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Israel/Palestine and the Queer International
In this chronicle of political awakening and queer solidarity, the activist and novelist Sarah Schulman describes her dawning consciousness of the Palestinian liberation struggle. Invited to Israel to give the keynote address at a LGBT studies conference at Tel Aviv University, Schulman declines, joining other artists and academics honoring the Palestinian call for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. Anti-occupation activists in the United States, Canada, Israel, and Palestine come together to help organize an alternative solidarity visit for the American activist. Schulman takes us to an anarchist, vegan cafe in Tel Aviv, where she meets anti-occupation queer Israelis, and through border checkpoints into the West Bank, where queer Palestinian activists welcome her into their spaces for conversations that will change the course of her life. She describes the dusty roads through the West Bank, where Palestinians are cut off from water and subjected to endless restrictions while Israeli settler neighborhoods have full freedoms and resources. As Schulman learns more, she questions the contradiction between Israel's investment in presenting itself as gay friendly—financially sponsoring gay film festivals and parades—and its denial of the rights of Palestinians. At the same time, she talks with straight Palestinian activists about their position in relation to homosexuality and gay rights in Palestine and internationally. Back in the United States, Schulman draws on her extensive activist experience to organize a speaking tour for some of the Palestinian queer leaders whom she had met and trusted. Dubbed "Al Tour," it takes the activists to LGBT community centers, conferences, and universities throughout the United States. Its success solidifies her commitment to working to end Israel's occupation of Palestine, and kindles her larger hope that a new "queer international" will emerge and join other movements demanding human rights across the globe.
Sarah Schulman is a longtime AIDS and queer activist, and a cofounder of the MIX Festival and the ACT UP Oral History Project. She is a playwright and the author of seventeen books, including the novels The Mere Future, Shimmer, Rat Bohemia, After Delores, and People in Trouble, as well as nonfiction works such as The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination, My American History: Lesbian and Gay Life during the Reagan/Bush Years, Ties That Bind: Familial Homophobia and Its Consequences, and Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, and the Marketing of Gay America, which is also published by Duke University Press. She is Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at The City University of New York, College of Staten Island.
"This is an extraordinary, challenging and moving book. It is both an honest account of the work Sarah Schulman had to do to allow the full reality of the occupation of Palestine to be registered in her consciousness, and a story – told firmly yet gently, with patience and care– of the shared labour of building activist worlds on occupied grounds. We embark on a journey with Sarah Schulman and many other activists, from Palestine, the US and beyond, as they persist in the effort to make the liberation of Palestine essential to queer politics. We follow their footsteps, we trace the paths; we hear the conversations; we share the meals. If activism involves hard often painstaking work, if it involves mundane and ordinary tasks, we learn that it can also create connections that nourish and sustain. I hope this book becomes our teacher. I hope we join the invitation to become part of a new queer international where liberation for all is the common goal."—Sara Ahmed, author of On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life
"This is a great book, brave and compassionate. A journey of discovery, a coming of age, and more important, a search for justice. Our world is a better place for its existence. Read it, please." —Rabih Alameddine, author of The Hakawati
Sarah Schulman is a longtime AIDS and queer activist, and a cofounder of the MIX Festival and the ACT UP Oral History Project. She is a playwright and the author of seventeen books, including the novels The Mere Future, Shimmer, Rat Bohemia, After Delores, and People in Trouble, as well as nonfiction works such as The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination, My American History: Lesbian and Gay Life during the Reagan/Bush Years, Ties That Bind: Familial Homophobia and Its Consequences, and Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, and the Marketing of Gay America, which is also published by Duke University Press. She is Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at The City University of New York, College of Staten Island.
"This is an extraordinary, challenging and moving book. It is both an honest account of the work Sarah Schulman had to do to allow the full reality of the occupation of Palestine to be registered in her consciousness, and a story – told firmly yet gently, with patience and care– of the shared labour of building activist worlds on occupied grounds. We embark on a journey with Sarah Schulman and many other activists, from Palestine, the US and beyond, as they persist in the effort to make the liberation of Palestine essential to queer politics. We follow their footsteps, we trace the paths; we hear the conversations; we share the meals. If activism involves hard often painstaking work, if it involves mundane and ordinary tasks, we learn that it can also create connections that nourish and sustain. I hope this book becomes our teacher. I hope we join the invitation to become part of a new queer international where liberation for all is the common goal."—Sara Ahmed, author of On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life
"This is a great book, brave and compassionate. A journey of discovery, a coming of age, and more important, a search for justice. Our world is a better place for its existence. Read it, please." —Rabih Alameddine, author of The Hakawati
193 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
36 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Schulman
62 books800 followersSarah Schulman is a longtime AIDS and queer activist, and a cofounder of the MIX Festival and the ACT UP Oral History Project. She is a playwright and the author of seventeen books, including the novels The Mere Future, Shimmer, Rat Bohemia, After Delores, and People in Trouble, as well as nonfiction works such as The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination, My American History: Lesbian and Gay Life during the Reagan/Bush Years, Ties That Bind: Familial Homophobia and Its Consequences, and Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, and the Marketing of Gay America. She is Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at The City University of New York, College of Staten Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 19, 2020
An accurate description of this book: Follow an American Jew with no knowledge on Israel, Palestine or the history of the conflict attempt to solve it! Watch as she makes it entirely about herself!
Anyway, I picked up this book because well, I'm queer, Israeli and very interested in LGBT+ issues in Palestine. I'd hoped this book would discuss the various connections between the communities. I thought it would analyze the way we, as queer people, can further connections between our scarred communities.
Unfortunately, this is not a book about Israeli and Palestinian queers. This is a book about Sarah Schulman. One day, she gets invited to speak at a conference in Tel Aviv. This leads her to learning about the boycott on Israel. So she decides to visit Israel and Palestine on a solidarity visit instead. This book describes her experiences through her trip and afterwards, as she organizes a tour of Palestinian queers in the USA.
There are many many problems with this book. I'm so disappointed because I really did think this book would be good. Also, I'm tired of people assuming the conflict is so clear-cut. I mean, look at this article. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is much weirder, theatrical and multi-layered than people (ahem, Sarah Schulman) think.
Schulman's Lack of Knowledge
Schulman is honest enough to say several times that she's ignorant about the conflict. Even in the midst of her activism, she's still surprised by basic information. Now, it's great that she's learning but somehow, despite her massive lack of knowledge, she's decided that boycotting Israel is the solution to the conflict. Instead of going to Israel and Palestine and hearing from queers what they think about this conflict, her trip is built around meeting people that already think boycott is the solution.
In this sense, she gets a very partial picture, especially within Israel. There are many Israelis that support the Palestinians (myself included) but obviously, not many Israelis support a boycott of their own country. Schulman doesn't acknowledge that there's a difference between anti-occupation and pro-boycott (and heck, there's a huge spectrum in between as well, like I do consider myself anti-occupation but I also think we've got to make sure we don't accidentally create another Gaza, it's really not as easy as just stepping out of the West Bank).
There's a point where Schulman says that she can relate to Israelis because she also comes from a country that commits crimes/ is involved in wars. However, I don't see Schulman or any American supporting a boycott of America. That sounds absurd, right? So why does Schulman assume Israelis need to do that in order to solve their problems?
And sure, I could spend time now discussing why a boycott wouldn't help anyone but I just can't get over the fact that Schulman doesn't pause and consider that there are other solutions, that Israeli and Palestinian queers are engaging in other options. She blindly follows a few people who encourage her that boycott is the right move.
Near the end of the book, Schulman claims that dialogue groups are meaningless. She mocks the idea of art as a bridge to peace. However, what has Schulman done? She wrote this book and arranged a tour of queer Palestinians in America. That's raising awareness, which is literally what art does.
Beyond that, Schulman is stuck in such an echo chamber that a solid dialogue session would have done her wonders. I wish she had gone to speak with queer religious Jews living in the settlements or with queer Arabs living in Gaza. This conflict affects queerness in more ways than just "queers need to boycott Israel".
Self- Centered Activism
Schulman says that the activists that she met are inspirational and important. She arranges a tour for them in the states in order to get other people to know them. However, we, the readers of this book, don't really get to hear their stories. I would have loved to know more about their journeys, to understand their experiences. That's literally why I wanted to read this book. However, Schulman's focus is always her own journey, rather than empowering the voices of the queer Palestinians. That's incredibly problematic and very annoying.
American and Israeli Jewry
Schulman describes that she was never told about the Palestinians as a child. Instead, she was fed an image of Israel, the land of tan strong Jews. This is a common tale among American Jews. They are told this watered down version of Israel and Israelis. It's deeply problematic because Israeli Jews have a tendency to demand of American Jews financial and political support but to get annoyed if they voice criticism. We want them to feel part of the country but never entirely. They can go to the Dead Sea and take pictures with camels but heaven forbid an American Jew criticizes us.
