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For the past few years, Queer Arabs of Halifax (QAH) have asked Halifax Pride to counter pinkwashing efforts that portray foreign states as queer-friendly tourist destinations, distracting from these states’ human rights violations and the traumas that queer folks of colour have experienced as a result. This year, QAH put forward a motion to the Pride Society that would bring their concerns to a vote. While the motion addresses pinkwashing in general, it also deals with material from Size Doesn’t Matter—an organization that promotes Tel Aviv as a queer-friendly city, but negates the struggle of queer Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
The Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC) recently called for the Jewish community’s unanimous support against the motion, and wrongly accused it of being hateful and discriminatory. They claim that if passed, the motion would censor Jewish presence at Pride.
This accusation is misguided. The motion put forward by QAH does not seek to ban the presence of any Jewish community organization from participating in Halifax Pride. In fact, QAH have gone out of their way to make that clear, focusing solely on the presence of Size Doesn’t Matter.
Size Doesn’t Matter not only diminishes the presence of queer Palestinian and Arab people of colour, it also exploits queer Israelis. It presents the queer Israeli community as a gimmick to attract positive attention towards the state as a whole, and reduces their identity to a branding object.
As young Jews, we were very upset to see from our community leaders yet another attempt to discredit an initiative that would make Pride more inclusive for queer Palestinians and people of colour. What is even more frustrating is the AJC’s soliciting of votes from mostly straight, cisgendered individuals. Members of Pride are meant to identify with or be allies for the queer community. To offer to pay membership fees on behalf of non-queer individuals in order to target queer people of colour’s efforts displays a concerning lack of respect.
When our community leaders do this, they do not speak in our name. That is why we have chosen to create “Jewish Youth for Equality,” an emerging coalition of progressive, young Jews who affirm the humanity of Palestinians as equals. We have felt, and continue to feel that the AJC is out of touch with our values. We are offended that they claim to speak on our behalf without consultation. And we feel hurt as they push us to choose between our Jewish identity and our desire for a better world for all—including
Palestinians. In reclaiming the Jewish values of freedom and dignity for all people, we express our support for Queer Arabs of Halifax, as they ensure that Pride does not exclude or marginalize anyone, here or elsewhere.
The AJC’s implied suggestion that Jews must choose to support Israel’s actions over allying with queer folks and people of colour is dangerous. It silences the perspectives of many Jews, particularly queer Jews and Jews of colour who may not support Israel’s policies. The fact that the AJC feels that they can’t participate in Pride without promoting Israel is troubling. It makes support for queer issues conditional on ignoring Israel’s occupation. Rather, the AJC should focus first on supporting non-heteronormative Jews in Atlantic Canada, and be true allies for the wider queer community.
As young Jewish people, we feel that our voices are being used to silence a legitimate effort to make Pride more inclusive. That is why we choose to make our voices heard as Jews, allying ourselves with Queer Arabs of Halifax. We hope that by choosing the celebration of Jewish culture over the promotion of a state, we can become a supportive community. Young Jewish people support a Pride that includes everyone, including Queer Arabs of Halifax.
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This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2016.
This article is full of misinformation, and thereby co-opts the efforts of real community members in Halifax (the authors of this article are, unsurprisingly, not from Halifax) to inform the city’s populous as to what is really up for discussion at this week’s Pride AGM. Size Doesn’t Matter (SDM) has been a consistent presence at Pride celebrations throughout the country, highlighting the positive achievements of Israel’s diverse LGBTQ+ community – including those members that count themselves among the many Arab groups in the region and/or the population of colour. Instead of reducing their identities to what the authors term a “branding gimmick”, SDM highlights their achievements and continuing success to flourish in a desert full of not-so-friendly neighbours. As a young Jew currently living in Halifax, I do not feel that the Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC)’s message of “My Pride Includes Everyone” excludes or marginalizes the Queer Arabs of Halifax group whatsoever, or any other minority group seeking to celebrate their freedom as LGBTQ+. In fact, their own messaging (and my personal efforts as a volunteer) refutes the claim that the AJC has not focused on supporting non-heteronormative Jews in Atlantic Canada. Jewish communities and individuals across Canada have often stood and marched in support of their local Pride communities and the wider queer community at-large, alongside Arabs, people of colour, and any other minority group taking part in Pride festivities – this year will be no different.
Why are you fighting to be a part of an exclusive club that discriminates against you? Instead, walk away and tell everyone why.
Why was my comment, posted over 45 minutes ago, censored from this post? I will repeat it here with the hope that The Coast embraces the idea of open and free dialogue.
