We answer the call of Palestinian women, trans, and queer people who have called on feminists globally to recognize and uplift Palestine as a feminist issue. Our commitment is unwavering: to halt the bombardment, lift the siege on Gaza, end the Israeli occupation, and dismantle the settler-colonial structure which has denied Palestinians their rights and freedom for over 75 years.
The United States government’s role in this crisis is undeniable. Its funding, political support, and military presence on the ground in Palestine makes it directly culpable in this genocide. In recognizing the impact of racist-state violence on women and queer people in our streets, we know that police here are trained and coordinate with repressive governments committing such brutality abroad, particularly the Israeli Occupation Forces. As our communities in the United States struggle for housing, safety and food security, our government is sending billions of dollars to the Israeli state which continues to occupy Palestinian land in contravention to international law. This is not just a foreign policy issue—it’s a matter of human rights and justice for us all. Ending the violence is an issue of transnational feminist justice and solidarity.
Gendered and sexual violence are central to settler colonialism, apartheid, and genocide. These systems are inextricably linked and rely on patriarchy, global white supremacy, and colonialism: All of which mobilize gendered and sexual violence in times of genocide. Palestinian women and children are 70% of those killed and continue to suffer unspeakable harm by this war. Palestinian boys and men have been falsely portrayed as bloodthirsty terrorists, rapists, and savages to justify the genocide and collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Meanwhile thousands of Palestinian boys and men are currently enduring extreme physical and sexual torture in Israeli prisons and detention facilities. These are but a few ways in which we understand this current genocide and the broader structure of Israeli settler-colonial and carceral violence as rooted in gendered and sexual violence and oppression.
In Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, approximately 572,000 are women and girls of reproductive age, all of whom require access to vital reproductive health services. Among them, 50,000 pregnant women are caught in this conflict, with thousands facing imminent childbirth under dire circumstances. The reproductive justice framework, forerun by women of color in the mid-1990s, advocates for the “right to live and raise families in a safe and healthy environment.” Genocide is in direct violation of this fundamental right and is therefore a matter of concern for all advocates for reproductive justice and freedom.
Our work as feminists organizing against violence is often challenging, but it is essential, especially now. We refuse to accept a world defined by destruction, dispossession, and death. As feminists, our daily efforts are rooted in the pursuit of justice and the fundamental right to life for all people. This is needed now more than ever.
At the forefront of this struggle are decolonial feminists and feminists of the Global South, guiding us with visions of love and transformative change. Decolonization is an act of love, a radical reimagining of a world built on dignity, rights, and freedom for all. In the memory of our feminist forebears and with clear vision toward the future, we say:
Stop the Genocide— We demand #CeasefireNOW.
Signed,
Palestinian Feminist Collective
The Feminist Front
18 Million Rising
Adalah Justice Project
AF3IRM
Al-Awda PRRC/Socal
All African Women’s Group
Alliance for Just Water in Palestine
Alliance for South Asians Taking Action (ASATA)
Asian Solidarity Collective
Association for Middle East Women’s Studies
Azad Archives
Black Feminist Future
Black Trans Travel Fund
Borderlands for Equity
Brown Graduate Labor Organization – AFT/RIFT Local 6516
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ)
California Scholars for Academic Freedom
Cameroon American Council
C.A.R.E. – Active Citizens for Ethical Relationships
Catalyst Project
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Study and Preservation of Palestine
Channel Foundation
CODEPINK: Women for Peace
Decolonial Feminist Collective
Democratic Socialists of America – Syracuse
Dream Defenders
DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving
Durham Beyond Policing
Empowered Phụ Nữ
Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities
Falastiniyat Seattle
Feminist Students Organization – California State University Northridge
Feminist Women’s Health Center
Free Palestine CHS
Freedom Action Now, Inc.
Freedom to Thrive
For the binat
GABRIELA Oakland
GABRIELA USA
GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society
Global Women Against Deportations
Global Women’s Strike
Global Peace Alliance BC Society
General Strike US
Gender Justice LA
Generation Ratify
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
go BOOM
Good Trouble Co-operative
Harriet’s Wildest Dreams
HEART: Women and Girls
Here4TheKids
Hope Tank
Humble Haven Yoga
Idaho Abortion Rights
INCITE Palestine Force
Indwell Movement
Interracial Sisterhood Coalition
Interrupting Criminalization
Jewish Voice for Peace
Jewish Voice for Peace – Santa Barbara, CA
Jewish Voice for Peace – South FL
Jews Say No!
Justice for My Sister
Kashif
Keep Beyond
Kind Cotton
Latinas en Poder
Lavender Phoenix
Liberation U
MADRE
MAMAS: Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition & Solidarity
Mapping Trans Joy
Maynmai
Movement for Black Lives
Movement Generation
MPower Change
Muchacha Fanzine
Muslim Counterpublics Lab
MuslimGirl
Muslims for Just Futures
National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA)
OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership
Open Hearts Social Club
Palestine Arab & Muslim (PAM) Caucus of the California Faculty Association
Payday Men’s Network (US)
Project Hajra
Project South
PODER Afro y Abya Yala Fuerza Feminista
Queer Crescent
Race2Dinner
Racy Conversations
Raha Iranian Feminist Collective
Repair
Rising Majority
Sacramento Filipinx LGBTQIA+
Scholars for Social Justice
South Asian SOAR
Southeast Asian Freedom Network
SQSH (St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline)
Stand With Abortion Now (SWAN)
SWANA Rose Culture + Community Center
Strike For Our Rights
Thank God for Abortion
The Body Positive
The Feminist Uprising
The Lowcountry Action Committee
The Unapologetic Street Series
Transgender Law Center
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR)
Vigilant Love
Walk for Palestine
We Testify
WOC Sister Collective
W.O.M.A.N.,Inc.
Women Cross DMZ
Women Donors Network
Women for Genuine Security
Women of Color in the Global Women’s Strike
Xingonas in the Pit
Yoga for Black Grief
Youth BreakOUT!