Gays Debate 'Pinkwashing' as N.Y. Center Reverses Ban on Israel-Related Events

[Behind the Aegis]

“We vehemently oppose the absurd accusations by some groups that Israel is engaged in so-called pinkwashing. We find this cause offensive and fundamentally detrimental to the global cause of LGBT equality,” the officials wrote.

Poupko said that the speaker’s office had a brief, routine consultation with the JCRC about the statement before it was issued.

The criticism of pinkwashing from the elected officials comes a month before the CUNY conference organized by Schulman, titled the “Homonationalism and Pinkwashing Conference.” The academic conference, which will feature 189 speakers, will address “Homonationalism.” According to conference materials, this is something that “occurs when sub-sectors of specific gay communities achieve legal parity with heterosexuals and then embrace racial and religious supremacy ideologies.”

Jewish activists say they have decided not to protest the conference vocally. “This is a small group of radical left scholars, so the consensus is to allow academic freedom and just ignore [it],” Michaelson said.


Read more: http://forward.com/articles/171503/gays-debate-pinkwashing-as-ny-center-reverses-ban/?p=all#ixzz2LcZjQc56

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Wow. I'm getting lazy, old or stupid.

Maybe all three.

But there's so many twists and turns and shades and hues here; I'm completely lost.

Someone wanna simplify this for the ....ummmm..... cognitively impaired?

[uriel1972]

2. Great minds think alike, or is it fools never differ...

I'm having trouble getting my head around this. Is "Pinkwashing" using apparent "gay friendliness" to attract GLBT to your cause so you can say "Hey look, I don't discriminate." whilst discriminating against some other community? I'm just not sure.

[stevenleser]

4. That, I think, is the contention by a small minority. They claim...

Israel is saying "look, we're good on LGBT equality so we are perfect everywhere including toward the Palestinians".

I've never heard such an argument put forth by anyone trying to speak in favor of Israel and it would sound ridiculous if they did.

[uriel1972]

5. Yeah, it just isn't making any sense to me...

The whole conspiracy element is a little silly.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. You got it correct.

It is a bizarre situation and is total bullshit. In reality, it is now actually used against LGBT people in some cases, so that it was started by a lesbian is pretty sickening.

[Old Union Guy]

3. If "Israel == Evil" is a given ...

... then there must be a nefarious explanation for Israel being good on gay rights.

That's what's going on here.

So say anti-Israel types who claim to be nice and liberal on gay rights but are reliable allies of people who execute gays.

[dsc]

7. On one level this is good news

It wasn't all that long ago that the notion that being kind to gays would improve ones image would have been laughed out of the park.