As a longtime LGBTQ activist in San Diego, I’ve spent decades advocating for inclusion, equality, and justice. I’m a lay leader in the Jewish community and a member of Shir Ha-Yam, a small Jewish Renewal chavurah.
I regularly represent both my Jewish and LGBTQ+ identities at local events, including San Diego Pride’s annual Light the Cathedral gathering. I also previously served as co-chair of San Diego Pride’s LGBTQ+ DevOUT Interfaith Coalition.
Pride has always been a symbol of solidarity and resilience. But this year, as we approach San Diego Pride on July 20, I feel compelled to raise my voice in concern.
The decision to feature Kehlani — an artist who has amplified antisemitic rhetoric — has left many LGBTQ Jews feeling excluded and unsafe. This isn’t just about one performer. It’s about whether our community truly honors the values of inclusion and safety for all.
The stakes are painfully real. Just days ago in Washington, D.C., two Israeli embassy staffers — Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky — were murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum after attending a reception focused on humanitarian aid for Gaza. Sarah, a known ally to the LGBTQ community, worked to build bridges across lines of difference. Their killings are a tragic reminder that antisemitic hate doesn’t stay online — it turns deadly.
Some argue that Kehlani’s cancellations elsewhere, like in New York City, reflect censorship. In fact, a group of city council members there is urging concert organizers to reverse course. But this isn’t about silencing political views — it’s about accountability. Free expression does not shield public figures from the consequences of spreading hate, especially in spaces like Pride that are meant to uplift the marginalized.
San Diego Pride is not a government body — it’s a community platform. Its choices matter. When it elevates voices that have shared antisemitic tropes, it sends a message: that LGBTQ Jews are expendable in our own movement.
As LGBTQ Jews, we must never be asked to choose between our identities. Our fight for queer liberation and for Jewish dignity are intertwined. That’s what intersectionality truly means — bringing our whole selves without fear of exclusion.
When antisemitism is ignored, it doesn’t just hurt Jews — it endangers everyone. Hate thrives in silence. And when it takes root in our spaces, it creates division, fear, and real-world harm.
San Diego Pride now has an opportunity to lead. That begins with an unequivocal rejection of antisemitism, real engagement with LGBTQ Jewish leaders, and a commitment to creating events where all are safe and welcome.
Symbols of Jewish identity — Stars of David, rainbow flags with Jewish imagery — must be embraced like any other cultural expression. Too often, they’re labeled “political” while others are accepted without question. That inconsistency signals to LGBTQ Jews that our place in the movement is conditional. It shouldn’t be.
Inclusion also means amplifying voices often left out: Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews, queer Jews of color, trans Jews, and others at the intersections of multiple identities. A truly just movement must make space for all of us.
That’s why I’ve partnered with A Wider Bridge, the national organization building connections between LGBTQ communities in North America and Israel. Through its A Wider Pride initiative, AWB is helping ensure LGBTQ Jews can show up fully and safely at Pride events — including right here in San Diego.
To LGBTQ allies: your voices matter. Ask San Diego Pride to reaffirm its commitment to true inclusion. Ask how they’ll make LGBTQ Jews feel welcome and celebrated. Show up for us as we’ve shown up for so many others.
To LGBTQ Jews who feel unsure or unsafe: you are not alone. Your pride is essential. Bring your full self — your story, your symbols, your courage, and your joy. This community belongs to you too.
Let’s ensure San Diego Pride reflects our highest values — so no one is ever asked to hide who they are, or stay home out of fear.
Andrea Beth Damsky serves as a commissioner on California’s Commission on the State of Hate and is the former co-chair of San Diego Pride’s DevOUT LGBTQ+ Interfaith Coalition.
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