NEW YORK: A New York City lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organization has told a prominent and well-received author that she was barred from appearing at their center after she was to discuss her latest book, which looks at Israel and Palestine. “We requested space for me to do a presentation of my new book ‘Israel/ Palestine and the Queer International,' which has gotten a good review in the Lambda Literary Review," wrote Sarah Schulman in a February 11 email published by gaycitynews.com about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center's refusal. “It is amazing to me that after all my work in the community, I could be refused a platform to present a queer book," she added. Schulman has published 17 books and is a leading progressive voice in the LGBT community. She is a distinguished professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) system and has received multiple awards and fellowships. Her exclusion has left questions within the city's LGBT community, who told Bikyanews.com that they believe this is a form of censorship that hurts the gay society of New York. “Are we now in the game of censoring what people write in an intellectual and academic manner?” asked Damon Thompson, a 22-year-old CUNY student. “I understand that this city is very pro-Israel, but people need to be open to discussing issues and the reality of the world. “I think this shows that stupidity and unethical behavior exists even in our own gay community,” he added. It's not the first time the center has barred a discussion that could have shown Israel not in a positive light. On January 23, John Francis Mulligan, a member of Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QAIA) wanted to rent space for a March event featuring Schulman reading from her book. It wasn't to happen. The event was to be part of their activities for Israeli Apartheid Week, a series of events that organizers say will discuss Israel's “apartheid policies" toward Palestinians and promote the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. In a January 25 email, a Center staffer told Mulligan “We are unable to accommodate your request." In later emails, Mulligan twice asked for an explanation for the refusal and was referred to the Center's published room rental policy. BN
