SG queer community urges Pink Fest to drop Wells Fargo over Gaza genocide links
Queer communities in Singapore have issued an open letter urging the Inclusive Careers Fair (ICF) and Pink Fest to drop Wells Fargo as a sponsor due to its alleged complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Over 450 individuals and 24 groups have signed.
SINGAPORE: Queer communities and their allies in Singapore have written an open letter urging the organisers of the Inclusive Careers Fair (ICF) and Pink Fest to drop Wells Fargo as a sponsor, citing the bank’s alleged complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The open letter, initiated by The Bi+ Collective Singapore and Heckin’ Unicorn, called on ICF and Pink Fest to cease any financial dealings with Wells Fargo.
It also urged a review of the events’ sponsorship vetting processes to prevent queer platforms in Singapore from amplifying companies allegedly complicit in human rights violations.
Digital creator Ng Yi-Sheng, who signed the open letter on 4 June, shared the community’s efforts on his Facebook page on 18 June in hopes of bringing more attention to the issue.
Concerns Raised in Open Letter
On 11 May 2025, a group of concerned queer individuals, collectives, and allies wrote to ICF and Pink Fest, raising concerns about ICF’s acceptance of Wells Fargo as a sponsor for its upcoming event on 21 June 2025.
The letter detailed Wells Fargo’s alleged involvement in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, particularly through its participation in a US$500 million loan deal to Elbit Systems Ltd, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.
The company supplies bombs and surveillance systems extensively used by the Israeli military in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
It also highlighted that Wells Fargo had ignored calls from a UN expert in June 2024 to cease arms transfers linked to the conflict.
The queer community’s demands to ICF and Pink Fest are, where possible, to:
- Immediately cease any financial dealings with Wells Fargo;
- Ensure Wells Fargo is not represented in any workshops, panels, or discussions at ICF;
- Reconsider the inclusion of current participating companies (non-sponsors) who are also directly complicit, especially in panels, talks, or discussions during ICF;
- Issue a public statement of accountability, as many in the queer and ally community share these concerns after learning about the issue;
- Outline a clear commitment to reviewing sponsorship vetting processes for all future ICF and Pink Fest events.
Organisers’ Response: ‘Pragmatic Engagement’
In response on 16 May, ICF and Pink Fest stated that they would not exclude the named companies from participating.
They explained that these companies had provided steadfast support “in a challenging climate,” and that they valued their “corporate allyship.”
However, the organisers added that “This does not mean we are indifferent to your concerns. Your cause is important, and so is ours.”
They said they believed it was necessary to hold the tension between pragmatic engagement and principled advocacy.
This response drew criticism from members of the community, who questioned: “How valuable is this ‘corporate allyship’, especially if it involves turning a blind eye to genocide complicity?”
They argued that positioning queer rights as separate from anti-genocide efforts was counterproductive.
“This delineation between ‘their cause’ (queer issues) and ‘our cause’ (the genocide) feels unconstructive, especially coming from organisations that are perceived to helm the queer movement in Singapore.”
“Can we claim to value allyship but refuse to be an ally for any other cause? Can we claim there is strength in diversity except when it’s inconvenient?” the community asked.
Follow-Up Ignored, Calls for Dialogue Continue
On the same day as the organisers’ reply, the queer community followed up, asking ICF to clarify how it reviews sponsorships and whether it would issue a public statement opposing the genocide as a form of mitigation.
However, these emails reportedly went unanswered.
“We are posting this open letter in hopes that ICF and Pink Fest can respond and commit to making their processes more transparent and intersectional,” the community wrote.
The letter added that globally, Pride has always been rooted in the belief that everyone deserves equality and social justice.
“It doesn’t sit right with us to further our own social justice at the expense of communities that we perceive as being ‘unrelated’ to our queer causes.”
In Singapore, the Pride movement has long called for and relied upon the support of allies for its progress.
“To now refuse allyship with another community (especially one under a genocide) is not only selfish, but goes against the very call-to-action we’ve been making towards allies.”
The community said they understood the difficult position that ICF faced and acknowledged the value that ICF brought to queer and marginalised communities.
However, they emphasised that “we cannot understate the severity of genocide, and the incongruence of accepting complicity while claiming to stand for social justice and equality.”
The community expressed hope that this moment could spark a healthy dialogue on how Singapore’s Pride movement can evolve to consider the impact its decisions have on other social justice issues in Singapore and globally.
“There is no Pride in genocide — sign our open letter to stand in solidarity against pinkwashing,” they said.
As of 20 June, the open letter has been endorsed by 24 community groups and over 450 individuals.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza continues, with thousands of people killed.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, Israeli attacks on Thursday (19 June) alone killed at least 92 people, including those seeking aid.
Since the outbreak of the conflict on 7 October 2023, the Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that more than 55,600 people have been killed, including at least 17,400 children, with over 129,800 injured.
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