2 days ago
Sacramento Pride must be safe from all forms of hate, including antisemitism
As a former Sacramento City council member and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, I've seen how Pride Month transforms our city each June. It's a celebration of resilience and identity — but it's also a test of our values.
Three years ago, I witnessed something unforgettable at Pride events in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. There, in spaces often surrounded by tension, I saw Israelis, Palestinians, Christians, Jews and Muslims marching side by side. Many of them were people who could not safely be 'out' or open about their sexuality or gender identity in their own communities or countries of origin. Pride, in those moments, erased the artificial walls that hold back peace. It became a sanctuary for truth, vulnerability and shared dignity.
That vision of solidarity in the face of difference is exactly what we must protect. Yet, this year, as Sacramento prepares to celebrate Pride, I write with deep concern.
Since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, queer Jews have faced growing exclusion from Pride events across the country. Participants have been asked to hide Jewish symbols or avoid acknowledging their identities altogether. These aren't isolated misunderstandings — they're symptoms of a growing, troubling erosion of inclusion, even within our own community.
And the consequences are real: Two weeks ago, two Israeli embassy staff members were killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., following a peace-focused diplomatic event. That site — a symbol of both Jewish and LGBTQ+identity — was targeted in an act of hate. And now, a man in Boulder, Colo. is facing a federal hate crime charge after injuring 12 people using a makeshift flamethrower at a Jewish community event earlier this week.
These violent acts are devastating reminders of what's at stake when fear and exclusion replace solidarity.
Pride should never require anyone to hide who they are — not their sexuality, gender, religion or ethnicity. Inclusion that censors identity isn't inclusion, it's discrimination. True Pride embraces complexity and affirms that diversity is not a liability, but a strength.
To be clear: Criticism of any government, including Israel's, is entirely legitimate. But demanding that LGBTQ+ Jews disavow their identities or their right to express them as a condition of inclusion is not activism, it's bigotry. It undermines the very foundation of Pride and the LGBTQ+ movement itself.
Sacramento must lead differently.
During my time on the city council, we worked hard to ensure that Sacramento remained inclusive and just. Sacramento Pride has long reflected those values — uplifting communities, celebrating intersectionality and advocating for everyone pushed to the margins. We must not let that commitment waver.
That's why I'm proud to partner with A Wider Bridge, an organization building solidarity between LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities, while creating space for Palestinians, Muslims and people of all backgrounds to engage in authentic dialogue.
This work is a reminder that Pride can hold all of us — if we let it.
To the organizers of Sacramento Pride: Your leadership matters. Please reaffirm that everyone, including queer Jews, are welcome to fully express who they are. Allow all participants to wave their flags, wear their symbols and share their truths proudly and safely. Listen to the concerns being raised. Vet speakers with care. Build programming that reflects dignity, not division.
And to Sacramento's LGBTQ+ community: This is a time for clarity and compassion. We must stand firmly against antisemitism, just as we stand against all forms of hate. Solidarity means standing together, even when it's difficult.
Let Sacramento Pride this year be more than a celebration. Let it be a recommitment to each other, to safety and to the radical promise that no one should ever be asked to hide who they are.
Steve Hansen is a former Sacramento City council member and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ equality, social justice and inclusive public policy.
