Ohy, dear. I just received this email from someone who pretends she cares about LGBT rights, but clearly is just into the identity politics game.
For the second year in a row, the San Francisco International Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Trans Film Festival has accepted Israeli sponsorship and money. This is unacceptable to queers who are committed to promoting human rights for all people, not just narrow civil rights for some queers.
(What???? Palestinian queers go to Isarael for sanctuary. Everyone knows that)
Several months ago, we forwarded to Frameline, the presenters of the Film Festival, an open letter from Palestinian queers for BDS asking international artists and activists to respect the cultural boycott of Israeli institutions (note that the boycott does not target individual artists or filmmakers who are not representing the government or participating in "pinkwashing" of Israeli apartheid).
(The boycott absolutely does target individual- look at how many of their facebook pages have been hijacked by those pretending to care about human dignity)
It is deeply offensive that an institution which claims to promote diversity and liberation for queer people would slap Palestinian queers in the face by accepting money from the Israeli government.
(But go ahead and slap Israeli queers in the face. Thats ok, because they are Israeli. No one cares)
EVERYONE - QUEER, STRAIGHT OR IN BETWEEN, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO A MOVIE AT THE LGBT FILM FESTIVAL:
Please call Frameline any time on Wed June 1st and ask that they not give in to the haters and to the bullies Remind them of Israel's record of promoting LGBT inclusion. If you get a voicemail, leave a message. If you get a busy signal or no answer, send a fax (preferably) or email kcprice@frameline.org and jennifer@frameline.org
You can also FAX messages to them in addition to calling.
The Frameline phone number is: 415-703-8650 .
The FAX number is: 415-861-1404 .
Check out the GLAZE facebook page- its brand new- for more information on Israel's LGBT record
If you need talking points:
LGBT Rights in Israel
-Gays have full rights to serve in the military
-Sodomy laws were struck down in 1988
-Full civil rights for LGBT people established in 1992
-Partner benefits for all governmental employees, including the national airline, El Al
-Partner adoption rights
-In 2007 the State agreed to recognize same gender marriages preformed abroad, similar to its recognition of other civil marriages from other countries
LGBT Pride in Israel
* Pride parades take place annually in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat and Haifa. Attempts by Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious groups to stop the parades, mostly in Jerusalem have consistently been blocked by the Israeli Supreme Court.
* The first transgender person to win the Eurovision contest was Israeli Dana International in 1998 with her song, "Diva". Eurovision is watched by hundreds of millions of people through Europe, Asia and Africa.
* Openly gay singer Ivri Lidder is amongst Israel's most popular entertainers
* Openly gay movie producer Eytan Fox has become one of Israel's most important film exporters to the world, with his movies "Yossi and Jagger", Walk on Water" and "The Bubble".
* Openly gay politicians have served in the Israeli Kenneset and on the city councils of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
For more information
The Agunah, Israel's main LGBT civil rights organization
Jerusalem Open House, the LGBT community Center of Israel (also serving the Palestinian territories)
Gay Middle East, covering Israel and the entire Arab world
Go gay (Hebrew language portal)
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I jus got an email from Kate Raphael, asking me to "support our Palestinian queer family by calling Frameline TODAY, Wednesday, June 1"
ReplyDeleteBTW, do you know what Frameline did with the money? The Israeli director of one of the films shown will be introducing and speaking about his film. Thats what they are so outraged about.