UCSD pulls out of San Diego Pride amid objections to festival headliner
The move to pull its sponsorship and opt out of the festival follows a coalition of Jewish groups and Mayor Todd Gloria, who announced earlier this month they were sitting out of this year's the celebrations in light of the Grammy-nominated singer's comments and 'safety concerns.'
In a statement earlier this week, UCSD officials described Kehlani's views as 'blatantly Antisemitic' and stressed they were making the move to 'stand firm' in its commitment to supporting Jewish members of its campus community.
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The statement noted the university and its health system still intend to march in the Pride Parade.
Kehlani, who identifies as non-binary, has been an outspoken advocate for Palestinians amid Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza through their social media platform and music.
Although the singer's stalwart advocacy has drawn accusations of promoting antisemitic rhetoric from those supportive of Israel.
One such display critics point to is their music video for 'Next 2 U,' in which the message 'long live the intifada' is prominently featured.
The phrase means 'shaking off' in Arabic and has been used to describe Palestinian rebellion against Israeli occupation. However, this history leads those supportive of Israel to view the phrase as a call for violence against Jewish people.
The use of this phrase was cited as the rationale in the cancellation of a scheduled performance of theirs back in April at Cornell University by the school's administration.
In response to Cornell's decision, the singer posted a video to Instagram pushing back on the interpretation of her view as antisemitic, saying she is not 'anti-Jew,' rather 'anti-genocide' and is opposed to the actions of the Israeli government in the course of the conflict.
FOX 5/KUSI reached out to San Diego Pride for comment on UCSD's withdrawal and is awaiting a response.
The nonprofit, in a previous statement, said it does not endorse the political views of performers booked for the festival, adding, 'We honor the value of artistic integrity, the importance of free expression and the role that artists play in shaping culture, challenging systems and amplifying voices while respecting each other's differences.'
How to handle the ongoing conflict in Gaza has been a tension point for San Diego Pride, having also drawn backlash from those who have expressed support for Palestinians.
Last year, the nonprofit came under fire for the abrupt cancellation of a workshop led by two pro-Palestinian groups, Jewish Voice for Peace and People for Palestine San Diego, at San Diego She Fest — a beloved street fair that takes place prior to the Pride Parade and Festival.
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At the time, San Diego Pride cited safety concerns in canceling the workshop. In an open letter shortly after, however, She Fest organizers said the purported risk was 'non-existent,' as they had 'an extensive safety plan, security on site and no viable threats.'
The move ultimately led She Fest's leadership to sever ties with the nonprofit, stating in a post on Instagram the two came to a mutual decision that it was not possible for them to move forward together 'in a way that honors [She Fest's] values and responsibility to our community.'
As for the Jewish groups boycotting this year's Pride in light of Kehlani's statements, several said they similarly plan to celebrate Pride independently of the main festivities in July.
'It's really sad to me that the San Diego Pride didn't understand the needs of the community,' Lilian Faderman, a congregant at Temple Emanu-El and LGBTQ+ historian, told FOX 5/KUSI earlier this month.
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