if the LGBT community is committed to justice and ending all forms of oppression than we need to get a backbone and stand just as strongly against Anti-Semitism as we do against anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia. There is nothing contradictory about challenging oppression wherever and whenever it exists.
This brings me back to World Pride.... How can US based queers think that joining a party in the middle of an occupation furthers our vision of justice? It is inconceivable to me that as LGBT people, who are fighting for our own social and economic justice, we cannot connect our struggles to those of thousands of Palestinians who are suffering under this occupation.
The US based queer movements support of World Pride is a "perfect" example of how disconnected the mainstream LGBT movement is from other movements for social and economic justice. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not honor the history of queer folks--particularly queer People of Color--who have done some of the deepest and most intersectional work across every movement for social justice. This aspect of our queer movement continues to work to end the occupation of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, challenge Anti-Semitism and organize for workers rights, environmental justice, reproductive justice and disability rights.
It is time for the LGBT rights movement to get with it! Remember: silence equals death not only for the LGBT rights movement but also for all communities that experience oppression.
posted by bustingbinaries | 3:42 PM
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