Several Jewish groups to boycott San Diego Pride over headliner's stances
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Kehlani performing in London in January. Photo: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Nine local Jewish organizations are not participating in San Diego Pride next month over stances by headline performer Kehlani that they view as "repeated amplification of violent antisemitic rhetoric."
Why it matters: San Diego Pride is the region's largest one-day civic event, drawing more than 250,000 people to celebrate the LGBTQ community.
Catch up quick: The boycotting groups are part of the Finest Community Coalition, which was launched this year in response to what it saw as a rise in attacks on Jewish people in the U.S. after the war in Gaza broke out.
- In May the coalition issued a statement calling for Pride to remove Kehlani.
- Last week, the it announced that Pride had not responded to that call, and so those of its organizations that had planned to take part would withdraw due to safety concerns.
What they're saying: "As a queer, a Jew, a Zionist and as someone who is horrified at the suffering in Gaza, I will not be participating in Pride this year — and neither should any organization that claims to be inclusive and strives to be a safe place for all," Laura Stratton, a member of Temple Emanu-El of San Diego, said in the statement.
Friction point: Mayor Todd Gloria, who is gay, told Pride last week he would not attend after receiving an "overwhelming number of calls and emails" about Kehlani's "regrettable and controversial rhetoric," the Union-Tribune reported.
- In a letter, Gloria told the coalition that Pride had revised Kehlani's contract to prevent "political speech."
The other side: San Diego Pride issued a statement saying it does not endorse the politics of any performer.
- "Each member of our community must make their own decision about attending this year's events, but we hope everyone will come out as a sign of solidarity for our queer community," the statement said.
Context: Kehlani, who identifies as nonbinary, released a music video that opens with the words "Long live the intifada" on screen, NBC reported.
- "Intifada" is an Arabic word that generally translates to "uprising." Although some activists use it to mean peaceful resistance to Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, many Jews hear it as a call for violence.
- In a May 2024 video, Kehlani said, "F---- Israel, and f--- Zionism."
Between the lines: Kehlani performances have been canceled at Cornell University and for New York's Central Park Pride concert.
- Last week, they dropped out of SoSF, a new San Francisco Pride music festival.
- After the Cornell cancellation, Kehlani posted a video saying they are "not antisemitic, nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide."