Pinkwashing – Attacking a Queer future in Gaza
By Luke Dunlop
On 13 November, a post made by Israel on X (formerly Twitter) showed photos depicting a soldier raising a pride flag in Gaza. The caption claims it to be the “first” rainbow flag raised in the Gaza Strip, with Queer-Israeli soldier Yoav Atzmoni suggesting the intent behind the action was to “call for peace and freedom”. This post follows similar tweets, encouraging support towards “Gaza’s hidden LGBTQ+ community” and imploring them to “stay hopeful” for a future where they can exercise their right of free love away from Hamas. Unsurprisingly, any post made by Israel concerning their attacks on Gaza will do all it can to disguise the genocide: it draws attention away from the countless atrocities committed, instead positioning Israel as fighters for human rights. By using methods of political manipulation, in this case, the idea of “pinkwashing”, to what lengths is Israel willing to go to draw support to their side, forcing queer Palestinians to look towards their oppressor for a glimpse of ‘hope’?
WHAT IS PINKWASHING?
“Pinkwashing” as a term was coined due to the colour’s association with queerness, following the branding of gay male inmates in Nazi concentration camps with a pink triangle. In an attempt to reclaim the symbol, the pink triangle was used during the ACT-UP movement to rebel against the ‘laissez-faire’ approach used by political and social bodies during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Today the symbol is recognised in a similar way to the reclamation of the ‘f- slur’ as a manner of Queer individuals resisting subjugation.
“Pinkwashing”, a derivative of ‘whitewashing’, is a term used to signal methods of feigned support for the LGBTQ+ community by companies, governments, or otherwise whose genuine backing of queer groups is superficial at best and non-existent or even damaging at worst.
PINKWASHING AND ISRAEL
According to Corinne E. Blackmer, “pinkwashing” in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict refers to Israel’s “putatively dishonest abuse” of LGBTQ+ rights to conceal its crimes committed against Palestine. This action of fronting queer issues with importance is not a new political tactic performed by Israel. For example, Benjamin Netanyahu’s positioning of Israel as a gay-friendly, progressive, democratic country was a tactic used to distance themselves from anti-queer states in the Middle East, such as Palestine, to increase Western appeal. In an interview conducted in 2022 by NBC, ahead of his re-election as Israel’s prime minister, he claims that his priority was to “safeguard democracy” within the country, including its progress made with queer rights.
Hypocritically, these comments came soon after an agreement made with anti-LGBTQ+ politician Avi Moaz, highlighting scepticism in terms of the state’s genuine alliance with its Queer citizens. It is also important to note that, to date, a referendum to legalise same-sex marriage is yet to happen in Israel despite a recorded 61% of the population showing support (Jerusalem Post).
THE DANGERS OF USING THESE TACTICS
Thus, it is fair to deduce that through Israel’s historic appropriation of LGBTQ+ issues as a means of distinguishing them as the ‘woke’ state in the Middle East, there is simply not enough follow-through to assert a genuine welcoming to these individuals. By raising the pride flag in Gaza as an action that intends to demonise the territory by honing in on its unsafety for a queer population, Israel attempts to overwhelm the audience of its genocide with superficial distractions and small ‘wins’ of humanity. We are to focus on the hopefulness of the rainbow symbol and not on the destruction or terror that occupies the background of the photos posted.
As Nas Mohamed, the founder of the Alwan Foundation, an LGBTQ+ campaign group comments that the pride flag has “no place” in the war (France 24): symbols of prosperity and freedom are used in tandem with weapons to enact genocide as queer Palestinians are seemingly forced to rely on Israel to bolster acceptance for their community in Gaza. The power that pledges peace towards them is the same aggressor who kills that hope.
The pinkwashing committed by Israel transcends a simple over-exaggeration of their LGBTQ+ support and becomes yet another manner of proclaiming absolute authority over the lives of those in Gaza. A ceasefire and international interference has never been so necessary to offer a future not just to Queer Palestinians, but to the entire population.
Edited by Ben Coxon
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-744784
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231121-gaza-pride-flag-images-reignite-pinkwashing-debate
“Pinkwashing”: Corinne E. Blackmer – https://muse.jhu.edu/article/720059/pdf
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