However, Schulman does a complete turn. She goes from, "Israel is a flawless country" to "Israel is the worst country". Within a mere 100 pages, she begins to vilify other Jews and eventually implies that Israel is part of a financial conspiracy to control all Pride parades (which, you know, sounds like pure antisemitism). Since she grew up hearing myths about Israel as a child, it seems like she doesn't bother to correct some of her beliefs about it as an adult.
I get that American Jews are struggling with reconciling their American leftist opinions and the peer pressure to have an established opinion about Israel, stuck between supporting BDS as Democrats and supporting Israel as their parents and schools taught them. I realize that this attitude is a result of flawed Israeli policy (so many Israelis still think every Jew needs to live in Israel without realizing how insulting that is towards them). However, there's a middle ground and Schulman, like many American Jews, just misses it completely.
Queer Rights in Israel/Palestine
The thing is, as much as I wish this was wrong, queer rights are better in Israel than in Palestine. Right now, homosexuality is outlawed in Gaza. In the West Bank, there are no legal protections put in place to defend LGBT+ people. Al-Qaws, the organization Schulman worked with, was briefly outlawed in 2019 and still struggles to this day. If you were to only read this book, you'd assume that Israel has a struggling queer community and Palestine has a vibrant and strong one, simply because the narrative focuses more on the Palestinian queer organizations and ignores Gaza entirely.
We can't fix problems if we don't acknowledge them. Pretending queer rights are okay in Palestine is only going to be harmful for everyone in the long run. True, Schulman spends most of this book talking about herself but come on, can't she spare a few words to talk about the actual problems of queers in this region and perhaps discuss ways to help Palestinian queers stand up against their government?
And in the same vein, the problems of Israeli queers aren't mentioned at all, simply because this book doesn't dig deep enough. In Israel, LGBT+ organizations in Israel tend to be very politically aligned with the left. I've seen people bully a right wing representative at a Pride parade. Queer rights are human rights and yet, in Israel it becomes a partisan topic, as if your opinions on the conflict also dictate what your thoughts about queerness should be. As Schulman is researching queerness and politics, I'd imagine this should have been discussed.
Additionally, in Israel queerness is almost localized to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is a bubble of acceptance in the midst of a country that still has a long way to go in terms of education. The fact that Schulman only mentions people from the Tel Aviv bubble is so so typical and it's wrong. Instead of discussing the problems of Israeli queers, Schulman becomes part of the problem, conforming to the idea that lesbians from Tel Aviv can truly understand what's going on outside of their bubble.
Pinkwashing (I have no idea if I'll agree with this part in the future so bear with me)
In some ways, Israel is in a catch-22. Israel sees itself and wishes to be seen as a first world modern country. As such, the conflict is unacceptable. We accept much worse situations when they occur in the third world but once Israel claims to be modern, it gets held to a higher standard. This, I think, is really important.
However, people like Schulman don't want to hear that Israel is a modern and liberal country, apart from the issues of the conflict. We're not bothered by countries like Sudan being homophobic as well because we don't have that many expectations of them. Since Israel is held to that expectation, it somehow annoys people that Israel is a decent country for LGBT+ people. If Israel was awful to queer people, they'd have an easier time shrugging and going, "well, just like every other complicated geopolitical situation".
And it's ridiculous because it's Israel's liberal values that I believe will lead us towards a long lasting solution. When people blame Israel for being proud of its liberal nature, I'm just here like, would you rather we also outlaw being trans? The fact that our government understands that being liberal is a good thing is important because it means they might do more to fulfill this image. There's much work to do still but at the end of the day, things are not all bad. Countries are complicated and we have to understand that a country can be many things.
The real problem is when Israel simultaneously denies queer people of rights and also flaunts itself as a queer haven. It disgusts me to see members of my government saying in Hebrew incredibly homophobic statements ("my kids will never be gay because I raised them right"- said by our minister of education) and yet, in advertising campaigns they have the audacity to use images from Pride parades. As long as we don't have equal rights, it's messed up that our government pretends as if we do. However, I fail to see how this has to do with the Palestinians. That's just common Israeli government hypocrisy (like our behavior towards American Jews, really).
More Inaccuracies
As the last nail in the coffin, this book is also abound with inaccuracies. Here are three examples of direct quotes that Schulman just gets wrong:
1. "I met many "queerim" and "queerite" - Israeli queers who do not identify with the nationalist and assimilationist Israeli LGBT+ movement."
Queerim and queeriot (I am assuming that is what she means because queerite is singular) is simply the Hebrew for queer. That's it, there's no political meaning behind it. (And yes, it's very ironic that the word queer is gendered but that's just the fun of Hebrew).
2. "Checkpoint is an English translation of the Hebrew word. Arabs call them "barriers"".
Nope. The word for checkpoints in Hebrew is מחסום which literally means barrier. I recall hearing Palestinians use the Hebrew word for checkpoint as well.
3. ""We go to segregated schools," they said. How could I not know this? And then, how ironic that as a result of segregation the Palestinians know three languages, and the Jews only two."
(a) Using the word segregated here is odd- it implies the American segregation, as if Israel has different water fountains for Arabs and Jews. Israel has 4 different education systems because it is impossible to find one that would encompass everyone's beliefs. Glancing at the top 20 schools in the country, they're split between Arab, secular and religious schools so really, if anyone's suffering from this system, it's the Ultra Orthodox. If Israel had one education system for Arabs and Jews together, wouldn't Schulman blame Israel for brainwashing Palestinians?
(b) This is said near the end of the book so it really is questionable why Schulman doesn't know about this.
(c) Not all Palestinians are fluent in three languages. A lot of Palestinians do not know Hebrew (as I have experienced as a Hebrew teacher) and some do not have a good grasp on English. Not all Palestinian schools offer Hebrew. In fact, Israeli universities often offer pre-uni Hebrew courses for Palestinians who do not know Hebrew but wish to study in Israeli unis. Many Palestinians learn their Hebrew from working around Israelis instead of through school.
(d) Israelis do learn Arabic but they learn MSA. It's taught horribly so most Israelis forget everything. It's a political decision not to teach us a dialect but we do learn Arabic.
All this shows the way Schulman doesn't have a particularly strong grasp on much of what is going on. It feels like she wrote this book to pat herself on the back for being such an activist instead of actually engaging with more than 2 Israelis.
To conclude this long review, I can't recommend this book, which I imagine you've gathered if you've managed to read this far. I think Schulman has wronged Israeli queers and Palestinians by writing this self congratulating book. Her inability to step back and let others tell the story makes this book incredibly frustrating, as if her massive lack of information.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I identify as Jewish before Israeli. I don't think this is uncommon so really, I have no idea what Schulman is basing herself on (potentially the two Israelis she met in Tel Aviv).
- Schulman says she's doing this because she wants to know where her tax money is going. However, Iraq and Afghanistan get more aid from America than Israel, is she planning on visiting there to see where that money is going?
- Schulman says the boycott isn't against individuals. However, if an Israeli researcher wishes to share their research but they get boycotted, how is that not against them?
- Last week I heard a Palestinian describe the EU as the old rich white man between us [Israelis and Palestinians]. This is somewhat accurate for Schulman as well.
-----------------------------
Yes, I just finished another book about Israel, I think I'm starting to miss my politics classes. Anyways, this book was not great so long and ranting review to come!
Anyway, I picked up this book because well, I'm queer, Israeli and very interested in LGBT+ issues in Palestine. I'd hoped this book would discuss the various connections between the communities. I thought it would analyze the way we, as queer people, can further connections between our scarred communities.
Unfortunately, this is not a book about Israeli and Palestinian queers. This is a book about Sarah Schulman. One day, she gets invited to speak at a conference in Tel Aviv. This leads her to learning about the boycott on Israel. So she decides to visit Israel and Palestine on a solidarity visit instead. This book describes her experiences through her trip and afterwards, as she organizes a tour of Palestinian queers in the USA.
There are many many problems with this book. I'm so disappointed because I really did think this book would be good. Also, I'm tired of people assuming the conflict is so clear-cut. I mean, look at this article. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is much weirder, theatrical and multi-layered than people (ahem, Sarah Schulman) think.
Schulman's Lack of Knowledge
Schulman is honest enough to say several times that she's ignorant about the conflict. Even in the midst of her activism, she's still surprised by basic information. Now, it's great that she's learning but somehow, despite her massive lack of knowledge, she's decided that boycotting Israel is the solution to the conflict. Instead of going to Israel and Palestine and hearing from queers what they think about this conflict, her trip is built around meeting people that already think boycott is the solution.
In this sense, she gets a very partial picture, especially within Israel. There are many Israelis that support the Palestinians (myself included) but obviously, not many Israelis support a boycott of their own country. Schulman doesn't acknowledge that there's a difference between anti-occupation and pro-boycott (and heck, there's a huge spectrum in between as well, like I do consider myself anti-occupation but I also think we've got to make sure we don't accidentally create another Gaza, it's really not as easy as just stepping out of the West Bank).
