Queer advocacy during theGaza war has remained a significantly contentious topic. Manyqueer people allied themselves with pro-Palestinian causes, especially inprotest movements against the ongoing war, against the allegedGaza genocide.[1][2] Some pro-Palestinian queers have claimed common cause betweenQueer liberation andPalestinian liberation,[3] though others have called such movementsantisemitic[4] and self-contradictory. Some pro-Israeli queers have complained about feeling excluded from traditionally queer spaces due to pro-Palestinian queer advocacy.[4][5]
Queer pro-Palestinian activists have stated that Israeli usage of thePride flag andadvocacy of queer rights ispinkwashing, especially when attempting to bolster Israel's image globally.[8][2] Pro-Israeli voices argue that queer and trans Palestinians face significant repression in thePalestinian territories, while Israel has significant protections for queer people.[9][10][11] In response, Pro-Palestinian voices argue it is hypocritical to depictPalestinian views on homosexuality as generally repressive when far-right Israeli ministers push homophobic discourse.[8][11] Pro-Palestinian voices have also argued that it is hypocritical to celebrate equal rights for queer people when Palestinians "don't have equal rights as humans" and when queer Palestinians face significant violence from the war and from Israel exploiting their sexuality.[8]
Queer Palestinians who attempt to seek asylum in Israel continue to face significant racism, and may be barred from the healthcare system and from residence permits.[8] One queer Palestinian professor,Sa'ed Atshan, argues that it is "very dangerous to pathologize Palestinian society as uniquely homophobic" and "uniquely bigoted on collective level", suggesting that it dehumanizes and stigmatizes Palestinians.[11] Queer Palestinian activist groups have remained active since the start of the war, withRauda Morcos noting that queer Palestinians face human rights violations from Israeli authorities in the same way as other Palestinians.[12] Many queer pro-Palestinians have protested due to sympathy withthe humanitarian crisis as a result of the war, claiming shared goals betweenQueer liberation andPalestinian liberation.[2] One anonymous social media group, Queers for Palestine, has formed to track which queer advocacy groups have signed a "No Pride in Genocide" statement.[11]
Many pro-Israeli writers have dismissed the increase in advocacy, arguing that being queer for Palestine is similar to "chickens for KFC", as Palestinian society remains conservative against queer rights.[11][9] As a result of increased pro-Palestinian activism, Israeli comedy sketch shows, such asEretz Nehederet, began airing comedy bits lampooning the supposed hypocrisy, suggesting Hamas fighters would throw student protesters off of buildings.[11][13] Such rhetoric has been criticised as in of itself indicative and reflective ofanti-LGBTQ sentiment and stereotypes.[14][11]
Queer activists have criticized influential LGBTQ advocacy groups likeGLAAD, theTrevor Project, andHRC for their lack of public support for Palestine.[52][1][53] In February 2024, pro-Palestine activists protested HRC galas in New York City and Washington, DC, criticizing their partnership withNorthrop Grumman, a weapons company.[16][52] A few months later, the drag queenChiquitita disrupted a GLAAD awards event in New York City, shouting "GLAAD is complicit in genocide", while ACT UP led a protest outside.[54][55] The activists urged GLAAD to end its partnership with theADL, because of its opposition to pro-Palestine student protests.[56][57]
In October 2024, theInternational Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) suspended the membership ofThe Aguda, an Israeli LGBTQ advocacy organization. Additionally, ILGA decided to remove The Aguda's bid to hold a future ILGA conference in Tel Aviv.[58][59] The decision came after more than 70 member organizations of ILGA submitted a motion opposing the bid on the grounds that it endorsed the Israeli government.[59][60] The Aguda condemned the decision, highlighting their advocacy work and stating that ILGA should not oppose Israeli government policy by ostracizing Israel's queer community.[58][60] After investigating, ILGA decided to restore The Aguda's membership, stating that it could not require member organizations to denounce their governments' actions. ILGA also criticized The Aguda, including its "reluctance to condemn war crimes plausibly amounting to genocide in Gaza".[61][62]
Pro-Israeli queer advocacy
In an October 2023 op-ed, David Kilmnick, president of the New York queer advocacy groupLGBT Network, urged the LGBT community to support Israel.[63][64]Billy Porter signed an open letter organized byCreative Community for Peace calling on the entertainment industry to support Israel.[65][66] The following month, theIsraeli foreign ministry tweeted a photo of a gay Israeli soldier standing in front of destroyed buildings in Gaza and holding arainbow flag that said: "in the name of love".[67][8][63] The soldier stated: “the IDF is the only army in the Middle East that defends democratic values.”[68][69] He called for equal rights for LGBT Israelis and said that he hoped to show their contributions to the war effort.[69] The photo was criticized as an example ofpinkwashing.[67][8][63]
