nkoli

nkoli • Home • Investigations ◦ • News & Analysis ◦ • Features ◦ • Newsletters • Newspaper ◦ Hi there Thank you for your continued support. We wouldn't be here without you. Your Account • Edit Profile • Manage Membership • Log out Your Content • Newsletter Preferences • Ad Preferences • Saved Articles Maverick Life THEATRE Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera — it’s fierce, fabulous … and freaking fantastic Simbone Qonya as Simon Nkoli in 'Nkoli – The Vogue Opera', (Photo by Oscar O'Ryan) By Keith Bain Follow 15 Oct 2024 0 Philip Miller’s opera about gay Struggle icon Simon Nkoli is not only an artistic milestone, it is a fever dream of passionate storytelling, powerful activism and exhilarating music, singing and dancing. And it is 100% intent on dragging you along for the ride of your life. Listen to this article 8 min There are choral songs protesting against homophobia and powerful arias that’ll make your spine tingle. There are masterful melodies and fast-paced rapping rhythms that’ll make your head spin. A veritable whirlwind of lush music and uncontainable lyrics. And then there are the large-scale videos projected across the stage, the photos and newspaper cuttings, the soundbites seemingly broadcast from another era, and costumes that will blow your mind no matter how many drag shows you’ve seen. There are oodles of fine flesh, there are thrusting hips, there are the skimpiest skirts you’ve ever seen (paraded about by a trio of lads with covetable legs and endless energy), not to mention all the badass wigs, the crazy headgear, the masks and make-up, and the scene with a big rubber dildo wielded as a weapon. And there are, of course, those lyrics that every so often make you cock your head in disbelief. Nokuthula Magubane as activist Bev Ditsie leading a protest in a scene from ‘Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera’. (Photo: Oscar O’Ryan) There is the unwaveringly cool and sassy choreography of Llewellyn Mnguni, executed tirelessly by a bevy of ripped and toned dancers who seem not only to possess the energy of Olympic athletes but also the mind-boggling ability to dance up a storm wearing heels. These dancers transform regularly, too, easing their way through a rich repertoire of erotic fantasy characters. One moment they’re prison guards in leather chaps, the next they’re ripped male “nurses” in tight, white underpants adorned with a big red cross. There are clandestine hook-ups at Emmarentia Dam and illicit M2M encounters in parked cars, and there are people hiding — literally — in a closet. And there is the bold, defiant Simon Nkoli who refuses to spend his life in any kind of closet, metaphorical or otherwise. It’s Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera, and it’s naughty, sexy and fierce. Wondrous rhythms It is, first, an opera, with a score by Philip Miller that at moments makes you want to jump on your chair and dance along, swing your hips, thrust your fist into the air and toyi-toyi with the cast. It is enormously vibey at times, heart-stirringly upbeat and energetic, then understated and so beautifully controlled and intimate. It’s all done with a compact orchestra that rocks out to the challenging and wondrous rhythms that Miller has concocted to create an opera score unlike anything you’ve experienced. And then there are the voices, all of them immaculate, at times so heartfelt and honest, rich and tinged by truth, that I was moist around the eyes. Simbone Qonya as Simon Nkoli, with dancers, in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) Ann Masina as Simon Nkoli’s mother, Elizabeth, with dancers, in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) There is the simple, straightforward mechanism of the narrative, which is to convey the life story of Simon Nkoli, an under-remembered human rights activist who was born in Sebokeng in 1957 and spent his life crusading against apartheid and defying a system that made homosexuality illegal. His life is the backbone of the unfolding story; from his childhood, through his first flutterings of illicit romance, his imprisonment after the mid-1980s Delmas Treason Trial, organising South Africa’s first Pride march in Johannesburg, the part he played in getting gay rights enshrined in our Constitution, and his descent into hedonism and selfish self-destruction in the face of harrowing HIV. Played by the petite and powerful Simbone Qonya, what comes across most strongly is Nkoli’s fierce humanity and his humanness, his desire to live an unrestricted life. He is not some huge, monolithic