Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) was a Toronto-based grassroots organization involved in queer and pro-Palestinian activism, including Israeli Apartheid Week and Toronto Pride Week.
Formed in 2008, the group participated in several Toronto Pride parades between 2008 and 2014, despite opposition from pro-Israel activists.
The group announced in February 2015 that it was disbanding after seven years of activity."Queers Against Israeli Apartheid disbands". Toronto Star, February 26, 2015.
History
Formation QuAIA formed shortly after the 2008 Israeli Apartheid Week, inspired by a discussion about Israeli pinkwashing. According to its website, it was formed "in solidarity with queers in Palestine".
Pride 2010: Banning from parade and fallout
In May 2010, the Pride Toronto board banned the phrase "Israeli apartheid" from the parade which meant that QuAIA would be blocked from participating."Pride prohibits phrase 'Israeli apartheid'". Toronto Star, May 21, 2010. The decision sparked protests from the local queer community. Around 20 past honorees returned their awards; that year's Grand Marshall Alan Li and Honored Dyke Jane Farrow declined their titles. Additionally, Yakov M. Rabkin, a Canadian history professor, published an op-ed in support of QuAIA's participation in the parade, stating: "By campaigning to ban the QUAIA, they only confirm what many have long suspected: that Israel is indeed an apartheid state." In June, Pride Toronto reversed their decision."Pride Toronto Reverses ban on 'Israeli Apartheid'" .Xtra, June 23, 2010.
QuAIA marched in the parade on July 4, 2010, along with their allies in the Pride Coalition for Free Speech, largely without incident."Minor tension at Toronto Pride parade over Queers Against Israeli Apartheid'" .Xtra, July 6, 2010. Several members of the organization have written from their own perspective how the ban on the phrase "Israeli Apartheid" came to pass in 2010 and was later overturned,"Queers Against Israeli Apartheid refuse to be silenced". Electronic Intifada, July 1, 2010."A case study in failure: the Israel lobby at Toronto Pride". rabble.ca, July 6, 2010."Sanitizing Pride". Briarpatch Magazine, May 6, 2011. as well as an argument written by group spokesperson Tim McCaskell relating QuAIA's politics with his previous solidarity work on behalf of Simon Nkoli, a gay anti-apartheid activist in former apartheid-era South Africa."Queers Against Apartheid: From South Africa to Israel". Canadian Dimension, June 22, 2010.
After Pride 2010, Gil Troy, professor of History at McGill University, wrote a blogpost calling QuAIA a "perverse group" and comparing them to "Doctors against Anti-Smoking Campaigns or Liberals for Islamism".
Pride 2011: City Manager's report and decision to pull out of parade
City Manager's report
On April 13, 2011 the non-partisan Toronto City Manager, Joe Pennachetti, released a report for the City Council Executive Committee concluding that "the participation of QUAIA in the Pride Parade based solely on the phrase 'Israeli Apartheid' does not violate the City's Anti-Discrimination Policy. The City also cannot therefore conclude that the use of term on signs or banners to identify QuAIA constitutes the promotion of hatred or seeks to incite discrimination contrary to the Code."Report from the City Manager: Compliance with the City of Toronto's Anti-Discrimination Policy - Pride Toronto. City of Toronto.
Speaking to the Toronto Star, QuAIA spokesperson Tim McCaskell stated that the city manager and staff had "obviously done their homework, and talked to lawyers, and not made this a political decision but one that's based on a reasonable look at the facts of the matter and of Canadian law... It basically vindicates everything we've been saying for the last two years." Toronto mayor Rob Ford indicated that he plans to defund the parade regardless of the City Manager report.
Pride funding battle
Two days later on April 15, 2011, citing the City Manager's report QuAIA announced that it will not march in the 2011 Toronto Pride Parade for the stated purpose of "pos[ing] a challenge for Mayor Rob Ford." QuAIA spokesperson Elle Flanders elaborated by stating "Rob Ford wants to use us as an excuse to cut Pride funding, even though he has always opposed funding the parade, long before we showed up. By holding our Pride events outside of the parade, we are forcing him to make a choice: fund Pride or have your real homophobic, right-wing agenda exposed." QuAIA's press release further stated that the organization would instead host a community event in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.http://queersagainstapartheid.org/2011/04/15/quaia-to-mayor-find-another-pretext-for-your-anti-pride-agenda "QuAIA to Mayor: Find another pretext for your anti-Pride agenda"
The announcement was generally considered a surprise, even by media that had been following the story closely."QuAIA pulls out of Pride Parade, challenges Mayor Ford". National Post, April 15, 2011. According to the Toronto Star, "QuAIA's decision [not to march] represents a significant tactical shift for the group, which fought intensely last year for the right to participate in Pride.""Councillor demands Pride promise to ban Queers Against Israeli Apartheid". Toronto Star, April 15, 2011.