There's a point where Schulman says that she can relate to Israelis because she also comes from a country that commits crimes/ is involved in wars. However, I don't see Schulman or any American supporting a boycott of America. That sounds absurd, right? So why does Schulman assume Israelis need to do that in order to solve their problems?
And sure, I could spend time now discussing why a boycott wouldn't help anyone but I just can't get over the fact that Schulman doesn't pause and consider that there are other solutions, that Israeli and Palestinian queers are engaging in other options. She blindly follows a few people who encourage her that boycott is the right move.
Near the end of the book, Schulman claims that dialogue groups are meaningless. She mocks the idea of art as a bridge to peace. However, what has Schulman done? She wrote this book and arranged a tour of queer Palestinians in America. That's raising awareness, which is literally what art does.
Beyond that, Schulman is stuck in such an echo chamber that a solid dialogue session would have done her wonders. I wish she had gone to speak with queer religious Jews living in the settlements or with queer Arabs living in Gaza. This conflict affects queerness in more ways than just "queers need to boycott Israel".
Self- Centered Activism
Schulman says that the activists that she met are inspirational and important. She arranges a tour for them in the states in order to get other people to know them. However, we, the readers of this book, don't really get to hear their stories. I would have loved to know more about their journeys, to understand their experiences. That's literally why I wanted to read this book. However, Schulman's focus is always her own journey, rather than empowering the voices of the queer Palestinians. That's incredibly problematic and very annoying.
American and Israeli Jewry
Schulman describes that she was never told about the Palestinians as a child. Instead, she was fed an image of Israel, the land of tan strong Jews. This is a common tale among American Jews. They are told this watered down version of Israel and Israelis. It's deeply problematic because Israeli Jews have a tendency to demand of American Jews financial and political support but to get annoyed if they voice criticism. We want them to feel part of the country but never entirely. They can go to the Dead Sea and take pictures with camels but heaven forbid an American Jew criticizes us.
However, Schulman does a complete turn. She goes from, "Israel is a flawless country" to "Israel is the worst country". Within a mere 100 pages, she begins to vilify other Jews and eventually implies that Israel is part of a financial conspiracy to control all Pride parades (which, you know, sounds like pure antisemitism). Since she grew up hearing myths about Israel as a child, it seems like she doesn't bother to correct some of her beliefs about it as an adult.
I get that American Jews are struggling with reconciling their American leftist opinions and the peer pressure to have an established opinion about Israel, stuck between supporting BDS as Democrats and supporting Israel as their parents and schools taught them. I realize that this attitude is a result of flawed Israeli policy (so many Israelis still think every Jew needs to live in Israel without realizing how insulting that is towards them). However, there's a middle ground and Schulman, like many American Jews, just misses it completely.
Queer Rights in Israel/Palestine
The thing is, as much as I wish this was wrong, queer rights are better in Israel than in Palestine. Right now, homosexuality is outlawed in Gaza. In the West Bank, there are no legal protections put in place to defend LGBT+ people. Al-Qaws, the organization Schulman worked with, was briefly outlawed in 2019 and still struggles to this day. If you were to only read this book, you'd assume that Israel has a struggling queer community and Palestine has a vibrant and strong one, simply because the narrative focuses more on the Palestinian queer organizations and ignores Gaza entirely.
We can't fix problems if we don't acknowledge them. Pretending queer rights are okay in Palestine is only going to be harmful for everyone in the long run. True, Schulman spends most of this book talking about herself but come on, can't she spare a few words to talk about the actual problems of queers in this region and perhaps discuss ways to help Palestinian queers stand up against their government?
And in the same vein, the problems of Israeli queers aren't mentioned at all, simply because this book doesn't dig deep enough. In Israel, LGBT+ organizations in Israel tend to be very politically aligned with the left. I've seen people bully a right wing representative at a Pride parade. Queer rights are human rights and yet, in Israel it becomes a partisan topic, as if your opinions on the conflict also dictate what your thoughts about queerness should be. As Schulman is researching queerness and politics, I'd imagine this should have been discussed.
Additionally, in Israel queerness is almost localized to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is a bubble of acceptance in the midst of a country that still has a long way to go in terms of education. The fact that Schulman only mentions people from the Tel Aviv bubble is so so typical and it's wrong. Instead of discussing the problems of Israeli queers, Schulman becomes part of the problem, conforming to the idea that lesbians from Tel Aviv can truly understand what's going on outside of their bubble.
Pinkwashing (I have no idea if I'll agree with this part in the future so bear with me)
In some ways, Israel is in a catch-22. Israel sees itself and wishes to be seen as a first world modern country. As such, the conflict is unacceptable. We accept much worse situations when they occur in the third world but once Israel claims to be modern, it gets held to a higher standard. This, I think, is really important.
However, people like Schulman don't want to hear that Israel is a modern and liberal country, apart from the issues of the conflict. We're not bothered by countries like Sudan being homophobic as well because we don't have that many expectations of them. Since Israel is held to that expectation, it somehow annoys people that Israel is a decent country for LGBT+ people. If Israel was awful to queer people, they'd have an easier time shrugging and going, "well, just like every other complicated geopolitical situation".
And it's ridiculous because it's Israel's liberal values that I believe will lead us towards a long lasting solution. When people blame Israel for being proud of its liberal nature, I'm just here like, would you rather we also outlaw being trans? The fact that our government understands that being liberal is a good thing is important because it means they might do more to fulfill this image. There's much work to do still but at the end of the day, things are not all bad. Countries are complicated and we have to understand that a country can be many things.
The real problem is when Israel simultaneously denies queer people of rights and also flaunts itself as a queer haven. It disgusts me to see members of my government saying in Hebrew incredibly homophobic statements ("my kids will never be gay because I raised them right"- said by our minister of education) and yet, in advertising campaigns they have the audacity to use images from Pride parades. As long as we don't have equal rights, it's messed up that our government pretends as if we do. However, I fail to see how this has to do with the Palestinians. That's just common Israeli government hypocrisy (like our behavior towards American Jews, really).
More Inaccuracies
As the last nail in the coffin, this book is also abound with inaccuracies. Here are three examples of direct quotes that Schulman just gets wrong:
1. "I met many "queerim" and "queerite" - Israeli queers who do not identify with the nationalist and assimilationist Israeli LGBT+ movement."
Queerim and queeriot (I am assuming that is what she means because queerite is singular) is simply the Hebrew for queer. That's it, there's no political meaning behind it. (And yes, it's very ironic that the word queer is gendered but that's just the fun of Hebrew).
2. "Checkpoint is an English translation of the Hebrew word. Arabs call them "barriers"".
Nope. The word for checkpoints in Hebrew is מחסום which literally means barrier. I recall hearing Palestinians use the Hebrew word for checkpoint as well.
3. ""We go to segregated schools," they said. How could I not know this? And then, how ironic that as a result of segregation the Palestinians know three languages, and the Jews only two."
(a) Using the word segregated here is odd- it implies the American segregation, as if Israel has different water fountains for Arabs and Jews. Israel has 4 different education systems because it is impossible to find one that would encompass everyone's beliefs. Glancing at the top 20 schools in the country, they're split between Arab, secular and religious schools so really, if anyone's suffering from this system, it's the Ultra Orthodox. If Israel had one education system for Arabs and Jews together, wouldn't Schulman blame Israel for brainwashing Palestinians?
(b) This is said near the end of the book so it really is questionable why Schulman doesn't know about this.
(c) Not all Palestinians are fluent in three languages. A lot of Palestinians do not know Hebrew (as I have experienced as a Hebrew teacher) and some do not have a good grasp on English. Not all Palestinian schools offer Hebrew. In fact, Israeli universities often offer pre-uni Hebrew courses for Palestinians who do not know Hebrew but wish to study in Israeli unis. Many Palestinians learn their Hebrew from working around Israelis instead of through school.
(d) Israelis do learn Arabic but they learn MSA. It's taught horribly so most Israelis forget everything. It's a political decision not to teach us a dialect but we do learn Arabic.
All this shows the way Schulman doesn't have a particularly strong grasp on much of what is going on. It feels like she wrote this book to pat herself on the back for being such an activist instead of actually engaging with more than 2 Israelis.
To conclude this long review, I can't recommend this book, which I imagine you've gathered if you've managed to read this far. I think Schulman has wronged Israeli queers and Palestinians by writing this self congratulating book. Her inability to step back and let others tell the story makes this book incredibly frustrating, as if her massive lack of information.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I identify as Jewish before Israeli. I don't think this is uncommon so really, I have no idea what Schulman is basing herself on (potentially the two Israelis she met in Tel Aviv).
- Schulman says she's doing this because she wants to know where her tax money is going. However, Iraq and Afghanistan get more aid from America than Israel, is she planning on visiting there to see where that money is going?