warrior, he is an out-and-out human being with a man’s needs and wants, desires and faults. Nkoli is not portrayed as a saint and the storyline is as forthcoming about the chinks in his flesh-and-blood armour as it is about the almost random manner in which heroes are made, fashioned in response to the hurdles they’re faced with. As a tantalising foil for Qonya’s Nkoli, there’s the show’s vogue ballroom emcee, played by Niza Jay, who struts and preens, flutters eyelids, dons luscious outfits, sings, narrates and holds the storyline together by battle-rapping purest poetry (lyrics are by the rapper S’bo Gyre and are sharp as nails). All the while, Jay throws shade, slyly tilts a head at a just-so angle, cautions and questions with the merest of vocal inflections, adds mystique, irony and heavy dollops of sarcasm, and uses sing-song interjections to encourage the audience to engage more critically with the story that’s unfolding. Niza Jay as the emcee in yet another wig in ‘Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera’. (Photo: Oscar O’Ryan) Niza Jay as the Emcee in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) Not only a narrator who helps the plot to move forward, this emcee is also a never-tongue-tied battle-crier who introduces each new scene like it’s a category in a ballroom battle or a new season at some wayward fashion show. We are gathered in the auditorium to witness ‘bitches’ slay, and there to help get the medicine down is a troupe of fearless dancers in delectably sexy, sassy outfits that deserve a show of their own. Even the corrupt apartheid-era cops and prison wardens are dolled up in the spiciest S&M-inspired leather-and-rubber gear, so you know that what you’re seeing is camp outrageousness, deployed as a way of revisiting history through a defiantly queer lens. No sacred cows There is no holding back, either. There are no sacred cows, no stones left unturned. Directors Rikki Beadle Blair and John Trengove have gone all-out to create an aura of anything goes — the effect being to make the very atoms in the theatre shimmer and shake so that it feels like you’re in an environment where absolutely anything can happen. And often it does. No one is censoring, moralising or otherwise standing in the way of these moffies, sissies, fairies, homos, pansies, queens and allies… It is a veritable orgy of sashaying, of glorious ballroom swagger, big dick energy and radical queer alchemy in all its sexy, sequinned splendour. Not only is it a wildly entertaining and boldly norm-defying show, but it is in many ways revolutionary, a work of theatrical extravagance that is both a tribute to one man and a celebration of gay life itself. It is a show that wants to dance and sing its way into your heart, and then have you scream its message from the rooftops, making you rise and go back into the world as an activist for the cause. And it urges you to resist complacency. Being staged during Pride Month, Nkoli also points fingers at the gay community’s own amnesia and refers to the transformation of Pride from what was once a protest action into what is today little more than a party and a parade. It is a reminder that the cause that Simon Nkoli and his comrades fought for remains relevant today, that we should never forget, and must never give up. Whatever its ambitions to change the world, it is like an enormous jolt of electricity, a show that crosses over from the realm of performance into a kind of transgressive ritual space where, by virtue of its very existence, it alters the fabric of reality. You will feel its power as you dance out of the theatre with your heart soaring, the blood in your veins on fire. DM Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera is at the Baxter’s Flipside Theatre until 19 October. Tickets are available on WebTickets. • drag show • Homophobia • Keith Bain • Llewellyn Mnguni • Opera • Philip Miller • queerness • reviews • Simon Nkoli • Theatre • theatre review You might also be interested in... 1 month ago THEATRE REVIEW Mthuthuzeli November — driven to create and push the boundaries of ballet Keith Bain 2 months ago THEATRE ‘Metamorphoses’ – A potent, playful reminder of the enduring wisdom of ancient myths Keith Bain 1 month ago FROM THE VAULT Michaela DePrince – ballet star who rose from the chaos of civil war in Sierra Leone – dies at 29 J Brooks Spector Comments - As a security precaution, please login in order to comment. No Comments, yet advertisement Don't want to see this? 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Bill Whittaker

