LGBTQ+ athletes call for ceasefire in Gaza, end to ‘bombing campaigns funded by the U.S.’

Author: Ryan Adamczeski

Over a dozen LGBTQ+ athletes are among the 200+ professional sports players that have signed an open letter demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, taking a stand against what the letter calls the “unfolding genocide.”

They called on Biden to “redirect those resources to address pressing domestic needs such as education, healthcare, and helping the unhoused,” adding: “We are unable to turn a blind eye to the devastation being inflicted on civilians, especially children, in the Gaza Strip, through bombing campaigns funded in part by the U.S.”

The athletes said they drew inspiration from Olympians John Carlos and Tommie Smith, who raised their fists during the U.S. national anthem at the 1968 games to protest racial inequality in the country. The letter noted that the historic gesture was also “in part to demand that apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia be held to account.”

“As professional athletes, we underscore our shared humanity, and advocate for a path that respects all human life, regardless of religion or ethnic background,” the group said.

Original Article on The Advocate
Author: Ryan Adamczeski