- Schulman says the boycott isn't against individuals. However, if an Israeli researcher wishes to share their research but they get boycotted, how is that not against them?
- Last week I heard a Palestinian describe the EU as the old rich white man between us [Israelis and Palestinians]. This is somewhat accurate for Schulman as well.
-----------------------------
Yes, I just finished another book about Israel, I think I'm starting to miss my politics classes. Anyways, this book was not great so long and ranting review to come!
Read
May 6, 2017Update: Now also on my website with nice formatting and a bit more coherent text :)
I thought this would be an academic study of pinkwashing or perhaps an investigative volume about pinkwashing. It's neither, it's a personal narrative of a secular American Jewish queer activist who attempts to learn about queer Palestinian people and advocate for them.
I have an entirely different background from American-born Jews and I was surprised to learn ome of the things that she said were "typical" of secular New York Jews. She went into the topic by knowing very little about either Palestine or Israel, and I appreciated she was upfront about it. (As a Hungarian Jew, it is always very interesting for me to see that US and Hungarian media have very different biases re: Palestine/Israel.)
I thought it was very interesting to see her learning process, but she still had quite a few statements that gave me pause. She tried to engage with her privileged and imperial position by talking to Palestinian queer people and then bringing them over to the US and organizing events for them, I thought that was great. I was especially glad to see that she managed to get considerable funding from the Soros foundation for this purpose. But she then ended up writing a book centering herself. I would really have appreciated a book BY the activists she mentioned, not necessarily instead of this one, but in addition. With basically anything they want to say.
It is still not too late to have such a book and I think she is very well-positioned to organize / facilitate the creation of one. It would also to an extent get around the issue that many Palestinian queer activists are not comfortable sharing their faces and/or names. Producing a book is expensive and difficult, so I think this might be more a lack of resources than lack of intent? (Sappho in the Holy Land has some chapters about anti-occupation lesbian activism, but from an Israeli Jewish perspective, which is obviously different.)
One part of the political picture that was entirely missing for me was also one that is difficult for US left-wing activists in general: Russia. E.g., she had some discussion of how the US was using Israel/Palestine for a kind of proxy war (though AFAIR she did not use the term), but it was unclear who was the other partner in the proxy war. The entire region was only contextualized in terms of its relationship to the US.
This is a book that is not only US-centric, it is specifically American-born east coast secular Ashkenazic Jewish-centric. For instance, the conversation around BDS in Jewish spaces is very different in the Midwest than on the coasts, as far as I could tell. (And is yet different from most of my lived experience not spent in the Midwest :) )
It also bothered me while reading that the book was interspersed with small digs at Russian Jews - the author admitted that this was a prejudice she had from childhood, but she kept on doing it after this admission. There was a very to-me uncomfortable section where she felt the need to comment in detail on the unattractive physical appearance of a political opponent (also a Russian Jewish person) and deadname him. Thank G-d this was a small part of the book, because I think this is never OK, even if you think someone's politics are despicable; honestly I agree with the author that this person's politics are despicable. But I think this is the kind of behavior that can give trans people like me pause, coming from a cis person. (The book had no trans content save for occasional small mentions of trans people.)
I would still very much like a book-length treatment of pinkwashing that is either academic or investigative-journalistic in nature. I have found a German book ("Pinkwashing Israel – Lesben- und Schwulenrechte in Israel, Palästina und im Nahostkonflikt") and I'm planning on reading it, but I don't actually have it and I'm not sure how I can obtain it, to be honest. I will have to try interlibrary loan.
So this book has made me realize that there are several other books yet to come into existence (AFAIK??) that I'd also like to read... As a yet third book, I'd like to hear from Palestinian trans activists, not just cis queer activists. I know of Lebanese diasporan trans writers, but no one Palestinian, in or out of diaspora.
I thought this would be an academic study of pinkwashing or perhaps an investigative volume about pinkwashing. It's neither, it's a personal narrative of a secular American Jewish queer activist who attempts to learn about queer Palestinian people and advocate for them.
I have an entirely different background from American-born Jews and I was surprised to learn ome of the things that she said were "typical" of secular New York Jews. She went into the topic by knowing very little about either Palestine or Israel, and I appreciated she was upfront about it. (As a Hungarian Jew, it is always very interesting for me to see that US and Hungarian media have very different biases re: Palestine/Israel.)
I thought it was very interesting to see her learning process, but she still had quite a few statements that gave me pause. She tried to engage with her privileged and imperial position by talking to Palestinian queer people and then bringing them over to the US and organizing events for them, I thought that was great. I was especially glad to see that she managed to get considerable funding from the Soros foundation for this purpose. But she then ended up writing a book centering herself. I would really have appreciated a book BY the activists she mentioned, not necessarily instead of this one, but in addition. With basically anything they want to say.
It is still not too late to have such a book and I think she is very well-positioned to organize / facilitate the creation of one. It would also to an extent get around the issue that many Palestinian queer activists are not comfortable sharing their faces and/or names. Producing a book is expensive and difficult, so I think this might be more a lack of resources than lack of intent? (Sappho in the Holy Land has some chapters about anti-occupation lesbian activism, but from an Israeli Jewish perspective, which is obviously different.)
One part of the political picture that was entirely missing for me was also one that is difficult for US left-wing activists in general: Russia. E.g., she had some discussion of how the US was using Israel/Palestine for a kind of proxy war (though AFAIR she did not use the term), but it was unclear who was the other partner in the proxy war. The entire region was only contextualized in terms of its relationship to the US.
This is a book that is not only US-centric, it is specifically American-born east coast secular Ashkenazic Jewish-centric. For instance, the conversation around BDS in Jewish spaces is very different in the Midwest than on the coasts, as far as I could tell. (And is yet different from most of my lived experience not spent in the Midwest :) )
It also bothered me while reading that the book was interspersed with small digs at Russian Jews - the author admitted that this was a prejudice she had from childhood, but she kept on doing it after this admission. There was a very to-me uncomfortable section where she felt the need to comment in detail on the unattractive physical appearance of a political opponent (also a Russian Jewish person) and deadname him. Thank G-d this was a small part of the book, because I think this is never OK, even if you think someone's politics are despicable; honestly I agree with the author that this person's politics are despicable. But I think this is the kind of behavior that can give trans people like me pause, coming from a cis person. (The book had no trans content save for occasional small mentions of trans people.)
I would still very much like a book-length treatment of pinkwashing that is either academic or investigative-journalistic in nature. I have found a German book ("Pinkwashing Israel – Lesben- und Schwulenrechte in Israel, Palästina und im Nahostkonflikt") and I'm planning on reading it, but I don't actually have it and I'm not sure how I can obtain it, to be honest. I will have to try interlibrary loan.
So this book has made me realize that there are several other books yet to come into existence (AFAIK??) that I'd also like to read... As a yet third book, I'd like to hear from Palestinian trans activists, not just cis queer activists. I know of Lebanese diasporan trans writers, but no one Palestinian, in or out of diaspora.
October 30, 2012
This book might be interesting to people who feel conflicted about I/P, especially if you only trust the position of American Jews on that issue. The story of discovery it tells is interesting enough. It is nice to know that someone can overcome their islamophobia and eurocentric racism, to an extent, and learn to listen to the opinions of Arabs. Still, there are much more complex accounts of the issue.
Maybe my problem is that this book is not really about I/P and queer politics. It is a book about Sarah Schulman.
Maybe my problem is that this book is not really about I/P and queer politics. It is a book about Sarah Schulman.
December 23, 2025
Reading this book after October 7th, and the genocide of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, Schulman’s personal journey from ignorance into pro-Palestine advocacy seems outdated. The narrative follows Schulman’s intellectual and emotional relationship with Israel, starting from a normative American Jewish Zionism to an advocate of BDS. As a result of its inward focus on Schulman’s journey, the book suffers. As Schulman acknowledges herself, a problem with “solidarity politics” is that it can center the activist over the people they allegedly represent—and this book falls into that trap. Although it may be useful for a Jewish person trying to make sense of their feelings about Israel, for a non-Jewish reader this book comes across as a long way of comprehending the basic fact that Zionism is an ethnosupremacist, colonial ideology built on the oppression and dehumanization of Palestinians.
Although some parts of the book were genuinely insightful, it’s equally marred with genuinely baffling statements that stem from Schulman’s latent fidelity to Jewish exceptionalism. The introduction is replete with objectively incorrect statements like “At no time in history has Zionism ever been the dominant trend among world Jewry” (13) or that Israel is “a semicolonized project of the Christian West” (14). These statements are so objectively wrong (a supermajority of Jewish people today support Israel/Zionism and Israel is not a ‘semicolonized project’ but rather a European settler colonial project that acts as a useful extension of Western imperialism) that they’re hard to look past. Luckily, the end of the book sees Schulman recognize the limits of Jewish exceptionalism and recognize she has more in common with Palestinians struggling against oppression than the racist Jewish supremacists who perpetuate it.