Gay porn producer,Michael Lucas, tweeted a photo of an Israeli missile with "From Michael Lucas, to Gaza" written on it in December 2023.[67][70] He said that an Israeli soldier had sent him the photo to thank him for donating.[71] There was backlash from social media users and porn stars who refused to work with him, which he attributed to antisemitism.[71][72] The following month, a photo of an Israeli missile stating “IDF you better WERK!", "Queers Against Hamas", and the names of 3 pro-Palestine drag queens went viral on social media.Willow Pill, one of the drag queens named, strongly criticized the photo and pro-Israel queer people on social media.[70][73]
Ritchie Torres, a gay congressman from New York, has consistently advocated for Israel.[74] He has said that he supports Israel in part because of his experiences of the gay community in Tel Aviv[74] and has denied that his support is due to theAIPAC funding he receives.[75][76] Torres has opposed a ceasefire,[77][78] spoken at theMarch for Israel, and called accusations that Israel is committinggenocide a "blood libel".[74] As of June 2024,City & State estimated that about half of the content on his personalTwitter account was about Israel.[75] His views have led to conflict with fellow Democrats; he has criticized theDemocratic Socialists of America and voted tocensure Palestinian-American congresswomanRashida Tlaib.[74][79][75]
A Wider Bridge, a pro-Israel LGBTQ organization, has made statements regarding the right of Jewish people to feel safe at LGBTQ events[3] and has criticized the LGBTQ community as lacking sympathy towards Jews and Israelis.[47] The organization has sought to highlight anti-semitism in the LGBTQ community, releasing a report on the subject in conjunction withEshel.[80]
Response from queer Jews
Many queer Jews, both Zionist and non-Zionist, have sought support from queer Jewish advocacy groups during the conflict. Both groups have described fallouts with various communities due to their intersecting beliefs.[81] Many pro-Israeli queers have felt unease in some queer spaces as a result of queer pro-Palestinian advocacy.[82][81][83] One opinion writer atThe Jerusalem Post wrote that Queers for Palestine had caused significant pain and betrayal for many queer Jews and Israelis.[82] They also condemned some of the queer Jews who supported Queers for Palestine due to accepting "the false leftist binary of ... the oppressed and oppressor".[82]Amichai Lau-Lavie, a queer rabbi, argued that despite his opposition against occupation of the West Bank, he felt that framing of the issue by many queers was reductive, which had pushed him away from participating in some queer spaces.[84]Elliot Kukla, another queer Jewish writer, has argued that Jewish and queer backgrounds of suffering is the context for pro-Palestinian activism by many queer Jews during the war.[85]
Pride
2024
New York
In New York, theIsraeli Consulate announced that it would reduce its presence at the Pride Parade, due to both safety concerns and Israel's somber mood towards the war.[86] CongressmanRitchie Torres criticized Pride-related pro-Palestine activism as "a perversion of pride" that pressures pro-Israel Jews to "be inthe closet about [their] Zionism".[3] Pro-Palestine activists affiliated withWriters Against the War on Gaza temporarily blocked theNYC Pride March when several protesters breached the barricade and painted the streets red.[87][88][89] Activists led acall and response chant with the audience, untilNYPD arrested 10 activists.[88] Two of the grand marshalls claimedthat Israel had been committing a genocide during the war.[90]
ACT UP staged an action at a display honoring LGBTQ "trailblazers" onFire Island. They replaced a flag honoring Ritchie Torres with one ofCecilia Gentili in protest of Torres's collaboration with the NYPD and his pro-Israel advocacy.[91] Additionally, they hung an ACT UP flag that showed their pink triangle logo made of awatermelon, a pro-Palestine symbol, to honor Queer Palestinians. The protest was condemned by Torres who accused ACT UP of supporting Hamas and stated that: "a Queer Palestinian is far freer and safer in Israel than in a Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas."[92]Michael Lucas posted a video on social media of himself removing the watermelon flag and putting in the trash.[91][67]
The NYCDyke March issued a statement supporting the safety of Jewish participants at the march and condemning the7 October attacks. The statement was soon replaced with another stating that the organization "unapologetically stands in support of Palestinian liberation".[93][94] The march also raised money for the pro-Palestine groupWithin Our Lifetime. In opposition, a group of Jewish lesbians held a separate event at the same time.[94]
