PFEX: PRIDE Toronto backs down on decision to censor QuAIA at 2010 parade

[Mary-Jo Nadeau]

Victory! 

http://queersagainstapartheid.org/

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid wins battle against censorship
June 23, 2010

PRIDE TORONTO BACKS DOWN ON DECISION TO CENSOR 

GROUP AT 2010 PRIDE PARADE

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid congratulates Toronto’s LGBT
community for successfully reversing censorship at the 2010 Pride
Parade. Pride Toronto announced today that it would not censor the
term ‘Israeli apartheid’ from the parade.

“This is a victory for the Palestine solidarity movement, which has
faced censorship and bullying tactics from the Israel lobby for far
too long,” says Tim McCaskell, a member of Queers Against Israeli
Apartheid. “The Israel lobby learned a tough lesson today about our
community’s proud history of standing up to censorship and human
rights abuses.”

In May, Pride Toronto had announced that it would censor the term in
response to pressure from the City of Toronto and Israel lobby groups.
In response, Dr. Alan Li rejected the title of grand marshal for the
2010 parade and Jane Farrow refused her appointment as Honoured Dyke.

The decision to censor Queers Against Israeli Apartheid was met with
widespread condemnation from the LGBT community, including Olympic
gold medalist Mark Tewksbury, the 519 Church Street Community Centre,
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and 23 current and former Pride
honourees, who returned their awards in protest.