In addition, I’m highly skeptical of Schulman’s conceptualization of a “queer international,” an idea briefly mentioned but important enough to be placed in the book’s title. The idea that queer activists globally are united against “occupation, colonialism, and globalized capital” (66) seems idealistic considering that LGBT people can also be occupiers, colonists, and global capitalists. The introduction of a division between “LGBT assimilationists” versus “queer liberationists,” seems like a way of pushing back a central problem with this “sexuality-first” conceptualizing by introducing the idea that “gay people with good politics are liberationists” and “gay people with bad politics are assimilationists.” It doesn’t get to the root of this division, which is not ideas but class.
Despite my critique of Schulman’s latent Jewish exceptionalism and queer translation of class-based concepts, the book portrays a realistic internal journey of moving from Zionism to anti-Zionism characterized by contradiction, uneven development, and leaps in knowledge. Schulman’s politics were shaped by her solidarity visit to Israel and Palestine, working with Palestinian queer activists, and organizing queer delegations to the region. A great encapsulation of her transformation is her statement on October 7th, recognizing the humanity of Palestinian resistance fighters as they broke the walls of occupation: “All humans deserve the same freedoms and Palestinians can only endure brutality for so long. It is the initiating act of repression that creates resistance. Israeli occupation, siege, incarceration and murder are not neutral acts but force people to respond in just protest.”
Although some parts of the book were genuinely insightful, it’s equally marred with genuinely baffling statements that stem from Schulman’s latent fidelity to Jewish exceptionalism. The introduction is replete with objectively incorrect statements like “At no time in history has Zionism ever been the dominant trend among world Jewry” (13) or that Israel is “a semicolonized project of the Christian West” (14). These statements are so objectively wrong (a supermajority of Jewish people today support Israel/Zionism and Israel is not a ‘semicolonized project’ but rather a European settler colonial project that acts as a useful extension of Western imperialism) that they’re hard to look past. Luckily, the end of the book sees Schulman recognize the limits of Jewish exceptionalism and recognize she has more in common with Palestinians struggling against oppression than the racist Jewish supremacists who perpetuate it.
In addition, I’m highly skeptical of Schulman’s conceptualization of a “queer international,” an idea briefly mentioned but important enough to be placed in the book’s title. The idea that queer activists globally are united against “occupation, colonialism, and globalized capital” (66) seems idealistic considering that LGBT people can also be occupiers, colonists, and global capitalists. The introduction of a division between “LGBT assimilationists” versus “queer liberationists,” seems like a way of pushing back a central problem with this “sexuality-first” conceptualizing by introducing the idea that “gay people with good politics are liberationists” and “gay people with bad politics are assimilationists.” It doesn’t get to the root of this division, which is not ideas but class.
Despite my critique of Schulman’s latent Jewish exceptionalism and queer translation of class-based concepts, the book portrays a realistic internal journey of moving from Zionism to anti-Zionism characterized by contradiction, uneven development, and leaps in knowledge. Schulman’s politics were shaped by her solidarity visit to Israel and Palestine, working with Palestinian queer activists, and organizing queer delegations to the region. A great encapsulation of her transformation is her statement on October 7th, recognizing the humanity of Palestinian resistance fighters as they broke the walls of occupation: “All humans deserve the same freedoms and Palestinians can only endure brutality for so long. It is the initiating act of repression that creates resistance. Israeli occupation, siege, incarceration and murder are not neutral acts but force people to respond in just protest.”
November 23, 2023
Absolutely phenomenal, an incredible memoir about changing your mind and deciding a path forward. Encouraging, enlightening, and poignant. Considering recent events this has opened my eyes to a depth not offered by exhausting reshared social media posts. A breath of fresh air.
Get off your phone, read this book, and think deeply about what you can do locally and whose voices you are listening to.
(The long-rant reviews here are almost comical considering Schulman's well-documented criticism on her own personal learning journey within the book.)
Get off your phone, read this book, and think deeply about what you can do locally and whose voices you are listening to.
(The long-rant reviews here are almost comical considering Schulman's well-documented criticism on her own personal learning journey within the book.)
April 25, 2020
Looking for a source on a course research paper, I found one of the most impactful books I have ever read. Schulman takes the reader on her own journey through understanding the queer, anti-occupation movements in Israel/Palestine, the complex relationship with BDS, and the "pinkwashing" by Brand Israel. As she discovers and credits other academics, notably Puar's "homonationalism" and plenty of references to Naomi Klein and Judith Butler, the novice (read: me) is gifted with a guideline to the foundational literature on the subjects.
July 27, 2012
I received this as a goodreads first reads giveaway. From the title, I expected this book to be academic, dense, textbookish, and difficult to read. This did not deter me, as I am motivated to learn more about the subject matter of Israel and Palestine, and I have always been a passionate advocate for gay rights. However, this book was a surprise in that it did not read as overly academic: it read like the memoir of a woman trying to come to terms with the contemporary problems of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Sarah Schulman is a Jewish lesbian--her life has, by and large, revolved around social activism. However, when asked to speak in Israel at the Tel Aviv University as an advocate for gay rights, she is met with negative reactions from people who tell her there is a boycott, and she should not participate in activities in Israel that are funded by the same militaristic state that enacts the settlements and oppression of the Palestinians. Though Schulman is one savvy and educated woman, she honestly admits to not knowing about this and to being ignorant about some of the politics in Israel and Palestine, perhaps partially because her Jewish ancestry makes her want to inwardly turn a blind eye. But then Schulman starts to ask herself: why is the Israeli government so liberal and willing to fund queer activism when they continually justify the denial of basic human rights to another marginalized group? And how can Schulman reach the gay population of both Israel and Palestine for support when she must adhere to the boycott? So begins her journey of curious inquiry, passionate activist strategy, and her visits to this hot spot at the center of decades of racial oppression and violence.
The book is great--it's easily accessible even if your knowledge of the issue is limited. Schulman speaks on everyone's level and she is open and honest about her own struggles with the issue. It is as if we are learning and wrestling with it all alongside her.
Secondly, it's packed with knowledge. I learned so much from this book. I have read about Israel and Palestine before, but this book opened my eyes to new issues and some insidious politics. It was revolting, but it was liberating to finally feel clued in, in a sense, because the media rarely grazes a finger upon the subject matter, despite the support of U.S. tax dollars for this conflict.
The best and most intriguing part of this book is that it is like watching the unfolding of the mind of a true visionary--a passionate activist who feels the social responsibility to be informed alongside the drive and commitment to enact plans that create some sort of concrete change. It was inspiring, and the book has me feeling empowered to start researching what I can do. It makes change seem possible, step by small step.
I do have to note, however, that Schulman, in her rage, can sometimes have the power to offend. I was never offended by her politics, but one statement scorched my core--in discussing her disdain for a woman promoting 'Art and Peace' by having Israelis and Palestinians come together and create art, Schulman states that "Artists are some of the most reactionary, selfish people I know. Instead of providing venues for more artists to express their dominance, we should be looking for a way for American society to find out what Palestinians are feeling, thinking, and what they want. At least just so we know." While I understand her point (if you were to tell me that the solution to the Holocaust would be to get Jews and Germans together to create art, I would totally see a problem with that, so goes the same for Israel and Palestine), I think her quickfire was offensive. For someone so hell bent on reversing stereotypes and not pigeon-holing the human experience, her statement on artists seems hypocritical. It also seems narrow minded. Can we not discover what an oppressed group thinks and feels through art? I first awakened to the Palestinian plight through Palestinian poet Naomi Shihab Nye. I delved deeper through the American graphic novelist Joe Sacco in his great work, Palestine. I have students that connect to Maya Angelou, Kate Chopin, Judy Chicago, and Tony Kushner. (And if Schulman wants to malign artists, she should not have dropped Kushner's name so many times.) Schulman states: "It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other's humanity that the great potential of life--connecting with other people and relating to them as equals--can be understood and truly tasted." I don't know what Schulman's definition of art is, but that pretty much sums up its aims to me. Art and Social Action are not mutually exclusive, and she should not underestimate its power to connect and to be the bearer of history. The artists I know are not merely self exploiting--they are listeners and givers. And if Schulman is so against art, I don't understand why she felt compelled to WRITE (art) a MEMOIR (art).
Despite my rant about this, I do believe in Schulman's main points and I belive that change all starts with education: so, read, read, read (and absorb art)! I recommend picking up this book.
Sarah Schulman is a Jewish lesbian--her life has, by and large, revolved around social activism. However, when asked to speak in Israel at the Tel Aviv University as an advocate for gay rights, she is met with negative reactions from people who tell her there is a boycott, and she should not participate in activities in Israel that are funded by the same militaristic state that enacts the settlements and oppression of the Palestinians. Though Schulman is one savvy and educated woman, she honestly admits to not knowing about this and to being ignorant about some of the politics in Israel and Palestine, perhaps partially because her Jewish ancestry makes her want to inwardly turn a blind eye. But then Schulman starts to ask herself: why is the Israeli government so liberal and willing to fund queer activism when they continually justify the denial of basic human rights to another marginalized group? And how can Schulman reach the gay population of both Israel and Palestine for support when she must adhere to the boycott? So begins her journey of curious inquiry, passionate activist strategy, and her visits to this hot spot at the center of decades of racial oppression and violence.