“This article is full of misinformation, and thereby co-opts the efforts of real community members in Halifax (the authors of this article are, unsurprisingly, not from Halifax) to inform the city’s populous as to what is really up for discussion at this week’s Pride AGM. Size Doesn’t Matter (SDM) has been a consistent presence at Pride celebrations throughout the country, highlighting the positive achievements of Israel’s diverse LGBTQ+ community – including those members that count themselves among the many Arab groups in the region and/or the population of colour. Instead of reducing their identities to what the authors term a “branding gimmick”, SDM highlights their achievements and continuing success to flourish in a desert full of not-so-friendly neighbours. As a young Jew currently living in Halifax, I do not feel that the Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC)’s message of “My Pride Includes Everyone” excludes or marginalizes the Queer Arabs of Halifax group whatsoever, or any other minority group seeking to celebrate their freedom as LGBTQ+. In fact, their own messaging (and my personal efforts as a volunteer) refutes the claim that the AJC has not focused on supporting non-heteronormative Jews in Atlantic Canada. Jewish communities and individuals across Canada have often stood and marched in support of their local Pride communities and the wider queer community at-large, alongside Arabs, people of colour, and any other minority group taking part in Pride festivities – this year will be no different.”
The beauty of this dissent is that young Jews can speak up against their own community. If young Arabs did this against their own community, they would be severe disapproval.
The racist comments here are deeply troubling. Any suggestion that students at our local universities — our own community members — don’t have a valid stake in this discussion is also troubling.
Thank you for your important and nuanced perspective. It’s very obviously panicked many people who support an occupying apartheid state without question.
I think what you did here is very brave Rebecca and Maxine. It’s time we acknowledge that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is unjust, and that attempts to distract from that (whether consciously or otherwise) not only harms Palestinians in Israel/Palestine, but also queer Palestinians whose narrative is often undermined and ignored. I really appreciate having you two as allies, and am happy there are partners within the Jewish community who will help push for equality and fairness towards the Palestinians. Much love!
You’re advocating for a group of people to vote on the right of free speech for a minority, within another minority, that is vastly outnumbered (we’re talking 6-12 out LGBTTQIA+ Jews in all of Atlantic Canada)
QAH and the Rainbow action project (NSRAP) are reaching out to CIS gender and straight people which, in turn, prompted the AJC to do the same. So calling them out for inviting people who are allies is disingenuous.
The QAH and NSRAP should have done the hard thing and gone to the AJC with their concerns. I would have suggested we create an information panel for next pride to help give them a voice and the legitimacy of working out their problems, rather than go on the attack.
Jeff Greenberg, the authors are both students living in Halifax. Will you be posting a correction or retraction of your inaccurate comment?
PROGRAM…!!!…PROGRAM…!!!
Ya can’t tell the players without a PROGRAM…!
Gitz’ yer PROGRAM!!!
Yet, you’re promoting a place that is NOT welcoming to everyone. So how about you switch gears and focus on the LGBT+ JEWS IN HALIFAX??????
THAT IS THE WHOLE FUCKING POINT OF THE QAH RESOLUTION AND YOU DON’T SEEM TO GET IT, JEFF!
Both the AJC and NSRAP are mobilizing according to Halifax Pride’s by-laws. I don’t think it’s fair to suggest either “started” encouraging allies to attend first when these mobilization efforts have been on an equal footing. Let’s not forget, the AJC is also sweetening the deal with free food, free drinks, paying for parking, and providing child care at the event. Queer organizations are not in a financial situation to be able to offer the same level of services.
Representatives of NSRAP approached the AJC as soon as it was determined, after intense effort since the table at Pride was registered exclusively as Size Doesn’t Matter, that the AJC had some involvement with this table. What was preventing the AJC from identifying themselves to Halifax Pride and the LGBTQ+ community?
I am a Queer Jew, former Israeli, living in Halifax. It hurts me tremendously that the vocal local Jewish community and the AJC are choosing to prioritizes the interests of the state of Israel over ensuring that Queer Jews are actually welcomed and included in community, spiritual and religious spaces. It hurts me that my freedom to be out queer and trans in Tel Aviv would serve to shut down criticism on other human liberties of life and dignity in the region, violated daily by the state of Israel. Antisemitism (and Islamophobia / Arabphobia) are a real issue in the Maritimes. But speaking up against injustices everywhere, including in Zion, are the essence of Tikun Olam and a great Mitzvah.
Schuyler Smith – check your numbers. I had Rosh Hashanah dinner yesterday with 4 queer Jews (one other sent regrets), all of whom incidentally support the QAH resolution.
The argument of pink washing is tired and so hypocritical.
-Would I be whitewashing Palestinian crimes if I were to, for example, showcase Dakba dance at a festival? NO… and I think like Israelis, Palestinians deserve a day out of court.
-Would I be whitewashing Canadian crimes against aboriginals if i were to brand Canadians as ______________…
-Would I be whitewashing USA crimes against the black community if I were to brand USA as ______________….
I can appreciate your opinions, but the fact that you believe that celebrating the successes of one community means repressing another.. is sad. If there was something to celebrate re: palestinian queer life, I’d be standing right there with you, not trying to ban the subject because there is no focus on incitement and terror. It’s frankly insulting and ridiculous.