At many protests demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, queer and trans people have joined the call to end the violence and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
On November 12, Xtra went to ceasefire marches in Toronto and Montreal to find out why so many LGBTQ2S+ people stand in solidarity with Palestinians.
Many of the queers we spoke with pointed out that the Israeli government engages in “pinkwashing,” saying the government leverages its liberal policies towards LGBTQ+ rights to shield itself from criticism regarding bombing civilians in Gaza. Others wanted to counter the narrative that there are no queers in Palestine.