The book is great--it's easily accessible even if your knowledge of the issue is limited. Schulman speaks on everyone's level and she is open and honest about her own struggles with the issue. It is as if we are learning and wrestling with it all alongside her.
Secondly, it's packed with knowledge. I learned so much from this book. I have read about Israel and Palestine before, but this book opened my eyes to new issues and some insidious politics. It was revolting, but it was liberating to finally feel clued in, in a sense, because the media rarely grazes a finger upon the subject matter, despite the support of U.S. tax dollars for this conflict.
The best and most intriguing part of this book is that it is like watching the unfolding of the mind of a true visionary--a passionate activist who feels the social responsibility to be informed alongside the drive and commitment to enact plans that create some sort of concrete change. It was inspiring, and the book has me feeling empowered to start researching what I can do. It makes change seem possible, step by small step.
I do have to note, however, that Schulman, in her rage, can sometimes have the power to offend. I was never offended by her politics, but one statement scorched my core--in discussing her disdain for a woman promoting 'Art and Peace' by having Israelis and Palestinians come together and create art, Schulman states that "Artists are some of the most reactionary, selfish people I know. Instead of providing venues for more artists to express their dominance, we should be looking for a way for American society to find out what Palestinians are feeling, thinking, and what they want. At least just so we know." While I understand her point (if you were to tell me that the solution to the Holocaust would be to get Jews and Germans together to create art, I would totally see a problem with that, so goes the same for Israel and Palestine), I think her quickfire was offensive. For someone so hell bent on reversing stereotypes and not pigeon-holing the human experience, her statement on artists seems hypocritical. It also seems narrow minded. Can we not discover what an oppressed group thinks and feels through art? I first awakened to the Palestinian plight through Palestinian poet Naomi Shihab Nye. I delved deeper through the American graphic novelist Joe Sacco in his great work, Palestine. I have students that connect to Maya Angelou, Kate Chopin, Judy Chicago, and Tony Kushner. (And if Schulman wants to malign artists, she should not have dropped Kushner's name so many times.) Schulman states: "It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other's humanity that the great potential of life--connecting with other people and relating to them as equals--can be understood and truly tasted." I don't know what Schulman's definition of art is, but that pretty much sums up its aims to me. Art and Social Action are not mutually exclusive, and she should not underestimate its power to connect and to be the bearer of history. The artists I know are not merely self exploiting--they are listeners and givers. And if Schulman is so against art, I don't understand why she felt compelled to WRITE (art) a MEMOIR (art).
Despite my rant about this, I do believe in Schulman's main points and I belive that change all starts with education: so, read, read, read (and absorb art)! I recommend picking up this book.
December 31, 2015
The book is more personal than academic, if at all, which should have been clearer in its title and reviews. It was fascinating but also disturbing to see how the author was transformed from one position to another, but she did not give enough credit to the suffering of Palestinians or the exploitation of queer Palestinians by the Israeli state. It's worth the read though.
May 13, 2025
This is, first and foremost, a book detailing a transformation— an enlightenment. It details how Schulman organised a tour of the US to discuss how the queer community can support BDS and queer Palestinians. How someone as credible as Shulman can detail her own ignorance of an injustice as huge as that of Israeli apartheid— and how she used her credibility to unite queer Americans and Palestinians leaves you with a real feeling of hope. Don’t read this for a detailed analysis of the Israel/Palestine conflict but for the power of solidarity in transforming our society.
“It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other’s humanity that the great potential of life— connecting with other people and relating to them as equals— can be understood and truly tasted. And it is with this enrichment of knowledge and experience that we are able to envision and then create a just future. When we reach for this, it comes”
“It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other’s humanity that the great potential of life— connecting with other people and relating to them as equals— can be understood and truly tasted. And it is with this enrichment of knowledge and experience that we are able to envision and then create a just future. When we reach for this, it comes”
January 8, 2024
Attended an event last week where I unexpectedly ran into Sarah Schulman, which was a funny coincidence as I’d just started reading this, and I was mildly dumbstruck, to say the least.
February 10, 2024
I got a ton out of this, would overall strongly recommend and also eager to discuss w anyone who has also read
February 29, 2024
2.75
i have lots of thoughts but none of them are articulate so they will stay floating around in my brain
i appreciated the second half and gained some insight into queer organizing for palestine, which is why i initially picked up the book. the pink washing index at the end was clear and informative.
i have lots of thoughts but none of them are articulate so they will stay floating around in my brain
i appreciated the second half and gained some insight into queer organizing for palestine, which is why i initially picked up the book. the pink washing index at the end was clear and informative.
August 23, 2020
"I then realize that of all the many events that I participate in every year, the many talks, readings, and plays I attend, and the many talks, readings and conversations I give and join in, very few are ahead of where I am at. This is because of the gap between public intellectual culture and private thought for progressives in America at this moment. Rarely do I walk into a room where my assumptions are acknowledged and the speaker then advances my understanding. But Ghadir, Haneen, Sami, Jasbir, John Greyson, Elle Flanders and Butler had all done that for me. I didn't have to repeat. I could relax and learn and evolve. They had created a public discourse that I desperately needed to have. And when I was finally able to articulate this experience, I felt real joy. Not the joy of explaining well or watching someone else come forward, but the joy of truly being enlightened by another person who understood what I understood and then more."
This is also how I feel after having read this book and every book by Schulman and after having attended any talk she's given. Schulman is always steps or miles ahead of me. But I am not angry or jealous--I am oh so thankful that she's already taken those steps and made those connections before me and has taken the time to sit down and share her understandings with me. I always feel real joy when I read Schulman and this book was no different. I cried from the sheer overwhelming feeling of that joy.
This quote also captures the essence of this book, which is almost a coming of age tale for Schulman vis a vis Israel/Palestine. Tragically, this book has been horribly mispackaged by Duke University Press: its cover, its title, its slim size with dense copy scream academic treatise full of complicated theory. And yet, when you start reading you soon realize this is almost Schulman's EAT PRAY LOVE--if by that we mean the journey of a woman who is truly examining herself and her beliefs and the world and giving herself space, time and courage to understand something new and change in response to that new understanding. Change the cover, add in some more personal and sexual color which is currently hiding in the background ("I staggered back to my hotel room. I missed my girlfriend. I couldn't call her because my phone didn't work in the West Bank. I felt bad. I had failed."), and this could become mass marketable chick lit. I'm not even joking. It's that good.
There is perhaps no one alive writing today who so piercingly and persistently examines and questions the world's (and her own) assumptions and givens and structures and through a repeated pattern (of analysis and action and analysis and action and...) ends up learning and revealing that what many thought to be true, in fact, is just not. From TIES THAT BIND to GENTRIFICATION OF THE MIND to CONFLICT IS NOT ABUSE to this knockout of a book, Schulman has deepened and extended my understanding of myself and the world. Every time I read a book of hers, I am filled with thanks that she is alive and that she is writing, and I wonder: "What did we do to deserve her?"
This is also how I feel after having read this book and every book by Schulman and after having attended any talk she's given. Schulman is always steps or miles ahead of me. But I am not angry or jealous--I am oh so thankful that she's already taken those steps and made those connections before me and has taken the time to sit down and share her understandings with me. I always feel real joy when I read Schulman and this book was no different. I cried from the sheer overwhelming feeling of that joy.
This quote also captures the essence of this book, which is almost a coming of age tale for Schulman vis a vis Israel/Palestine. Tragically, this book has been horribly mispackaged by Duke University Press: its cover, its title, its slim size with dense copy scream academic treatise full of complicated theory. And yet, when you start reading you soon realize this is almost Schulman's EAT PRAY LOVE--if by that we mean the journey of a woman who is truly examining herself and her beliefs and the world and giving herself space, time and courage to understand something new and change in response to that new understanding. Change the cover, add in some more personal and sexual color which is currently hiding in the background ("I staggered back to my hotel room. I missed my girlfriend. I couldn't call her because my phone didn't work in the West Bank. I felt bad. I had failed."), and this could become mass marketable chick lit. I'm not even joking. It's that good.
There is perhaps no one alive writing today who so piercingly and persistently examines and questions the world's (and her own) assumptions and givens and structures and through a repeated pattern (of analysis and action and analysis and action and...) ends up learning and revealing that what many thought to be true, in fact, is just not. From TIES THAT BIND to GENTRIFICATION OF THE MIND to CONFLICT IS NOT ABUSE to this knockout of a book, Schulman has deepened and extended my understanding of myself and the world. Every time I read a book of hers, I am filled with thanks that she is alive and that she is writing, and I wonder: "What did we do to deserve her?"
