We'll be talking with Stephanie Skora on queer allyship with Palestinians. In particular, we'll focus on the continuing effort of the organization A Wider Bridge to coöpt queer Jews to stand in for Israel's comment to 'democracy and pluralism.' As part of that work, "A Wider Bridge has a history of going after LGBT groups that are anti-Zionist. They’re well-funded, highly coordinated and use media tools to stifle any criticism of the State of Israel." (http://www.nopinkwashing.org.uk/tag/a-wider-bridge/)
Stephanie Skora is a femme lesbian, trans woman, and anti-Zionist Ashkenazi Jew whose activist work centers around Palestinian solidarity organizing, queering Jewish spaces, and fighting for justice and liberation for all trans people. She is on Jewish Voice for Peace - Chicago's Coordinating Committee, and is a founding core organizer for the Trans Liberation Collective. When not organizing, Stephanie is a professional educator and trainer on topics ranging from gender and sexuality to Jewish spirituality and anarchism. Visit her website, and explore opportunities to rngage her as a speaker.
Music on today's show: Pragya Pallavi - 'Lingering Wine.' From New Indian Express:
The heart is no longer just red. Post the decriminalisation of Section 377 [the Indian Supreme Court decision on striking down the portion of Section [[statute]] 377 that criminalized homosexual conduct] on September 6, 2018, it comprises colours that define the LGBTQIA+ society. And on Valentine's Day, the LGBTQIA+ community is ecstatic to be able to celebrate this special moment of love. Making it extra sweet is Mumbai-based gender fluid artist and LGBTQIA+ activist Pragya Pallavi's and Malayali queer activist Deepa Vasudevan's song 'Lingering Wine' from their album 'Queerism', India's first queer-based album. Deepa is also the co-founder of Kerala based LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Sahyatrika.
Shot entirely in Fort Kochi and featuring actress Kani Kusruti, 'Lingering Wine' is a celebration of lesbian love. Flouting patriarchal and societal norms, the crew comprises Neethu Shaji as the cinematographer, transwoman Ananya Alex as the makeup artist, a strong ally of the LGBTQIA+ community and DJ Lolly as executive producer. Sensual visuals backed by Pragya's soulful yet commanding voice, the video provides a retro feel with black and white visuals.
...and, of course, 'Crying at the Discoteque' by Swedish pop supergroup Alcazar.
- KBOO