A U.S.-based organization has made an unprecedented $1 million offer to any LGBTQ group willing to organize a Pride parade in Gaza or the West Bank. Despite the staggering sum, no takers have come forward, exposing a deep contradiction between the rhetoric of some LGBTQ activists and the harsh realities on the ground in the Palestinian territories.
The New Tolerance Campaign (NTC) issued the challenge as part of its ongoing efforts to highlight the contrast between Israel’s relative LGBTQ freedoms and the severe repression faced by the community in Arab territories. The offer, which was first announced in 2024, specifically targeted groups like "Queers for Palestine," who have often expressed solidarity with Palestinian causes despite the well-documented hostility toward LGBTQ individuals in those regions
Watchdog Org. Offers $1 Million to ‘Queers for Palestine’ to Hold Pride Parade in Gaza, West Bank https://t.co/EylAbZqarF
— Mark Proctor (@DealDr007) September 18, 2024
The NTC's president, Gregory T. Angelo, emphasized that this was not a publicity stunt but a legitimate challenge to showcase the claimed inclusivity of Palestinian territories. “We’ve seen so-called ‘Queers for Palestine’ and allied groups insist that the Palestinian territories are ‘inclusive’—well, here’s their chance to prove it,” Angelo said).
However, despite the offer being in place for months, no LGBTQ organization has stepped up to take on the challenge, a fact that has sparked both outrage and ridicule across social media.
$1M offered to LGBTQ advocacy groups to host Pride parade in Gaza, West Bank https://t.co/ZFjYMtiq8A pic.twitter.com/lPSJShcYLJ
— New York Post (@nypost) September 16, 2024
The offer has attracted plenty of attention, though not necessarily for the reasons NTC might have hoped. LGBTQ activists and human rights groups have slammed the challenge as reckless and dangerous. Organizing a Pride parade in Gaza, where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment or even death, is not only perilous but could also exacerbate tensions in a volatile region. The West Bank, while slightly more lenient, still offers little protection for LGBTQ individuals.
Moreover, the mainstream media has largely steered clear of promoting the campaign, reportedly due to safety concerns. Major outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post refused to run advertisements for the challenge, while even Times Square in New York City declined to display NTC’s mobile billboards, citing fears that it could make their buildings targets for violence.
The backlash online has been fierce, with many questioning the true motivations behind the offer. Critics have pointed out the absurdity of asking LGBTQ activists to parade their identity in areas where they are likely to face severe persecution or even death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a speech in the U.S. Congress, famously mocked the "Gays for Gaza" movement, comparing it to "Chickens for KFC".
Despite the lack of interest from LGBTQ organizations, NTC continues to publicize the challenge, circulating mobile billboards in cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles to raise awareness.