December 7, 2016
I think I liked it so much because I identify with Schulman pretty heavily at times - nonreligious Yiddish-speaking New York Jew with no ties to Israel and (as she is in the beginning) fairly uninformed about Palestine and BDS. This book did a really good job of being a compelling personal narrative, introductory theory text, and investigative/expose' type journalism. I learned a lot, I'm a lot more certain of/able to articulate my stance as pro-Palestine/anti-occupation, and I feel more prepared to read something more complex about the topic.
May 23, 2016
Schulman's book chronicles how her queer identity and politics intersected when asked to attend a queer conference in Israel. I found myself so drawn by the subject and how Schulman writes about the process of political learning I was it one sitting. It is a fascinating study of how one person can educate themselves and this process leads to personal connections. A must read for anyone interested in the politics of homonationalism.
August 16, 2015
the subject matter was interesting to a point, and a lot of the things she said were very interesting and informative, but i kept falling asleep reading this.
December 27, 2023
In this personal narrative, Sarah Schulman centers the experience of being ignorant, wrong, and uncritical regarding the topic of Israel/Palestine for many decades before tuning in to voices and credible sources that had been there all along. I found this to be an enlightening and thrilling read. Sarah is at turns confident in her soon-to-be-challenged assumptions and other times admittingly ignorant or uninformed on a position that she's just starting to think through. This is an unpopular way to be right now, openly wrong and grappling with complex topics. Our dominant cultural moment demands either/or, black/white, and in this text, the author says "I was wrong" over and over again.
I appreciate that this vulnerable work, while absolutely informative and insightful, has given me permission to fumble my way to a new understanding on the apartheid happening in Palestine. It's given me permission to say "I don't know enough," and it's given me more clarity on the way my struggle as a White, American queer person connects to the struggle of my queer Palestinian (and Israeli) siblings and their rights to self-determination.
Having the background knowledge of Sarah's work in ACT UP and Lesbian Avengers, I understand her approach to activism and changemaking and how it informs her actions in this text. She is a credible source when it comes to nonviolent strategies for change, having achieved so much success in the AIDS movement.
What I most appreciate about this text is how Sarah models accessing the struggle. She does so in the way that makes sense for her, given her background and experiences: with and for other queer people. In entering the movement at a place that is ready for her and that she is ready for, she is able to scale and create more change because she's working within the mechanism that she's already familiar with. My takeaway is to enter the struggle for Palestinian liberation from wherever your entry point is and don't be afraid to be wrong. On the other side of wrong can be a changed mind, an expanded view, a more inclusive vision of humanity.
I appreciate that this vulnerable work, while absolutely informative and insightful, has given me permission to fumble my way to a new understanding on the apartheid happening in Palestine. It's given me permission to say "I don't know enough," and it's given me more clarity on the way my struggle as a White, American queer person connects to the struggle of my queer Palestinian (and Israeli) siblings and their rights to self-determination.
Having the background knowledge of Sarah's work in ACT UP and Lesbian Avengers, I understand her approach to activism and changemaking and how it informs her actions in this text. She is a credible source when it comes to nonviolent strategies for change, having achieved so much success in the AIDS movement.
What I most appreciate about this text is how Sarah models accessing the struggle. She does so in the way that makes sense for her, given her background and experiences: with and for other queer people. In entering the movement at a place that is ready for her and that she is ready for, she is able to scale and create more change because she's working within the mechanism that she's already familiar with. My takeaway is to enter the struggle for Palestinian liberation from wherever your entry point is and don't be afraid to be wrong. On the other side of wrong can be a changed mind, an expanded view, a more inclusive vision of humanity.
August 16, 2025
If you are new to the concept of BDS (boycott/divestment/sanction) then this is a fantastic place to start. Sarah is proud Jewish Lesbian Activist Professor who goes above and beyond to explain fragments of the Israel/Palestine conflict as it exist from 2004 to 2011. There are some obvious escalations from that time period to now, but this book is made no less relevant.
Despite my metaphorical finger-on-the-pulse of queer news and general sociopolitical conflicts, I had never heard to the phrase 'pink washing' or 'homonationalism' (if you don't know these terms, you should definitely read this book), as a tactic to weaponized social movements and liberal causes at the global scale.
In this perspective piece, readers learn alongside the author what it means to engage with the ever persistent occupation of Palestine. There are many concessions made by the author regarding initial willful ignorance, but, as readers, the primary observations gained can facilitate necessary learning. It is hard to put into words what this novel conveys due to the specificity of queer rights as related to the international conflict in Palestine and Israel surrounding identity politics, nationalism, capitalism, and the lack of American accountability.
A unique take is provided within this book about the delineation between self proclaimed Jewishness and the identity of being an 'Israelite' which I, as a non Jewish person, had never been exposed to. Sarah shares all about what it means to be queer in a religion which was not always as accepting as it is now and how her proud ties to her ethnicity shape the way she interacts with this conflict on the academic and activist stage.
Everytime I read a book about Palestine, I find myself pulled in deeper, filled with more questions than I went into the topic with. This book is no exception. Read this to discuss the relationship between citizenship, human rights, and queerness, as well as to educate yourself further on the ever adapting apartheid happening right now!
Despite my metaphorical finger-on-the-pulse of queer news and general sociopolitical conflicts, I had never heard to the phrase 'pink washing' or 'homonationalism' (if you don't know these terms, you should definitely read this book), as a tactic to weaponized social movements and liberal causes at the global scale.
In this perspective piece, readers learn alongside the author what it means to engage with the ever persistent occupation of Palestine. There are many concessions made by the author regarding initial willful ignorance, but, as readers, the primary observations gained can facilitate necessary learning. It is hard to put into words what this novel conveys due to the specificity of queer rights as related to the international conflict in Palestine and Israel surrounding identity politics, nationalism, capitalism, and the lack of American accountability.
A unique take is provided within this book about the delineation between self proclaimed Jewishness and the identity of being an 'Israelite' which I, as a non Jewish person, had never been exposed to. Sarah shares all about what it means to be queer in a religion which was not always as accepting as it is now and how her proud ties to her ethnicity shape the way she interacts with this conflict on the academic and activist stage.
Everytime I read a book about Palestine, I find myself pulled in deeper, filled with more questions than I went into the topic with. This book is no exception. Read this to discuss the relationship between citizenship, human rights, and queerness, as well as to educate yourself further on the ever adapting apartheid happening right now!
May 28, 2025
One of Schulman's best books. Clear, concise, and stays on point to the end. If you are uncomfortable with the current (and past) discourse on Palestine-Israel I would recommend this book, whether you are Jewish and queer or not, the concepts hold for all of us.
Learned a lot and it gave me much to think about. For example, what about the Palestinian right of return. Why does this only apply to people who are Jewish?
Wrote down some films she mentions seeing at Palestinian film festival and am viewing them. Started with Amreeka, which I got through Interlibrary Loan. I would recommend this film to anyone interested (It is actually partly comedy) and well acted.
Here is a quote from the book, something I found worth writing down and thinking about- also dovetails with thoughts I have had over the years.
"I have always hated the 'safety' discourse. Feeling 'safe' is not the paramount goal of life; it's being able to move forward constructively even if one is afraid."
Even though this book is over a decade old (unfortunately) it is all still current.
Learned a lot and it gave me much to think about. For example, what about the Palestinian right of return. Why does this only apply to people who are Jewish?
Wrote down some films she mentions seeing at Palestinian film festival and am viewing them. Started with Amreeka, which I got through Interlibrary Loan. I would recommend this film to anyone interested (It is actually partly comedy) and well acted.
Here is a quote from the book, something I found worth writing down and thinking about- also dovetails with thoughts I have had over the years.
"I have always hated the 'safety' discourse. Feeling 'safe' is not the paramount goal of life; it's being able to move forward constructively even if one is afraid."
Even though this book is over a decade old (unfortunately) it is all still current.
March 2, 2019
Schulman's book is undoubtedly an important contribution to the ever-growing canon of activist literature, particularly movement-building and bridge-building between movements (in this case, LBGT rights and Palestinian solidarity). Unfortunately, the book can't quite decide what it wants to be - personal memoir or movement story. Arguably, it can - and should - be both, but Schulman spends far too long dwelling on the minutiae of planning and organizing her own "solidarity trip" to Palestine (after declining the invitation to speak at a Tel Aviv LGBT conference) and "Al-Tour," bringing Palestinian queer activists to the US for conferences and speaking engagements. Put simply, this book is a little bit all over the space, and sacrifices depth for breadth, and a "This happened, then that happened" storytelling that left me, at times, wondering what the big takeaways were meant to be. I'm certainly glad I read it, but I do feel that it could have used some stronger editing.
