Pro-Palestine protestors demonstrate outside of LGBTQ+ organization’s gala

Pro-Palestine activists protested outside the Outright International gala on Monday, saying that the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization was not adequately using its resources “and advocacy to provide immediate relief to Palestinians.”

The gala took place at Pier 60 on the waterfront of Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. Members of ACT UP and the Audre Lorde Project met attendees with signs, chants, and flyers that read “Israel bombs queers” and “No Pride in genocide.”

Related: The Palestinian activists fighting for LGBTQ+ rights against a neverending backdrop of war

“We fight double oppression – colonialism and patriarchy.”

In a statement posted to its website, ACT UP said, “As the leading LGBTQI international organization, Outright International is best suited to join and help lead a coalition for justice in occupied Palestine.”

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“Instead, they have shirked their responsibilities,” the statement continued. “Outright is not ignorant; they have brainstormed and discussed potential responses to the genocide in internal conversations among staff and the Board of Directors. And yet their silence rings loud.”

“Outright should shine a light on the ways that queer and trans Palestinians are particularly impacted by the bombardment and displacement at the hands of Israel’s indiscriminate violence. In a moment where Outright International should be leading the LGBTQ movement, they are missing in action.”

“As a coalition of LGBTQ activists in New York, we condemn pinkwashing in all its forms and refuse to allow it to push false narratives in favor of Zionism that distract from Israel’s atrocities and violations of human rights. We demand Outright International no longer hide from its mission and find the courage to act now.”

Protestors also took issue with Billy Porter being honored at the gala, as he signed a pro-Israel open letter after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The statement read that the letter was “a call from the entertainment industry unequivocally voicing support for Israel and condemning Hamas’ terrorism.”

The Washington Blade attended the event and “saw some attendees wearing keffiyehs and watermelon patches that have emerged as symbols of Palestinian solidarity since the war between Israel and Hamas began after Oct. 7.”

The Blade also said that Gala attendees cheered when executive director Maria Sjödin said Outright International “supports a peaceful protest without any reservation.” The group publicly called for a ceasefire on October 27.

ACT UP said their specific demands were that Outright International amplify the struggle to decolonize Palestine, support local LGBTQ+ Palestinian organizations with funding, advocate at the United Nations to stop U.S.-supported human rights violations and disclose and divest from funders with links to Israel.

The call for “no pride in Genocide” may become a common theme throughout Pride Month this year. D.C.’s annual Dyke March is titled “Dykes Against Ge(NO)cide.” On Sunday, pro-Palestine protestors interrupted Philadelphia’s Pride march. The theme for New York City’s queer liberation march is “Black, Brown, Queer, Trans, Gender Nonconforming, and Nonbinary Youth Against War & Genocide.”

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