Support Star Observer Fund Australia’s home of LGBTQ+ journalism News What’s on Arts & Entertainment Pride Directory Scene Photos In Print Advertise News Arts & Entertainment What’s on Trending Pride Directory About Advertise Scene Photos In Print Contact Terms & Conditions CLEAR HIV Advocate & Former Mardi Gras President Bill Whittaker Has Passed Away Community Heroes National News New South Wales News News Chloe Sargeant September 12, 2024 HIV Advocate & Former Mardi Gras President Bill Whittaker Has Passed Away Image: Images: Supplied & Powerhouse Museum / Youtube. Bill Whittaker, who was a longtime and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV, the first CEO of ACON, and the President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis, has sadly passed away. Whittaker’s determined work in the space of HIV and AIDS helped dictate Australia’s response to the AIDS crisis to this day, including how those with HIV can access lifesaving treatment. In the 1980s he helped pioneer harm minimisation strategies for the LGBTQIA+ community, which have “since become a cornerstone of Australia’s public health approach to HIV prevention. “His early work laid the foundation for many of the progressive policies that followed,” said Health Equity Matters and National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA). He also played a pivotal role in access to retroviral and lifesaving treatment for HIV in the 1990s, and in recent years he was instrumental in efforts to increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). HIV/AIDS community organisations honour legacy of Bill Whittaker Health Equity Matters and NAPWHA, the latter of which Whittaker was Special Representative on the Board of, released a statement this morning, expressing their deep sadness at the loss of Whittaker, “a visionary leader and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV”. “Bill Whittaker‘s journey with HIV began in the earliest days of the epidemic, before effective treatments were available. His personal experience fueled a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of those affected by HIV and shaping policy responses both in Australia and internationally. “Throughout his distinguished career, Bill held pivotal leadership roles in key organisations. He served as the first CEO of ACON (AIDS Council of New South Wales), a member organisation of Health Equity Matters, from 1986 to 1990. Upon stepping down from this position, Bill took on the role of President of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (now Health Equity Matters) from 1990 to 1992, and again from 2000 to 2003. He also served as a NAPWHA special representative from 2013 until the present day. These positions allowed him to drive significant advancements in HIV policy, treatment access, and community support.” “Bill Whittaker‘s passing is a profound loss to the HIV community in Australia and around the world. His legacy of compassion, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to health equity will continue to inspire and guide our work. From his early days as ACON’s first CEO to his later roles in national leadership, Bill’s impact on HIV policy and community support has been immeasurable.” Current CEO of ACON, Nicolas Parkhill, also gave a statement expressing his sadness at the passing of his organisation’s first CEO. “It is with great sadness that ACON notes the passing of Bill Whittaker – ACON’s first CEO and a giant in Australia’s HIV response. “Bill Whittaker was one of the key architects of Australia’s response to HIV/AIDS who worked in HIV community development, policy and strategy locally and internationally for nearly 40 years.He was also a prominent, passionate and pioneering gay activist who worked tirelessly to promote the health and human rights of LGBTQ communities,” said Parkhill. “Bill began his activism as a volunteer and then President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, where he acted to strengthen the organisation’s role in fighting for gay and lesbian rights and countering homophobia. He was President of Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis in Australia in the mid-1980s, which saw unrelenting attacks on LGBTQ communities and on the Mardi Gras itself… “In 1992, Bill was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to community health through HIV/AIDS organisations. “Bill was a fearless, devoted, brave and bold advocate. His work has improved the lives of tens of thousands of people here in Australia and around the world. He will be dearly missed, but never, ever, forgotten.” Whittaker was interviewed by the Powerhouse in Sydney in 2012, which outlines just some of his incredible work and impact: Whittaker‘s endlessly persevering work was pivotal in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and his contributions to Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community has spanned decades. His legacy of working to save LGBTQIA+ lives will stand the test of time, and our community owes him an enormous debt. The team at Star Observer express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Bill Whittaker. He and his significant impact on our community will be remembered for generations to come. Vale, Bill Whittaker. You May Also Like DesiQ: Bollywood Queer Dance Party To Rock Melbourne In November Read More » Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus The Rise Of Pride With The Melbourne Gay And Lesbian Chorus Read More » Gender revel Gala line up Gender Revel Gala with Transgender Victoria Read More » Sporties_ Join The Sportsman Hotel for Sporties Spooktacular In Brisbane This Month Read More » Thick N Juicy Santa Party Join The Thick ‘N’ Juicy Hunky Santa Party In Brisbane Read More » Over 45 years of history The Star Observer’s archives are the most important publicly available record of Australian LGBTQ+ history, but they cost us a lot to maintain every year. Your support can help make the difference in keeping this integral part of queer Australian journalism alive. Support us today from just $9 a month. 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Phillip Carswell

Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. 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Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. License this article • Obituaries • LGBTQ Most Viewed in National A global conwoman’s wild lies and the victims she’s left behind ‘Unethical cowboys’: RSL NSW president accused of ‘exploiting’ veterans by overcharging for legal advice Goldman Sachs, Mumm scrap events after restaurateur charged with displaying Nazi symbol at rally ‘Most important thing in my life’: O’Keefe’s emotional courtroom confession Accountants in Epping, solicitors in Newtown: The most popular job in each Sydney suburb Opinion The $3 Dutch household item every person needs in the cost-of-living crisis SMH RECOMMENDS Lifestyle King Charles eats half an avocado for lunch every day. That’s nuts Why is it that the people with the most access to the world’s bounty, like Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston, have whittled their diets down to minimalist meals? National Whistleblower sacked over ambulance rollover picture Andrew Bishop went to the aid of a paramedic who tipped his van after an 18-hour shift. The picture he took caused a public backlash for Ambulance Victoria. He’s now been sacked. World ‘More hideous than a seniors’ trip to a hot spring’: Japanese cabinet mocked for edited photo After careful observers noticed subtle changes in official photographs, the government conceded on Monday that “minor editing was made”. Promoted Live Smart Save Money Electricians agree: Solar is only worthwhile if your house has... Health Insurance Comparison Little-Known Hack For Seniors With Private Health Cover RSL Art Union $5 could win you a $3.5M Palm Beach luxury lifestyle, with over $300K of gold included National Mobile phone data placed Rebelo at his mother’s house around the time she died, prosecutors tell court Sport Tennis star Badosa in racism storm after ‘imitating Asian people’ in chopsticks photo National A lesbian friend has asked me to donate sperm, but my new girlfriend’s not happy nuubu.com Discover The Secret Remedy Everyone's Talking About Health Insurance Comparison Why Seniors with private health cover are losing money Lottery Office Could the AU$ 540 Million Jackpot be yours? SMH Impersonating Donald Trump is a losing proposition, but Sebastian Stan nails it National An Airbnb, kidnapping, and two days of torture: How an extortion plan unravelled in Perth’s suburbs National WFH is being replaced by a less welcome acronym. Perth, we must fight back From our partners Advertisement The Sydney Morning Herald • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • RSS • The Sydney Morning Herald • The Age • Brisbane Times • WAtoday • The Australian Financial Review • Domain • Drive • Tributes • Celebrations • Place your ad • Commercial Real Estate • Contact & support • Advertise with us • Newsletters • Accessibility guide • Sitemap • Photo sales • Purchase front pages • Content licensing • Work with us • Terms of use • Privacy policy • Press Council • Charter of Editorial Independence • Subscription packages • My account • Subscriber FAQs • Delivery status • Today’s Paper • Good Food Guide • Daily Puzzles Copyright © 2024 Subscribe Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. License this article • Obituaries • LGBTQ Most Viewed in National A global conwoman’s wild lies and the victims she’s left behind ‘Unethical cowboys’: RSL NSW president accused of ‘exploiting’ veterans by overcharging for legal advice Goldman Sachs, Mumm scrap events after restaurateur charged with displaying Nazi symbol at rally ‘Most important thing in my life’: O’Keefe’s emotional courtroom confession Accountants in Epping, solicitors in Newtown: The most popular job in each Sydney suburb Opinion The $3 Dutch household item every person needs in the cost-of-living crisis SMH RECOMMENDS Lifestyle King Charles eats half an avocado for lunch every day. That’s nuts Why is it that the people with the most access to the world’s bounty, like Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston, have whittled their diets down to minimalist meals? National Whistleblower sacked over ambulance rollover picture Andrew Bishop went to the aid of a paramedic who tipped his van after an 18-hour shift. The picture he took caused a public backlash for Ambulance Victoria. He’s now been sacked. World ‘More hideous than a seniors’ trip to a hot spring’: Japanese cabinet mocked for edited photo After careful observers noticed subtle changes in official photographs, the government conceded on Monday that “minor editing was made”. Promoted Live Smart Save Money Electricians agree: Solar is only worthwhile if your house has... Health Insurance Comparison Little-Known Hack For Seniors With Private Health Cover RSL Art Union $5 could win you a $3.5M Palm Beach luxury lifestyle, with over $300K of gold included National Mobile phone data placed Rebelo at his mother’s house around the time she died, prosecutors tell court Sport Tennis star Badosa in racism storm after ‘imitating Asian people’ in chopsticks photo National A lesbian friend has asked me to donate sperm, but my new girlfriend’s not happy nuubu.com Discover The Secret Remedy Everyone's Talking About Health Insurance Comparison Why Seniors with private health cover are losing money Lottery Office Could the AU$ 540 Million Jackpot be yours? SMH Impersonating Donald Trump is a losing proposition, but Sebastian Stan nails it National An Airbnb, kidnapping, and two days of torture: How an extortion plan unravelled in Perth’s suburbs National WFH is being replaced by a less welcome acronym. Perth, we must fight back From our partners Advertisement The Sydney Morning Herald • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • RSS • The Sydney Morning Herald • The Age • Brisbane Times • WAtoday • The Australian Financial Review • Domain • Drive • Tributes • Celebrations • Place your ad • Commercial Real Estate • Contact & support • Advertise with us • Newsletters • Accessibility guide • Sitemap • Photo sales • Purchase front pages • Content licensing • Work with us • Terms of use • Privacy policy • Press Council • Charter of Editorial Independence • Subscription packages • My account • Subscriber FAQs • Delivery status • Today’s Paper • Good Food Guide • Daily Puzzles Copyright © 2024 Subscribe

