The Cape Board recently hosted a ‘No Place for Hate’ event at Café Riteve to cultivate understanding and show unity with LGBTQIA+ individuals in our community, when it came to light to many Jewish gay and trans people feel like they need to choose their religious or LGBQTIA+ identity. They hide their private lives from family members, rabbis, the community for fear of homophobia and exclusion.
As the Cape Board, we believe that through dialogue and providing safe platforms for community members who happen to be LGBQTIA+, we have a role to play in combatting harmful misconceptions and discrimination that this community faces.
Using a combination of subtle signals and bold statements, communities, institutions and organisations like ours can create an inclusive atmosphere that permeates throughout our community. The solutions can, as we experienced with this event, be simple and yet have extremely positive outcome; all that is required is an open mind and responsible leadership.
Education is key, as is the desire to embrace people for who they are, not who they love.
The Board is thankful to Marlene Silbert who facilitated the evening with openness and compassion, and to our speakers Fiona De Kock, Dr Anastacia Tomson and Ross Levin for sharing their lived experiences and stories with us all, it was truly a privilege.
Complimentary booklets on this topic are available at the Cape Board for community members who are interested.
