"Yes, one other girl who was carrying a similar flag." "You cannot be Zionist and believe in a Palestinian state, Zionism is inherently racism."Īnd so again, because of one belief I have that I shared when asked, because of the one symbol I carried, I was asked to leave.
#Why is the gay pride symbol a rainbow free
In the same breath, I stated that I believe there should be a free and independent Palestine. In many ways, their work mirrors those of the LGBTQ activists I work with here in Chicago, both on a personal level, and within my role at A Wider Bridge. I also believe that it should continue to be held accountable and challenged by the amazing Israeli Queer LGBTQ activists I proudly call my colleagues, who struggle every day to make Israel more pluralistic, accepting and accountable not only to Queer Israelis, but everyone, including Queer/non-Queer Palestinians. Yes, I believe it does exist and that it should continue to exist. “Are you a Zionist?” “This march is pro-Palestine and explicitly anti-Zionist.” Just as I did not hide my flag, I did not hide when asked point-blank, that, yes, I care about the State of Israel. How is this an 'Israeli Pride Flag'? How does use by one city, or even one country, erase what this flag means for an entire world-wide community? In 20 marchers in Jerusalem Pride were violently attacked and in 2015 one, Shira Banki, was killed. This flag is carried by gay Jews and Jewish supporters across America, around the world, and, yes, in Israel.īut while this flag may be welcomed in Tel Aviv, people I know who marched in Jerusalem's World Pride in 2006 from Chicago (my rabbi being one them) were publically ridiculed and shunned for carrying this exact same flag. Jewish members of the Dyke Collective, or those who were Jewish and said they were speaking on behalf of the March organizers, said I had to leave because even if I saw this a Jewish Pride flag, "this is seen as an Israeli Pride Flag and offensive to others."īesides the Star of David being a symbol of the Jewish people, I think of what this flag means to Jewish people around the world.