And not only are they being silent, but much like with the AIDS crisis, they’re being complicit in the way that funding is being used, in the way that aid isn’t being fairly distributed or addressed.
To see so many queer people from our past, present, and future be so angry at our government, and to be loud and proud in the streets, not only for these causes, but also as out gay, trans, queer people, it’s extremely powerful. And that’s why I want us to be at every action we can be with our banners and and our hot pink watermelon triangles above our heads, with all of our fabulous glitters, and makeups, and rainbows.
Because it’s so important for our fellow queer and trans comrades, especially our queer and trans Palestinian siblings, to know that we’re here, we’re loud, we’re proud, and we’re not going to shut up until our demands are met, much like with HIV/AIDS and also with Palestine, and also with distributing condoms in New York City, also with the closure of COVID clinics all around New York City, also with access to HIV testing, also with trans legislation that’s trying to put transphobia in our schools.
Noor: I can just speak as a queer Palestinian on this one. Queer people have been on the front lines of every movement throughout all of history and time. And they will be for all eternity, and that has been the case and will be the case and is especially true with Palestine.
And I think what people forget in what’s happening with Palestine is how powerful and strong dehumanization is in all of this. And I’m oftentimes thinking about it in terms of women, GNC queer folk. And with Palestine, especially, people forget that their racist propaganda is actually what’s top of mind. And so, when you’re thinking about whether or not people deserve to die and be massacred because of whether or not they’re potentially homophobic or not —which, that’s not even neither here nor there, right?
That’s when we start to get into really interesting territory and why I feel as though it’s really important that we emphasize that queer people have always been on the front lines of every movement. And when we’re fighting for Palestinian liberation, if we understand that all these systems are interconnected, which they are, then we understand that there are queer Palestinians. We understand that there are Palestinians who are suffering huge health crises right now, which includes AIDS crises and access to things that they would need in order to help with that, including also just access to bandages and anesthetic.
