The Israel-Hamas conflict has cast a shadow over Pride parades across the United States, with Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian chants disrupting the typically celebratory events. This year, the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has introduced a new layer of tension and division within the LGBTQ+ community, a movement historically rooted in protest and solidarity.
In New York City, the annual LGBTQ+ Pride march, known for its vibrant floats and joyous atmosphere, is grappling with internal strife. Organizers are facing accusations from within their ranks of war crimes and support for terrorism. Members of the Israeli consulate have confirmed their participation despite facing accusations of genocide against Palestinians from other groups and even some of the parade’s grand marshals. Their float, adorned with rainbow-colored flowers and a Star of David, will be accompanied by private security.
Itay Milner, a spokesperson for the consulate, expressed disappointment over the sentiment within the LGBTQ+ community. “Unfortunately, there’s a lot of people in the LGBT community that would rather stand with the enemies, with the side that is homophobic, and not with Israel,” he said. “We’re aware of that sentiment but we will not be scared away.”
Meanwhile, Tarab NYC, an advocacy group representing queer Middle Easterners and North Africans, plans to “center Palestine” during the march. They will carry Palestinian flags and chant, “No pride in genocide.” The group has undergone de-escalation training after facing heckling and threats at a recent Pride event in Brooklyn.
This internal conflict is not isolated to New York. Across the country, pro-Palestinian LGBTQ+ groups have disrupted Pride marches in cities like Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia, protesting sponsors’ connections to Israel. In San Francisco, Jewish groups were outraged when Pride organizers announced there would be no Israeli float at the parade, although organizers later clarified that no registered participants had been denied.
The large annual Pride parade in Tel Aviv, Israel, was canceled last month out of respect for hostages taken by Hamas. Sandra Perez, the executive director of NYC Pride, emphasized the organization’s commitment to free speech but expressed concern that the war might overshadow other issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. “Our concern with people choosing to express themselves or protest the issues they want to protest is that it doesn’t overshadow the issues facing the LGBTQ community,” Perez said.
Supporters of the Palestinian cause argue that Pride events are a natural venue to showcase solidarity with oppressed groups, noting that the first Pride march commemorated the 1969 Stonewall uprising, a protest against police brutality. In previous years, Black Lives Matter activists have also disrupted Pride events to call for more inclusion of people of color.
The current protests have highlighted a growing rift between established queer institutions and younger, more diverse segments of the community. Raquel Willis, a transgender writer and one of the grand marshals of the NYC Pride Parade, noted, “It is safe to say that everyone is thinking about the genocide that is happening in Gaza and Palestine across the board. The difference is whether people are being outspoken about it or not.”
The conflict has also strained relationships among once-aligned allies. Since 2019, left-leaning activists disillusioned with the corporate presence at NYC Pride have hosted the Queer Liberation March. This year, Housing Works, a nonprofit focused on fighting AIDS and homelessness, declined to sponsor the march after organizers announced a theme that included those facing “war and genocide.” Housing Works CEO Charles King stated that the organization has not taken a position on the war in Gaza and would not do so at the march.
In response, the Queer Liberation March organizers posted a defiant message on Instagram, criticizing those who “remain silent in the face of wars and genocides” for not representing the values of the march.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has also sparked competing rallies in several American cities. In New York City, a skirmish broke out between opposing demonstrators near the United Nations compound after a large group of Palestinian supporters rallied in Times Square. In Atlanta, more than 75 people demonstrated at the Israeli consulate, chanting slogans in support of Hamas and calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. In Chicago, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied outside the Israeli consulate, waving Palestinian flags and chanting in both English and Arabic.
The involvement of American political leaders in these demonstrations underscores the far-reaching ramifications of the conflict. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a Jewish community gathering to support Israel at a synagogue in San Francisco, while New York Gov. Kathy Hochul condemned a planned pro-Palestinian rally as “abhorrent and morally repugnant.”
The Israel-Hamas conflict has not only inflamed existing tensions within the LGBTQ+ community but has also opened new fissures among once-aligned allies. As the community grapples with these divisions, the question remains: Can the spirit of solidarity and protest that has long defined the LGBTQ+ movement withstand the pressures of a deeply polarizing international conflict?
Source: Associated Press, JTA
