Par Roger-Luc Chayer (Image : Fierté Montréal)
Simon Gamache, Executive Director of Pride Montréal, announced yesterday that he is stepping down from his role within the organization to take on new challenges. In my view, these opportunities will come quickly, because—despite the difficulties faced this summer surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian question—leading such a large-scale organization for four years is an achievement that deserves recognition.
Let’s recall that Simon took office in the wake of an internal scandal that required a complete overhaul of Pride Montréal, with mechanisms put in place to prevent the repetition of past mistakes.
In 2020, the founder and then-president was suspended following allegations of sexual misconduct, which ultimately led to his permanent departure. A few years later, new allegations resurfaced, this time linked to a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in the 1990s, resulting in ongoing legal proceedings expected to continue in September, according to a source.
What is most striking about Simon’s departure are not only the circumstances in which it occurred, but also the entirely unjustified attacks directed both at Pride Montréal and at him personally.
What could and should have been constructive criticism quickly turned into mobbing and gay bashing. I had already published a message on our social media about this. Worse still, rumors circulating on social platforms showed a blatant lack of respect for the Executive Director’s private life, with consequences at many levels. In fact, after speaking with him recently, it is clear that several factors may explain his departure—and some may not even be directly related to Pride Montréal.
What are “mobbing” and “gay bashing”?
Mobbing is a term that refers to a form of collective psychological harassment, often in the workplace. It involves several people ganging up on another through criticism, rumors, exclusion, or intimidation.
Gay bashing refers to verbal or physical attacks against someone based on their sexual orientation. It can range from homophobic slurs to physical assaults.
What sparked this summer’s attacks?
It all began with the thorny Israeli-Palestinian issue, which dragged Pride Montréal into a conflict that is not ours—but inevitably affects us, given the major excesses on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides.
Following Hamas’ attacks on Israel in October 2023—which killed thousands of people and resulted in hostages, many still held in unacceptable conditions—I published several articles highlighting that grave mistakes had been committed on both sides.
Today, what concerns us are, on one hand, Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people, causing massive destruction, famine, and what the UN and several influential countries have clearly denounced as genocide. On the other hand, Hamas’ actions also remain indefensible, providing no real support to Palestinians while still holding hostages in such unsanitary conditions that the world was horrified by recent videos showing their captivity.
This war, though not ours, inevitably drags us in because of the sheer scale of human rights violations committed by both parties.
Why, then, drag Pride Montréal and its Executive Director into this tragedy?
According to several media observers, at the heart of the controversy are pro-Palestinian and queer groups such as Helem Montréal, Mubaadarat, Independent Jewish Voices Montréal (IJV), and F.A.G.S. (Faction Anti-Génocidaire et Solidaire). They criticized Pride Montréal for maintaining ties with sponsors and participants considered “Zionist”—such as TD Bank—and for failing to take a stronger stance against violations of Palestinian rights. According to these groups, Pride Montréal prioritized its corporate image over defending marginalized queer communities.
During Montréal Pride’s parade in August 2024, pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted the march, chanting “No Pride in genocide” and blocking the route, which led to police intervention. These activists claimed that Pride Montréal had prioritized corporate relations over the Palestinian cause and went so far as to demand the resignation of Executive Director Simon Gamache, as well as public apologies for the police violence they said they suffered.
These criticisms are also tied to broader denunciations of practices like “pinkwashing”—the use of LGBTQ+ causes to whitewash controversial actions—or “homonationalism,” where LGBT discourse is instrumentalized in nationalist agendas.
In the media, Simon Gamache defended the organization’s actions, explaining that a safety plan had been implemented for the parade while maintaining dialogue with the demonstrators.
Analysis of the situation
In reality, one can certainly criticize aspects of the organization or its leadership. But is it really Pride Montréal’s role to take sides in wars between belligerents? Should it act as mediator between Palestinians and Israelis, between Russians and Ukrainians, between Chinese and Taiwanese, between Trump and Europe—or even between my Aunt Rita and my Uncle Jacques? Of course not.
The attacks against the organization and its Executive Director amount to an injustice that does nothing to honor the gay and lesbian community.
If some think there are too many drag queens, dislike how the organization negotiates with artists, or disagree with its goals or advocacy, those are legitimate points of debate. We can and should question a group that represents us collectively. But intimidating, threatening, and trying to destroy Pride Montréal—and personally targeting its Executive Director, Simon Gamache—that is something we must never tolerate.
Some Facebook groups went far too far, claiming governments were against Pride Montréal or that the organization had become ungovernable. These groups, often led by anonymous administrators, know nothing of the organization’s internal realities. They should calm down, because their attacks hurt us all. As for me, I will never endorse such actions.
Conclusion
Simon Gamache and Pride Montréal restored the city’s place among the world’s great Pride celebrations. He put the organization back on track, and that alone should earn him the respect of our communities.
To those who think they can do better: good luck!