Pride is and has always been political. It has always been a protest. Last year, Capital Pride did the only right thing by condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and standing strong against antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.
But now, the organization has caved to outside pressure to walk back its stance.
CAPE is deeply concerned by Capital Pride's removal of its Statement in Solidarity with Palestine, and the message this sends about how powerful organizations can dictate what Pride does and does not stand for. Last year, CAPE joined the community campaign to defend Capital Pride's position against those who call themselves allies but then yield to the demands of bullies, from the Liberal Party of Canada, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, to every department and agency employing our members.
After 22 months of Israel's genocidal decimation of Gaza, organizations committed to ending the occupation and supporting the Palestinian people in their struggle for peace and freedom must work together to stand firm in their commitments and to take real steps. While the risks are real, backtracking or silence are no longer morally credible options. Queer and trans communities, which include our members, have always understood and maintained in their activism that being public and visible is critical – and that silence is death.
Labour is a leader in the Pride movement
In a time of rising anti-trans and anti-queer discrimination and mainstreamed anti-EDI sentiment, with multinational and American corporations pulling out of funding Pride everywhere, it is more important than ever to build coalitions and structures to defend a long-term future of Pride that is autonomous and strong.
Under the leadership of queer and trans unionists, labour has a key role to play in this. Labour has power and resources to mobilize. Labour can and must support transitions to less corporate, more political Pride models that are owned and driven by community and fully live up to the values of opposing oppression, practicing solidarity, and supporting liberation for all.
As a public signatory of the Queers for Palestine Ottawa petition demanding that Capital Pride stand with Palestine and with the Village, CAPE calls on Capital Pride to reaffirm its position of Palestine solidarity and its commitment to implementing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). In this, we echo the call of CAPE's Queer and Trans Workers Caucus, which has also signed the petition. CAPE is currently in the process of fully implementing BDS following a member resolution passed at our annual general meeting in November 2024.
CAPE invites all unions to act on those resolutions by signing on to the Queers for Palestine Ottawa petition for Capital Pride to reinstate solidarity and take next steps on BDS.
Join us in solidarity during Pride week
This year, CAPE will be present at the Capital Pride parade in a spirit of protest and solidarity with Palestine. However, under recommendation from our Queer and Trans Workers Caucus, we will also be inviting our members to attend and support alternative Pride celebrations that build power and community without conceding their core values - such as the Ottawa Trans March on August 22nd and the Ottawa Dyke March on August 23rd.
Labour support for queer and trans people is critical at a time of sharpening inequality, surging austerity, and scapegoating of these communities. In the spirit of concrete labour support to queer and trans communities, CAPE is making a small symbolic donation this year to Ottawa Dyke March. We encourage other unions to do the same.
Nobody is free until everyone is free!
