330 LGBTQ+ artists pledge not to perform in Israel until a Gaza ceasefire occurs

A group of 330 queer artists have signed a letter pledging not to perform or participate in public events in Israel until a permanent ceasefire is achieved in the Isreal-Palestine conflict in Gaza, and Palestine is “free.” The letter fits the massive number of Palestinian deaths and Israeli attacks on the country’s healthcare and public utilities.

Over 20,000 Palestinians, Israelis, and foreign nationals have been killed in Gaza since the military conflict re-ignited on October 7, according to The Washington Post and Al Jazeera News. Many of the Palestinian deaths have been of civilian women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry of Palestine.

Related:

To end the cycle of violence between Israel & Palestine, we must impose a ceasefire on blame

We must not use the past to justify surrendering to the supposed impossibilities posed by seemingly irreconcilable and intractable differences.

“We were devastated to witness the loss of innocent Israeli lives on October 7th,” the artists’ public letter — located at QueerArtistsForPalestine.org — begins. “And we have been devastated, and called to action, watching Israel carry out its assault on innocent civilians in Gaza every single day since.”

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“The UN reports that almost 2 million Palestinians, 90% of Gaza’s population, have been displaced from their homes,” the letter continues. “They are living in unsafe shelters without access to food, water, or basic healthcare. As winter nights get colder, disease is spreading. Gaza is past the point of collapse – the UN has described its state as ‘apocalyptic.’ We say enough.”

The artists say they wish to honor “radical histories of queer activism and self-expression, which stand opposed to violent systems like apartheid and military occupation” by challenging Israel’s “pinkwashing” of its “brutal” military occupation and policies against Palestinians. Pinkwashing, when applied to Israel, refers to the country’s representation of itself as a gay haven amid a dogmatically anti-LGBTQ+ Middle East. This representation often serves as a pretext for Western policies against Israel’s neighboring countries and domestic citizens.

“Palestinians remind us that none of us are free until we are all free. That ‘queer liberation is fundamentally tied to the dreams of Palestinian liberation: self-determination, dignity, and the end of all systems of oppression.’ We will continue to speak out for Palestine, to educate ourselves, and to uplift Palestinian voices. Our queerness, and our humanity, demand that we do so,” the letter concludes.

Some of the better-known performers who signed the letter include Angelica Ross, JD Samson, Hari Nef, Indya Moore, Sasha Velour, The Vixen, and Tommy Dorfman. It’s unclear how many of the artists have previously performed or were expected to perform in Israel.

While 24 Democratic Congress members have also called for a ceasefire, a bipartisan majority of House members supported a late October resolution supporting Israel. President Joe Biden’s support for Isreal and continued funding of its military has caused him to lose support amongst progressive voters.