As we head into our local Pride season in August, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to solidarity as the core principle guiding our work. While our mandate is focused on queer and trans communities in the region, the violence and instability we are witnessing around the globe have had far-reaching impacts on many members of our local communities. These issues demand our collective attention.
Over the past year, we have been witness to escalating levels of violence in Israel and Palestine. We are aware of how polarizing this conflict has been and how painful it is for members of our local communities to witness the ongoing death and devastation inflicted on innocent civilians. In this moment, 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations across the country and around the world have been called upon to take action.
We are committed to creating spaces where all queer and trans people feel safe to celebrate Pride together. To that end, we are deeply concerned by the rising tide of antisemitism and Islamophobia we are witnessing here in Canada. As a community facing rising levels of hate-motivated crimes, we know all too well how hate erodes our security. In this climate, we reaffirm that intolerance has no place in our events.
Following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the world watched in horror as the full extent of the atrocities committed against civilians were uncovered. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the acts of terrorism committed that day. By the same token, we cannot stay silent in the face of Israel’s endless and brutal campaign in Gaza and mounting violence in the West Bank, where innocent Palestinians—many of whom have friends, families and loved ones in our communities—are being slaughtered, dehumanized and dispossessed of their land in flagrant violation of international law. The situation is so dire that the International Court of Justice expressed grave concerns with the state of the war in Gaza, stating that there is a plausible risk of genocide.
Part of the growing Islamophobic sentiment we are witnessing is fuelled by the pink-washing of the war in Gaza and racist notions that all Palestinians are homophobic and transphobic. By portraying itself as a protector of the rights of queer and trans people in the Middle East, Israel seeks to draw attention away from its abhorrent human rights abuses against Palestinians. We refuse to be complicit in this violence. Indeed, to withhold our solidarity from Palestinians in the name of upholding 2SLGBTQIA+ rights betrays the promise of liberation that guides our work. We join our voice to the calls for greater protection of civilians and reject any attempts to use a devastating conflict as a pretext to advance hate.
To breathe life into our sincere hope for an end to this war and justice for all its victims, we commit to the following actions:
- Integrating resources such as the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s boycott list in our existing review process of current and future sponsorship agreements;
- Hosting Zaffa: A Queer Arab Showcase, a Signature Event as part of the 2024 Capital Pride Festival that features discussions about ongoing issues facing LGBTQIA+ Arabs locally and abroad;
- Recognizing the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in opening remarks at 2024 Capital Pride Festival Signature Events; and
- Working with all our partners, both public and private, to push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, increased access to humanitarian aid, and more accessible pathways for refugees.
These commitments serve only as a starting point for other work that will continue past this month. Our mission in organizing the Capital Pride Festival remains to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
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