Black Laundry
From Infoshop OpenWiki
Kvisa Shchora (Black Laundry) is a direct action group of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and others against the occupation and for social justice. Kvisa Shchora tries to stress the connection between different forms of oppression - our own oppression as lesbians, gays and transpeople enhances our solidarity with members of other oppressed groups. The group formed in Tel Aviv at the beginning of the second intifada.
Black Laundry's first action was a "No Pride in the Occupation!" campaign within the Pride Day celebration in Israel. This message was the first to surface in the glbtq community in Israel. Initally the radicals were met with a great deal of opposition, but they have gained more acceptance among glbtq Israelis and more importantly helped shift the discourse on queer issues in Israel.
Black Laundry activists believe that it is a sham to have pride in gay liberation while ignoring the fact that next door an occupation is taking place. They also protest the commercialization and crass consumerism that has become such a center of so much glbtq and queer culture. The group often employs performance art to convey messages about Palestinian liberation, animal rights, queer rights, sexual freedom, body oppression, capitalist oppression.
The group also fights alongside other glbtq groups to fight gay repression in the county and also work closely with other radial left groups, including Anarchists Against the Wall. While their intention is not to educate Palestinians on gay liberation but rather to offer solidarity in their struggle for liberation they have had a positive effect on the typically conservative culture in Palestine through their personal work with Palestinians.
