11/06/2013 | Writer: Yossef Mekyton

Demonstrations drew attention to pinkwash, occupation and unspoken LGBT issues in Israel.

Anti-Pinkwash Protest at Tel Aviv Pride Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+
Demonstrations drew attention to pinkwash, occupation and unspoken LGBT issues in Israel.
 
Tel Aviv Pride took place on Jun 7, 2013. The highlighted issues of the Pride were "same sex marriage" and "the right to surrogacy". “Mashpritzot” organisations summarizes the event as “a commercial and also municipal pinkwashing event to encourage gay tourism to Israel and draw attention away from the occupation, the boycott against Israel and the problems of the LGBT community such as housing and work inequality, violence against sex-workers, biphobia etc.”
 
Anti Pinkswash LGBTs and feminists demonstrated at the Pride by washing themselves pink and “dropping dead" in the middle of the parade and blocking it for about 15 minutes. At the event, the organizers gave flayers to the audience to explain the action. After the action, they held an event parallel to the pride with open microphone for anyone interested in talking about pinkwash, occupation and LGBT pressing issues. The idea was to raise issues not covered by mainstream LGBT organizations and call out the pinkwashing lies for what they are. No activist got arrested.
 
Hebrew and English posters included slogans such as "Dear tourist, have you checked out the checkpoints yet?", "25% of all bisexuals are in bad health.", "In a country that gives guns to 18 year-olds, no surprise there was a murder in the youth club.", "Sex workers are part of my community."
 
The Tel Aviv Pride took place on June 7, Friday with the participation of nearly 100.000 Israelis and tourists. Mayor Huldai claimed “Tel Aviv as world’s most gay-friendly city.” Public figures such as Finance Minister Yair Lapid, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat, opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich and Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On were at the pride. The shooting of the 2 people at a bar in 2009 was also along the topics.

Tags: life
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