Elsewhere in the US
During Philadelphia's Pride Parade, queer counter protesters disrupted the march,[87][3] at one point facing off against the drumline.[53][95] Protesters chanted slogans such as "No pride in genocide".[95][96]
Queer pro-Palestine activists called for a boycott ofSan Francisco Pride (SF Pride) due to corporate sponsors' ties to Israel, police participation, and the decision to makeBilly Porter, who has made pro-Israel statements, Grand Marshal.[97] An alternative "No pride in genocide" march was attended by more than a thousand participants.[98] Pro-Israel groups criticized SF Pride for posting a statement suggesting an Israeli float would be barred from participating in the march. SF Pride later clarified that there had been no Israeli float registered by the deadline.[99]
In Boston, over 100 protestors blocked theBoston Pride parade, two of whom were detained by police.[53][100] Over 60 pro-Palestine organizations called for Boston Pride to divest from companies they said had ties to Israel.[100] In Washington DC,Yuval David posted a video ofCapital Pride participants booing him and other pro-Israel marchers.[4]Abby Stein was removed from a White House pride event for chanting pro-Palestine slogans.[101][102]
Members of Cincinnati Socialists were asked to leave a pride event for handing out flyers alleging that Israel was conducting a "Final Solution" against Palestinians.[103] Several days later, Cincinnati Socialists made an Instagram post"naming and shaming" two JewishCincinnati Pride board members for supporting Israel.[104][103][105] Afterwards, Cincinnati Pride released a statement that two Jewish board members had been threatened with violence and were resigning for safety reasons.[103][105][106] The localJewish Federation condemned the Cincinnati Socialists as antisemitic and organized a separate pride parade.[107]
Outside of the US
Tel Aviv cancelled its 2024Pride Parade, instead holding a rally in support of theIsraeli hostages and the Israeli military. The event included appearances fromNoa Kirel, LGBTQ activists, and families of the hostages. Awards were given to a soldier who served in Gaza and the partner ofSagi Golan, a soldier killed on October 7.[108] TheJerusalem pride parade was held without music and attracted fewer attendees than usual. The theme was "Born to be Free", and speakers includedYair Lapid, hostage families, and Sagi Golan's partner.[109][110]
The Glasgow Greens and Rainbow Greens of theScottish Greens marched in a "No Pride in Genocide: Radical Bloc" instead of the parade's "Green Bloc".[111]Gary Kinsman, who co-foundedPride Toronto, resigned from the organizing committee due to its ties with corporations that are involved in the Gaza war.[112] Thirty protesters from the Coalition Against Pinkwashing blocked the parade for 45 minutes, chanting pro-Palestine slogans and handing out literature. As a result, event organizers ended the parade early.[113]
2025
A pride month concert in New York City'sCentral Park was cancelled due to concerns about "security" and "controversy" from MayorEric Adams. The performer,Kehlani, had another concert atCornell University cancelled that year due to their pro-Palestine advocacy.[114] Kehlani later withdrew from headlining theSan Francisco Pride festival, after the organizers released a statement condemning her pro-Palestine stance.[115] Eight Jewish groups, the mayor,UC San Diego, and others decided not to participate inSan Diego Pride due to Kehlani's participation as headliner at the festival.[116][117][118] The festival lost financial support due to Kehlani's performance but experienced record ticket sales.[117] Event organizers affirmed their opposition to hate speech and their support for "dissenting voices",[119][117] and Kehlani performed as planned.[120]
Youth Demand disruptedLondon Pride for an hour by pouring red paint on theCisco float, gluing themselves to it, and chanting “we charge you with genocide”. Five activists were arrested. On social media they posted a statement accusing Cisco of aiding Israel in committinggenocide in Gaza.[121][122]
Jerusalem Pride observed the 10 year anniversary of the murder ofShira Banki, a parade participant, and Yair Lapid criticized right-wing opposition to LGBTQ rights.[123] Some marchers held signs calling for an end to the war and the release of the Israeli hostages.[124][125] A left-wing group called on Israelis torefuse to join the military and stated that Israel was "killing gay people in Gaza."[125] Police removed anti-war signs and arrested a protester.[123][125]Caitlyn Jenner visited Israel as a guest of honor forTel Aviv Pride, but the event was cancelled due to theIran–Israel war.[126]
^Kern, Sim (2025). "How I Became a Reluctant Influencer for a Free Palestine".Genocide Bad: Notes on Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation. Northampton, MA: Interlink Books.
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