Thread by @HenMazzig

Let’s talk about “#pinkwashing,” a term frequently deployed by supporters of #BDS which accuses Israel of exploiting LGBTQ rights to “project a progressive image while denying the rights of all Palestinians, queer and non-queer alike.” calling to boycott @TLVFest

Thread 👇

https://twitter.com/pacbi/status/1326207857814024193

Those making this accusation claim to be acting in the interest of oppressed minorities. Yet, the logic of pinkwashing effectively delegitimizes any advancements made in Israeli LGBTQ rights, weaponizing victories for our community against us. And there are many victories to cite

This year Israel’s Supreme Court ruled against discriminatory surrogacy laws targeting gay men. Days earlier, Israel’s Justice Ministry approved new rules which allow transgender Israelis to change their gender on their IDs without undergoing surgery.

And of course, gay Israelis including myself have been serving openly in the military here since 1993. Israel is not perfect, but its flaws are not good enough reasons to wholly reject its achievements, as this boycott suggests we do.

When police brutality occurs in the United States, that doesn’t mean we refuse to attend celebrations of LGBTQ Americans. Whether it be in America or Israel, a country’s most marginalized individuals should not be forced to pay a price for the misdeeds of their governments.

By declining to take part in TLVFest, those crusading against alleged pinkwashing are dishonoring the important work done by queer Israelis who, like LGBTQ people around the world, are often at odds with our own country’s government.

We too are part of a growing group of dissenting voices in Israel who are speaking out against the status quo in the Palestinian territories, and the very policies that these boycotting filmmakers detest.

More disturbing than invalidating Israel’s LGBTQ progress and diminishing queer Israeli voices is how the activists behind this boycott appear to be singularly focused on Israel. Meanwhile, deplorable treatment of LGBTQ Palestinians by their own gov gets little to no attention.

In 2019, Palestinian Security Forces Spokesperson Col. Louai Irzeiqat described activism for LGBTQ rights as “a blow to, and violation of, the ideals and values of Palestinian society.”

nytimes.com/2019/08/19/wor…

This came immediately following the PA’s decision to ban a Palestinian LGBTQ rights group from holding events in the West Bank, threatening to arrest any participants. None of this is surprising given that 95% percent of Palestinians believe that homosexuality is “unacceptable.”

The failure to recognize, or at least hold equally accountable, the Palestinian regime for its crimes against LGBTQ Palestinians demonstrates a stark double standard that singles out Israel while emboldening the discrimination of Palestinian oppressors.

bbc.com/news/world-mid…

So, to those who claim to truly want to help Palestinians – particularly queer ones – I would encourage you to lift up LGBTQ Israelis AND Palestinians, not boycott us. This would be a much more effective way to fight for LGBTQ rights. //

Respectfully, I would love to hear the panelists response to my thread; @GhadirShafie @graphicpictures, John Greyson, Shohini Ghosh and @syrusmarcusware 🙏