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The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
I'm a queer Palestinian. Stop using my identity as cover for the destruction of Gaza
Pride has never been apolitical, but in recent years, particularly after the Israeli occupation's onslaught on the Gaza Strip after 7 October 2023, the coalition of queer rights in the west has felt increasingly fractured. In Berlin, the city I call home, Pride events have splintered along political lines as Palestine has been a recurring point of contention. According to organisers of Internationalist Queer Pride Berlin (IQP Berlin), a split between two major alternative Pride events followed an incident in which the initial organisers called police to the event after participants expressed solidarity by chanting 'free Palestine'. Meanwhile, at Berlin's official Pride parade, attenders have previously waved rainbow and Israeli flags as they marched through Berlin alongside an Israeli embassy float. At last year's IQP Berlin, the Palestine bloc was one of the largest. Jews and Arabs walked side-by-side, wrapped in Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, flanked by German police. The event faced police pushback, including officers in full riot gear wielding batons and shields. At least 25 people were detained, with the Palestine bloc being key targets for the police. Despite these displays of solidarity, and the risks of repression protesters have faced, there have been those who have sneered at the idea that queer people can find common cause with Palestine and advocate for liberation. The most popular example of this came last year when US pop star Chappell Roan criticised the Biden administration for its arming of the Israeli military. On stage at the Governor's Ball festival in New York, the singer, who is a lesbian with a drag persona, turned down an offer from the White House to perform for Pride month, saying: 'We want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, that's when I'll come.' Roan's show of solidarity drew the ire of talkshow host Bill Maher, who suggested the singer would be 'thrown off a roof in Gaza', invoking an oft-used cliche based on a video that has been debunked by Reuters and AFP, among others. He went on to make punchlines about Roan's career 'blowing up' like pagers in Lebanon, referring to Israeli attacks that killed 12 people and wounded thousands. Hundreds of children were killed in the following months in Lebanon, thousands in Gaza. Maher postured as the liberal hero of queer people, but it seemed easier for him, like many in the west, to point fingers at Palestinian society than to confront the systems his own countries support – systems that bomb, displace and isolate queer Palestinians in Gaza. When Benjamin Netanyahu addressed congress in July 2024, the Israeli prime minister said that pro-Palestine protesters holding up signs saying 'gays for Gaza' might as well call themselves 'chickens for KFC', suggesting our existence is mired in contradiction. That attempt to sever solidarity between queer people and Palestine has been deadly. A year earlier, an Israeli soldier held up a Pride flag in Gaza, with 'in the name of love' scrawled on it in English, Hebrew and Arabic. The state of Israel's official X account boasted of this achievement, 'the first ever pride flag raised in Gaza'. As a queer Palestinian, it is enraging to see my identity used as an instrument of war, but what I find most strange is the cognitive dissonance: for the 'love' of whom is this flag raised? Certainly not of the queer Palestinians living in Gaza, who have faced 19 months of terror, and a lifetime of occupation. In Jerusalem, the city where I was baptised, there is a very small organic scene of queer Palestinians. Some Palestinians from the city even visit Tel Aviv for Pride if they are allowed to travel there. Most are not. Queer Palestinians all face different obstacles based on where they live and how visible they are; their pain lives precariously in the crossfire of multiple struggles. One friend in Gaza told me he only wished to live in peace, away from conservatism, religious extremism and war. I later discovered he lost both of his parents and his brother, as well as cousins, in Israel's onslaught. Another friend from Jerusalem told me he had a message for the west: that freedom comes in many layers. 'We are under occupation and facing an ongoing genocide,' he said. 'So the first layer is simply to exist.' We can imagine and hope for a just, safe world for queer Palestinians to flourish in. Though there are some vibrant, if quieter, queer communities across the Middle East, there is still persecution. But if the goal is for queer Palestinians to live in an open, tolerant society, then they need first to survive Israel's aggression. There can be no Pride under occupation. There are Palestinian LGBTQ+ organisations such as alQaws and Alwan with aspirations to shape a Palestinian society based on tolerance, equality and openness. An ambition that is made so much harder, if not impossible, by occupation. You can't see rainbows from underneath the rubble. Equally, you cannot in good conscience celebrate Pride in the west while knowing that many of our countries are supplying the arms and funds that are killing queer Palestinians, along with their families. Despite attempts to position the struggles of queer rights as in opposition to Palestinian liberation, I have been moved to see queer people not fall for the trap. This Pride month, we will march again, surrounded by confetti and keffiyehs. Jad Salfiti is a British-Palestinian video producer and journalist
CNA
07-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
WorldPride attendees to march through Washington in defiance of Trump
WASHINGTON: LGBTQ+ people from around the world will march through the streets of Washington on Saturday (Jun 7) in a joyful celebration meant to show defiance to President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route will come within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the US civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Events will play out in the US capital in the wake of the Trump administration's measures to curtail LGBTQ+ rights. The Republican president has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90 per cent by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. Event organizers said they were unaware of any counterprotests or anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations planned for Saturday or Sunday. The National Park Service, however, has decided to fence off Dupont Circle, a popular public space, until Sunday night at the request of the US Park Police, which said closure was necessary to "secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences". Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, said it was "frustrated and disappointed" at the closure. "This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting," the alliance said.
