A grassroots coalition of queer and trans people of color, anti-Zionist Jews, and community organizers demands an end to the Israeli pink-washing of the genocide against Palestinians. The Free Palestine Coalition calls for a boycott of queer organizations that accept funding from weapons manufacturers and fossil fuel companies.

“Pink-washing”, or the strategy of using LGBTQ+ rights to distract from human rights abuses, is a propaganda technique used to detract attention from the oppression faced by Palestinians. Numerous corporations and governments are cynically employing LGBTQ+ rhetoric to garner progressive credentials while perpetuating violence and environmental destruction.

"We stand firm in our commitment to queer liberation, climate justice, and Palestinian liberation," said Komencanto Eterna, a local organizer for the Free Palestine Coalition. 

One example of pink-washing is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which lists U.S.-based weapons manufacturer Northrop Grumman Corporation as one of its “platinum” corporate partners. Despite the organization’s mission of supporting LGBTQ+ rights, HRC has received significant donations from Northrop Grumman, the world’s fourth-largest weapons manufacturer in 2022.

"It is hypocritical and unacceptable for any organization who supports marginalized communities to accept funds from industries that actively harm Palestinians and the global environment,” said Charles Abernathy, a BQIC organizer. “It is disgusting to benefit from the destruction of indigenous cultures, land theft, and continuing the Amerikkk tradition of exploiting black and brown human beings.” 

The coalition urges queer organizations to consider the source of their funding and to break ties with any entity contributing to oppression and exploitation.

"Real solidarity means refusing to provide cover for violence and discrimination," stated Abernathy.

The coalition highlights the following concerns:

1. Weapons Manufacturers: Companies profiting from armament production directly contribute to the violence and militarization that sustain conflicts globally, including the relentless occupation of Palestine. These companies continue to support the destabilizing of Africa that allows the western tradition of human and land exploitation. 

2. Fossil Fuel Industries: These industries play a significant role in climate change, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, including those in Palestine and USA, through environmental degradation and health crises.

The coalition asks community members who care about freedom, human rights, and the environment to help work towards our collective liberation. If you are an organization that believe Queer Rights are human rights, you can do a few things:

• Education Campaigns: Raise awareness within the LGBTQ+ community about the harmful impacts of pink-washing and suspect funding sources.

• Engagement with Queer Organizations: Have dialogues with organizations to encourage ethical funding practices and the rejection of tainted money.

• Boycott Advocacy: Encourage the public and other advocacy groups to withhold support from any queer organization accepting funds from weapons and fossil fuel sectors.

The Free Palestine Coalition welcomes allies in the struggle for global justice to join in condemning pink-washing and ensuring that support for LGBTQ+ rights does not come at the cost of supporting oppression elsewhere.

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The Free Palestine Coalition advocates for justice and human rights in Palestine. Coalition members include Jews For Justice in Palestine at OSU, Black Queer Intersectional Collective (BQIC), Rising Tide Columbus, and Central Ohio Revolutionary Socialists (CORS).