Etai Pinkas spoke to over 100 members of the Washington University community at events sponsored by numerous organizations, including the Office of Sustainability, Student Union, the National Organization for Minority Architecture Students and Nice Jewish Queers. As the person who coordinated these events, I am compelled to respond to the inflammatory op-ed recently published by Students for Justice in Palestine. 

During the event “Marriage Equality and LGBTQIA* Issues in Israel with Etai Pinkas,” I proudly introduced Pinkas in my capacity as the president of Nice Jewish Queers, the group for Jewish LGBTQIA* students and allies at Washington University.  I use the word “proudly” because as a Jew, a queer woman and someone who is both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine, I was truly excited and honored to welcome him to our campus.  

A speech by an Israeli LGBTQIA* activist was interrupted when members of Students for Justice in Palestine staged a walkout on Monday night.

Washington University’s third Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Coordinator in four years hopes to continue the work of her two predecessors in the leadership role. When Michael Brown left the position in September 2009, the difficulty securing his replacement meant that the University spent most of the 2009-10 year without an official LGBT coordinator.

Since coming to the Washington University campus in October 2009, the Right Side of History (RSOH) equal rights movement has become a powerful force for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community, both locally and nationally.