For years internal conflicts have led many to organize in response to pink-washing of Israeli Apartheid. This is the process where oppressors point to homophobic inclinations within the culture they are oppressing as a way to absolve and obscure guilt. It is used to silence the group experiencing oppression in protesting the oppression, even when they are protesting oppression as an LGBTQ issue. It disempowers the oppressed group by forcing a particular interpretation of cultural norms that is not indigenous to the culture.
Zionist pink-washing in Toronto Pride ramped up several years ago to support the exclusion of anti-Zionist queers of color organizers from the festival. Now funding may fall through in what Toronto Pride is claiming is an attempt to exclude the participation of Queers Against Apartheid. But pink-washing is not an option in this case, when many of the targets are other so-called Israeli's. Pride has initiated the Proud of Toronto Campaign (details below) to combat the funding cuts.
The funding cuts come at a time when many disenchanted queer activists are none too excited to swoop in to organize and save the festival. That said, it would be a great loss to the city and the queer community to lose Toronto Pride to the ugly forces of Zionism. First University of Toronto, now this?
The only hope for Pride is the guidance of a well-funded, well-supported organizing leadership that represents the real voices of the queer community in our city. We are indigenous, we are radical, we are anti-colonialist. We are ready for Toronto Pride to win us back.
Or perhaps more realistic is the approach of Queers Against Apartheid, who are abandoning Pride entirely and counter-organizing events during Pride Week publicizing Israeli Apartheid and contesting Israeli pink-washing of their international human rights record.
************************************************
Don't let City Council cut funding for Pride Toronto!
This a campaign to ensure that the City will fund Pride. It will also give you additional information about the business case for Pride as well as provide you an opportunity to write a letter to your councillor to tell them that you want Pride funded by the City. Please "like" and share in your networks.
The decision about whether or not to fund Pride Toronto is coming to City Council in April. A campaign has been waged to convince city councillors to vote against this funding. Pride Toronto is being accused of tolerating hate speech although there is absolutely no evidence that this has ever happened. This is an attempt to stop the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid from participating in the parade. The heavy handed attempt to withhold funding from Pride is an attack on free speech and political expression in the parade, as well as an attempt to censor and control city funded events and programs - a very dangerous road to go down. To find your city councillor's and the mayor's email address go to http://app.toronto.ca/im/
For more info about the city council vote and the campaign to defund Pride go to http://www.xtra.ca/public/
Proud of Toronto is looking for organizations to sponsor them. If you are an organization that can support the Campaign, please write to them at: info@proudoftoronto.com and let them know.
No comments:
Post a Comment