CTV News
07-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
WorldPride paraders march through Washington in defiance of Trump
Participants carry a large pride flag during the WorldPride parade with the U.S. Capitol in the background, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) LGBTQ2S+ people and supporters from around the world marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday in a joyful celebration meant to show defiance of U.S. President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route passed within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech in 1963. The parade route was lined with members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies like Carrie Blanton, a 58-year-old school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was attending her first event for LGBTQ2S+ rights, saying her religious beliefs previously kept her from showing support. 'I wanted to grow as a Christian and realized my own hard-heartedness. This is a way to give back to the community for having been so cold-hearted in the past. God is here for everyone,' said Blanton, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election and for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. Girard Bucello, 30, a queer writer from Washington, staked out a position near the White House before the head of the parade arrived, saying there was 'no better place' than the U.S. capital for WorldPride. 'Showing up in D.C. is a way for us to feel safe in a moment that does not feel safe,' Bucello said. Washington was chosen as the site for WorldPride before Trump won the 2024 election. Since returning to office in January, the Republican president has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative 'Ending the HIV Epidemic' aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. 'The President is honored to serve all Americans,' White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. 'Frustrated and disappointed' Event organizers said they were unaware of any counterprotests or anti-LGBTQ2S+ demonstrations planned for Saturday or Sunday. The National Park Service, however, fenced off Dupont Circle, a popular public space, until Sunday night at the request of the U.S. Park Police, which said closure was necessary to 'secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences.' Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, said it was 'frustrated and disappointed' at the closure. 'This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ2S+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting,' the alliance said. Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Donna Bryson and Paul Simao
Reuters
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
WorldPride attendees to march through Washington in defiance of Trump
WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) - LGBTQ+ people from around the world will march through the streets of Washington on Saturday in a joyful celebration meant to show defiance to President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route will come within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Events will play out in the U.S. capital in the wake of the Trump administration's measures to curtail LGBTQ+ rights. The Republican president has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. Event organizers said they were unaware of any counterprotests or anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations planned for Saturday or Sunday. The National Park Service, however, has decided to fence off Dupont Circle, a popular public space, until Sunday night at the request of the U.S. Park Police, which said closure was necessary to "secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences." Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, said it was "frustrated and disappointed" at the closure. "This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting," the alliance said.
New York Times
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
A History of Gay Marriage and Migration, Told Through One Relationship
DEEP HOUSE: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told, by Jeremy Atherton Lin As with his excellent debut, 'Gay Bar: Why We Went Out,' Jeremy Atherton Lin's sophomore book, 'Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told,' is a fabulously riveting hybrid memoir and queer history lesson. In his first book, Atherton Lin mapped his coming-of-age onto a chronicle of disappearing gay bars around the world. In this new offering, the American writer shares the story of his relationship with his British partner, who remains unnamed, and uses it as a catalyst for a kaleidoscopic survey of legal flash points regarding gay rights and immigration. 'Deep House' focuses on the challenges faced by transnational queer couples before marriage equality. Not only were such couples denied the ability to wed, but with differing citizenships, they also lost a critical pathway to legally reside together in the same country. Atherton Lin situates these couples at the forefront of the fight for gay rights. He and his partner became one such couple in 1999. The two had met in London three years prior, their immediate attraction intensifying into trans-Atlantic correspondence and eagerly awaited visits across England and Atherton Lin's native California. During one of their stints in the United States, his partner began feeling, with his trip back to London imminent, that he had 'nothing to return to, and everything to stay for,' so he overstayed his tourist visa, and the two began an illicit domesticity in San Francisco. If the travelogue-style 'Gay Bar' prowls through clubs and adventures with thrill-seeking horniness, 'Deep House' is denser and written from a quieter space of contemplation. 'I want to learn how we arrived here together and find out who traveled first,' Atherton Lin writes. 'Allow me to shuffle the cards that were stacked against us.' That shuffling is free-associative and anecdotal, and allows Atherton Lin a flexibility in his storytelling. He bounces between yarns from his own life, capturing his and his partner's days living in basement apartments, working video-store jobs and flirting with polygamy, to surfacing tales of the queer people who came before him, including the committed, American-Mexican couple who had to cross the border to Mexico and back every three months to stay in the United States in the 1970s and the drunk Texas horndogs who accidentally toppled the country's anti-sodomy laws in 2003. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
