Letter to Editor of Between the Lines

Dear Editor,

“Unity at the Expense of Truth is not Unity”

Jay Kaplan, a prominent, white member of the Michigan queer community, recently called for “unity” in the queer community to combat the anti-trans Executive Orders being issued by the baboon in the White House. But has Jay Kaplan really grappled with the divisions in our community honestly before calling for unity?

I agree, all of us in the queer community should be rallying around the Transgender community. But not at the expense of truth. The truth is, as Jay Kaplan himself points out…”[i]n reality, there can be clear divisions” in our communities.

But does Between the Lines and the queer community more broadly talk about and illuminate these divisions in any real way? Do we as a community discuss these divisions in a healthy, constructive, and meaningful way? Do we have a venue in which to discuss these divisions safely and honestly?

Affirmations has been at the forefront of silencing division in our community. Between the Lines is running a close second. We have real divisions that can be spoken about and grappled with without taking away from our need to protect the community, particularly the transgender community. But silencing these divisions because our community is under attack is playing the same hand that our baboon of a President plays: silence division, silence dissent, and popularize feel-good policies that destroy lives.

I have been writing Between the Lines and Affirmations for the better part of a year asking, demanding, and pleading with them to write a story or make a statement about Palestine and the genocide being conducted by the United States and Israel there. I have been met with resistance, at first, and then total silence. Between the Lines won’t even allow me to advertise in the newspaper, nor will they publish information about my queer business Queer Folk®, Inc. in the Pride Source directory, and have given me no explanation as to why. They are acting and behaving in an astutely racist and xenophobic manner by silencing the voices for Palestine.

There are other divisions in our community that are worth mentioning. Many gay men and lesbian women are transphobic. Many white queers are racist. Many gay men are misogynist.

We mirror the culture we live inside. We have many of the same divisions that the broader culture has.

Transgender people have come under attack; that is unequivocally true. Our community needs to stand up and fight back against these attacks. I absolutely agree with that sentiment. But what I don’t agree with is denying that we have differences in order to accomplish some false sense of unity that makes us feel better about ourselves, but just obfuscates our weaknesses; weaknesses that are exploited because we aren’t speaking honestly about them.

I stand with Palestine; I denounce Israel’s genocidal ambitions in Gaza. I condemn the United States’ participation and funding of this genocide. Many queer people in this community stand with me. Yet, Between the Lines and Affirmations have consistently pretended like we don’t exist.

I highly doubt the editors at Between the Lines will publish this letter. They seem to have an aversion to truth-telling in their paper in the name of false unity.

We do exist. And just like the baboon in the White House is trying to erase transgender people, so too are Affirmations and Between the Lines trying to erase Palestine.

Very Truly and Justly Yours,

Amrit Kohli

CC: The community