At a May 24, 2011 meeting of the executive committee, City Hall voted unanimously to accept the city manager's report, which made it likely that Pride Toronto would receive funding "Pride Toronto clears city hurdle". Toronto Sun, May 24, 2011. Deputations were given on the issue by over 50 speakers, which included QuAIA itself that had made a short video specifically for the purpose. The video can be seen here."QuAIA Deputation - Pride 2011", May 25, 2011.
Alternative plans to parade
In mid June it was revealed that the community event QuAIA planned to host would feature prominent writer and anti-AIDS activist Sarah Schulman speaking in favor of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign from an LGBT perspective. "Meet writer and activist Sarah Schulman: How an expert on homophobia became a QuAIA supporter" .Xtra, June 10, 2011. The event was held June 22, 2011 at Toronto's historic Gladstone Hotel. "Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) Presents: an evening of political dialogue, performance and dancing" , June 15, 2011
The following evening, June 23, a second event was held that featured Sarah Schulman speaking on her history of fighting homophobia and AIDS activism in the ACT UP! organization in New York City. The second event was cosponsored with numerous queer and AIDS activist organizations. "LEARNING TACTICS AND STRATEGIES WITH ACT UP!" , June 15, 2011
During her visit, Schulman was also interviewed by local queer media Xtra!, primarily focusing on how she came to support the BDS campaign as a queer activist."Sarah Schulman on QuAIA and Activism", YouTube, June 23, 2011
In lieu of participation in the actual Parade, QuAIA dropped a 40-foot banner from above Toronto's Wellesley subway station promoting a campaign to boycott LGBT leisure tourism to Israel. The banner drop occurred on July 3, the day of the 2011 Pride Parade, in the heart of Toronto's historic LGBT district. The banner read "Support Palestinian Queers, Boycott Israeli Tourism.""QuAIA drops banner from Wellesley subway station: Queers Against Israeli Apartheid makes statement on parade day" .Xtra, July 3, 2011.
Pride 2012: Return to Pride parade
In June 2012, the Toronto city council voted to condemn the phrase "Israeli apartheid," as part of a resolution recognizing the gay Pride Toronto parade as a "significant cultural event that strongly promotes the ideals of tolerance and diversity." The resolution said it slams the term Israel Apartheid for undermining the values of Pride and diminishing "the suffering experienced by individuals during the apartheid regime in South Africa."
Pride Toronto's Dispute Resolution Committee, composed of lawyers with experience in arbitration and mediation in human rights matters, rejected a complaint against QuAIA by B'nai Brith Canada that sought to ban the group from the parade. The panel dismissed the complaint, stating that "the activities of QUAIA are not contrary to the core missions or policies of Pride Toronto," and that it is "not likely to present images or messages that promote, condone or may promote or condone violence, hatred, degradation or negative stereotypes of a person or group, contrary to the City of Toronto's Anti-Discrimination Policy."
Pride 2013: City staff reports and further Pride funding debates
City staff reports
In response to a September 10, 2012 request from Toronto city council's executive committee, city staff released a series of three reports on April 9, 2013, regarding the city's anti-discrimination policy and grants policy .Agenda Item History - 2013.EX31.2: Amendments to City of Toronto Anti-Discrimination Policies. City of Toronto These staff reports built on and largely reiterated the 2011 report from the city manager. Regarding the city's grants policy, one of these reports stated:
QuAIA's Tim McCaskell was quoted in response saying, "The law is clear to everyone except a handful of right-wing councillors: you can't ban the phrase 'Israeli apartheid.'" Meanwhile, Councillor James Pasternak was quoted, "Stopping QuAIA is like trying to hammer jelly against the wall." Mayor Rob Ford's executive will consider 'Israeli Apartheid' group again. Toronto Star, April 22, 2013.
It was also pointed out in the media that no such funding restrictions had been attempted against the Art Gallery of Ontario or Toronto International Film Festival, which had also held events at which the phrase "Israeli Apartheid" was supposedly employed. Finally, the third report in the series from city staff was not publicly released, but dealt with "litigation or potential litigation affecting the City of Toronto," according to its author Chris Brillinger, executive director of social development, finance and administration for the city. "'Israeli apartheid' decision heads back to city's executive committee" .Xtra, April 22, 2013.
Executive committee deputations and motion to defer
At an April 23, 2013 meeting, the city's executive committee heard deputations from 27 individuals, most of whom reportedly spoke in favor of recommendations from city staff. This included one Holocaust Survivor, Suzanne Weiss, who stated, "A sweeping ban on disrespectful speech will threaten every citizen's rights." Meanwhile, national director of legal affairs for B'nai Brith Canada, Anita Bromberg, argued instead that the parade is not a political demonstration, saying, "This is a city-wide celebration. I am deeply offended."
QuAIA member Elle Flanders spoke on her experience living in Ramallah for a year, saying, "My partner and I traveled every day for six months on a segregated road system; they are known as the apartheid roads because they are segregated by your ethnic identity. Roads for Jewish Israelis, roads for Palestinians.""Executive Committee deputation re: QuAIA" . Elle Flanders, April 23, 2013.
CEO and director of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) also commented on the issue; discussing the usage of the phrase 'Israeli Apartheid' at TIFF, he said