December 31, 2023
An expertly crafted lesson in solidarity. Schulman recounts how she applied the lessons from her lifelong history of activism to dramatically alter the perception of queer Palestinians in America and push against waves of homonationalist propaganda that Israel still releases today. It is a true masterwork and a must-read in the face of the ongoing struggles for the liberation of Palestinians and queers.
"It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other's humanity that the great potential of life-connecting with other people and relating to them as equals-can be understood and truly tasted. And it is with this enrichment of knowledge and experience that we are able to envision and then create a just future."
"It is only in our most honest, sincere recognition of each other's humanity that the great potential of life-connecting with other people and relating to them as equals-can be understood and truly tasted. And it is with this enrichment of knowledge and experience that we are able to envision and then create a just future."
August 16, 2024
A really interesting read articulating a queer activists journey over a couple years understanding the queer struggle and homonationalism in Israel/Palestine.
For someone younger, who wasn’t paying attention to global politics at the time, this was a light revisit to historical events in the 2000s that are shockingly similar to the events happening today. I found that really educating and helpful.
Specifically, better understanding Israel and other countrys’ strategy of homonationalism and pink washing was really interesting to learn about, even if it was light and told from the perspective of a memoir.
For someone younger, who wasn’t paying attention to global politics at the time, this was a light revisit to historical events in the 2000s that are shockingly similar to the events happening today. I found that really educating and helpful.
Specifically, better understanding Israel and other countrys’ strategy of homonationalism and pink washing was really interesting to learn about, even if it was light and told from the perspective of a memoir.
October 3, 2019
If this book can be called a memoir (it is described as a "chronicle"), it is the kind of memoir I like to read, which is to say it is reflective, insightful and it has something to teach me. In this case, the book is also analytical and well-researched--all qualities of my favorite nonfiction reads.
January 26, 2023
Much like the author my knowledge of the Israel/Palestine relationship was formed almost entirely on what the American media shares and doesn't share. Even though I am not Israeli, Palestinian or Jewish I do feel I now have a better awareness of the reality there, especially as it pertains to the LGBTQ+ community in the region.
August 29, 2021
did not like this book. good info on the history of pinkwashing and queer solidarity organizing for bds but buried under what felt like a diary or personal essay rather than an informative historical or theoretical political piece. i cant imagine recommending this book to anyone.
December 4, 2024
im easily pleased i liked that she talked about her and made this like a personal connection between the reader and her journey becoming an ally to palestinians
and FUCK BRAND ISRAEL ISRAEL IS NOT A QUEER HAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and FUCK BRAND ISRAEL ISRAEL IS NOT A QUEER HAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 16, 2023
I think this is a good primer for queer folks who are new to thinking about Palestine solidarity.
April 30, 2024
Eher eine Autobiographie anstatt informativ, da sie keine Expertin im Thema Israel/ Palästina ist und aus einer amerikanischen Perspektive schreibt. Aber wenn man das bedenkt, gut!
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January 28, 2025read jan 2025
July 29, 2013
Schulman's book about Palestine and Israel is a really important work for Americans to read, especially those who call themselves "liberal" (who are usually so on every issue except for Palestine). Schulman takes readers through her own personal journey to come to terms with how much she didn't know. The candor with which she shares her own progress with readers is quite moving and powerful. For example, during the 2008-2009 Israeli invasion of Gaza, she tells readers about the difference between this protest and previous demonstrations she attended:
"This time, though, demonstrations against Israeli attacks on Gaza were very difficult. They took place at the Israeli embassy. The problem was not the rabid, screaming nationalist Jews across the street. It was, rather, the signs carried by some of my fellow protesters. It was here that I sussed out my new layers of discomfort, dominance, and positionality. The first had to do with Hamas. I considered the current Israeli government and Hamas to both be craven, and by being in demonstrations with pro-Hamas signs, I felt compromised. I talked this over with my few like-minded Jewish friends and finally had to face facts. The first truth was that I did not know or understand enough about Hamas outside of what was fed me on American television to evaluate intelligently. I certainly did not know what Hamas meant to Palestinian people. Second, I realized that I have spent my life marching in coalition with people I profoundly disagreed with, even people who opposed my basic existence. I have marched in the same gay pride parade with gay Republicans for decades, and I once marched with Hasidic and Orthodox Jews in Brussels when a synagogue was bombed, even though I knew that they opposed my freedom and existence as a lesbian. I have been in antiwar demonstrations with Catholics who actively fight against abortion rights, which I consider to be essential to female autonomy. So the only reason that sharing a common outrage with Hamas at the killings in Gaza disturbed me more than all the other religious fundamentalists I had had some moment of common ground with in the past was my own prejudice. Once that conceptual gap was faced, I examined the specifics. Hamas was democratically elected. It doesn't matter what I think about Hamas. What matters is that my country, the United States of America, is providing military aid to Israel, who in my name is committing war crimes. So, consistent with my lifetime of work for justice, my responsibility regarding Israel is to speak out against what is being done in my name with my tax money. Period. It's not always so clean, these decisions, but they still need to be faced" (28-29).
This type of self-reflection is something Schulman engages in throughout the book. There are some concerns I have with the way she approaches Palestine much of the time, but it is something that I and many others, I suspect, do and that is to first solicit the opinions and advice of our Jewish friends whom we trust. Of course, I know now how problematic that was as does Schulman and she reveals that as her story moves forward. It's uncomfortable to read now and reflect on my own process, but I salute her for sharing it with the public. For this reason I think it is important for others to read and learn from this work, perhaps especially Jewish Americans.
There is a similar thread in this book about queer identity. A lot of the build up of the book is to show how she came around to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and also how she got involved with exposing Israel's pinkwashing campaigns (see her New York Times article on the subject and the Mondoweiss one detailing how many edits she endured). But I was a bit disappointed that Schulman wanted reciprocity from Palestinians on supporting queer rights before she even went and explored Palestine on her own. I understand and think that reciprocity is crucial, but for me I seek it out only after I've been engaged with people in a struggle. I don't enter into solidarity work expecting my other issues to automatically be supported by those I work with.
Other than those minor complaints, I think that the book is beautifully written, engaging, and an essential read for Americans and Westerners looking to understand the situation in Palestine more fully.
"This time, though, demonstrations against Israeli attacks on Gaza were very difficult. They took place at the Israeli embassy. The problem was not the rabid, screaming nationalist Jews across the street. It was, rather, the signs carried by some of my fellow protesters. It was here that I sussed out my new layers of discomfort, dominance, and positionality. The first had to do with Hamas. I considered the current Israeli government and Hamas to both be craven, and by being in demonstrations with pro-Hamas signs, I felt compromised. I talked this over with my few like-minded Jewish friends and finally had to face facts. The first truth was that I did not know or understand enough about Hamas outside of what was fed me on American television to evaluate intelligently. I certainly did not know what Hamas meant to Palestinian people. Second, I realized that I have spent my life marching in coalition with people I profoundly disagreed with, even people who opposed my basic existence. I have marched in the same gay pride parade with gay Republicans for decades, and I once marched with Hasidic and Orthodox Jews in Brussels when a synagogue was bombed, even though I knew that they opposed my freedom and existence as a lesbian. I have been in antiwar demonstrations with Catholics who actively fight against abortion rights, which I consider to be essential to female autonomy. So the only reason that sharing a common outrage with Hamas at the killings in Gaza disturbed me more than all the other religious fundamentalists I had had some moment of common ground with in the past was my own prejudice. Once that conceptual gap was faced, I examined the specifics. Hamas was democratically elected. It doesn't matter what I think about Hamas. What matters is that my country, the United States of America, is providing military aid to Israel, who in my name is committing war crimes. So, consistent with my lifetime of work for justice, my responsibility regarding Israel is to speak out against what is being done in my name with my tax money. Period. It's not always so clean, these decisions, but they still need to be faced" (28-29).
This type of self-reflection is something Schulman engages in throughout the book. There are some concerns I have with the way she approaches Palestine much of the time, but it is something that I and many others, I suspect, do and that is to first solicit the opinions and advice of our Jewish friends whom we trust. Of course, I know now how problematic that was as does Schulman and she reveals that as her story moves forward. It's uncomfortable to read now and reflect on my own process, but I salute her for sharing it with the public. For this reason I think it is important for others to read and learn from this work, perhaps especially Jewish Americans.
There is a similar thread in this book about queer identity. A lot of the build up of the book is to show how she came around to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and also how she got involved with exposing Israel's pinkwashing campaigns (see her New York Times article on the subject and the Mondoweiss one detailing how many edits she endured). But I was a bit disappointed that Schulman wanted reciprocity from Palestinians on supporting queer rights before she even went and explored Palestine on her own. I understand and think that reciprocity is crucial, but for me I seek it out only after I've been engaged with people in a struggle. I don't enter into solidarity work expecting my other issues to automatically be supported by those I work with.
Other than those minor complaints, I think that the book is beautifully written, engaging, and an essential read for Americans and Westerners looking to understand the situation in Palestine more fully.
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