The San Diego Pride Festival is ordinarily a celebration of inclusion and the authentic self. This year, many feel the tone has changed with the addition of headline performer Kehlani.
By Dave Summers
More San Diego-based organizations are urging the San Diego Pride board to drop performer Kehlani from its entertainment lineup.
The singer has been a vocal supporter of Palestine and critic of Israel’s treatment of Arabs in Gaza. So now, 30 local Jewish organizations say they won’t participate because of her history of expressing what they claim are antisemitic views.
The San Diego Pride Festival is ordinarily a celebration of inclusion and the authentic self. This year, many feel the tone has changed with the addition of headline performer Kehlani.
“This is somebody that has used really violent rhetoric against the Jewish community,” said Adam Maslia, director of The Finest Community Coalition.
Maslia says Kehlani uses her celebrity to promote violence against Jews.
Multiple SD Jewish organizations pull support from Pride over headliner Kehlani
More than 30 Jewish organizations are dropping out of this year’s Pride parade. The Jewish Federation of San Diego says antisemitic rants by the event’s headliner make them feel unsafe. NBC 7’s Dave Summers reports.
The Jewish Federation of San Diego tracks the performer’s social media posts.
“The things that Kehlani amplified and promoted on Instagram is the very exact same language, and sometimes in more extreme language, as the person who did a firebomb attack in Colorado,” Maslia said.
Because of Kehlani, support for Pride in some high places is starting to collapse. Three city councilmembers and the San Diego mayor have all said they would not attend events. The Pride Military Department, which usually leads the parade, is pulling out because of safety reasons.
In a lengthy Instagram post, San Diego Pride Military Department Chairwoman Lauren Henson expressed the group’s disappointment in Pride leadership.
“I will never lead my fellow service members, active or veteran, into a space where their safety cannot be guaranteed,” Henson said about the parade.
An open letter from the Pride board, published Thursday, promised greater security, both private and police, and emphasized it’s no tolerance hate speech policy to include “abusive, harassing, or threatening speech or behavior directed at performers, volunteers, staff, partners, or fellow attendees,” the board said.
“I would definitely be excited to go to the show,” frequent Pride Festival participant Lindsey Stamper said.
Stamper is not opposed to Kehlani performing.
“The queer community in Hillcrest would be queers for Palestine, and everyone should be allowed to perform if they have already been selected,“ Stamper said.
Earlier this week, the Antisemitism Task Force at Stand With Us launched its “Pride Not Prejudice” campaign. In part of an email interview, Liat Cohen-Reeis, the director, wrote: “By shining a light on these dangerous viewpoints, we can attract diverse voices around San Diego to demand SD Pride organizers drop Kehlani from the festival. This vitriolic rhetoric only fuels the hatred and growing antisemitism in our community.”
With just three weeks away, the board says revenue from ticket sales is double what it was this time last year. There appears no program change in sight.
The Pride board also updated the entry policies, including a requirement that only clear bags will be permitted into the festival. Security will also include Legal Observers, who will monitor interactions between law enforcement and the community.
