Despite denials, Israel's Social Equality Ministry ordered logo removed from LGBTQ-related publications

An employee of the Ministry for Social Equality instructed that the ministry’s logo be removed from publications related to the LGBTQ community, according to a local report released Thursday morning.

Kan News recently reported that LGBTQ community coordinators in local municipalities received a message from officials of the Social Equality Ministry instructing them not to use the ministry’s logo in their activities.

Social Equality Minister May Golan firmly denied that any such directive had been given, "neither in writing nor orally," stating, "This was a junior employee who never spoke with the minister or any of her office staff." Despite her claims, it appears the directive is being implemented in practice. The minister has yet to respond to the report.

In the message received by LGBTQ coordinators, it was stated: “The ministry's logo is not to be used in activity publications. This decision was made by superiors within the ministry.”

Meanwhile, Golan’s office is delaying budgets and public funding calls related to the LGBTQ community, a move that may lead to the dismissal of dozens of local coordinators.

This past January, 84 civil society organizations – including groups advocating for Holocaust survivors, LGBTQ rights, and women's rights – sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging that Minister May Golan is delaying budgets, drastically cutting funding and managing her ministry with negligence.

According to these organizations, this constitutes severe negligence by the sitting minister, who they say is shirking her responsibility to support the populations under her care. "This conduct, characterized by a lack of transparency and severe administrative delays, exacerbates social disparities and erodes public trust in the public system," the letter stated, urging the prime minister to intervene urgently in the matter.