I Don't Want to Talk About it - Biography of Tony Carden by his mother Lesley Saddington

Tony Carden was a gay activist in Sydney and apart from the fact that he died of AIDS, he was also involved with organisations such as ACT UP, an activist group which it could in effect be said to have been imported from the USA where, thanks to Ronald Reagan,the number of deaths fromm HIV/AIDS had become astronomical. I suppose one could say that bin an way we were lucky in Australia when AIDS landed here,beucause to a certain extent we couldlearn from the US disaster and try and see that we did not make all the mistakes made in the USA. One thing we were lucky about was that we had a goverment at that time was composed of severalpeople who were progressive thinkers and were to achieve some progressive moves which helped to save the lives of thousands of people, mostly young men. We were also fortunate that gay liberation was in its early days and there were many youg people who became politically active which helped so many youg people understand actions that needed to be taken in order to work towards changing the political climate. One such person was Tony Carden who was at the forefront of activism in ACT UP and the likes which changed the politics of activism. Tony Carden died of AIDS and his mother Lesley Saddington has written a book about his life which should go a long way for today's young people to learn how to go about changing the politics of conservatism and effecting the changes we all need for a freer society and na less oppressive climate for the gay and lesbian and other people of diverse sexualities to live in a climate of less oppression making a happier set ofcommunities. I came out as a gay man when I was 61 in the early days of HIV/AIDS, and so was able to learn early about safe sex and other difficulties we were burdened with thanks to Reagen and Margaret Thatcher who was busy introducing some of the most conservative palicies in the UK of any white goverments in the Western world. To learn a great deal about life in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s, the book just published by Lesley Saddington is a must read called "I Don'[t Want to Talk About it. It reminded me a great deal of the great horrors of those terrible years.

A THOUSAND MILES FROM CARE

Steve Johnson has written a book about the murder of his brother SCOTT JOHNSON which needs to be read by as many people as possible but most of all the gay and lesbian and other communities with affiliations to those communities where most murders and assaults occur. These took place mostly in NSW in the 1980's and 1990 which has had some of the most corrupt police in these organisations leaving devastated groups of people who have over the years had to deal with communities shattered by the unsolved crimes commited against devastated people who then do not have orgaisations they can turn to for assistance and healing. Once I started reading the story I was not able to put the book down until I had finished it. I came out as a gay man at the age of 61 at the time when we were also having to deal with the arrival of HIV and AIDS in our communitiesn and arround the world,giving homophobes yet another opportunity to do as much harm to all our communities with links t0 gay organisations as possible. I became a carer for people dying of AIDS, in Australia mostly young gay men which gaqve the homophobes even more opportunities for hate of those in the community who identified with any of these groups and affiliated communities.

MAKING GAZA UNLIVEABLE (FROM COUNTERPUNCH 12 JANUARY 2024)f by Joshua Frank

counterpunch logo Articles CP+ Subscribe Donate Books Login Merch Archives Podcasts January 12, 2024 Making Gaza Unliveable by Joshua Frank Photo: intifada.de via Frank M. Rafik on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA).

On a picturesque beach in central Gaza, a mile north of the now-flattened Al-Shati refugee camp, long black pipes snake through hills of white sand before disappearing underground. An image released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows dozens of soldiers laying pipelines and what appear to be mobile pumping stations that are to take water from the Mediterranean Sea and hose it into underground tunnels. The plan, according to various reports, is to flood the vast network of underground shafts and tunnels Hamas has reportedly built and used to carry out its operations.

While Israel is already test-running its flood strategy, it’s not the first time Hamas’s tunnels have been subjected to sabotage by seawater. In 2013, neighboring Egypt began flooding Hamas-controlled tunnels that were allegedly being used to smuggle goods between the country’s Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. For more than two years, water from the Mediterranean was flushed into the tunnel system, wreaking havoc on Gaza’s environment. Groundwater supplies were quickly polluted with salt brine and, as a result, the dirt became saturated and unstable, causing the ground to collapse and killing numerous people. Once fertile agricultural fields were transformed into salinated pits of mud, and clean drinking water, already in short supply in Gaza, was further degraded.

Israel’s current strategy to drown Hamas’s tunnels will no doubt cause similar, irreparable damage. “It is important to keep in mind,” warns Juliane Schillinger, a researcher at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, “that we are not just talking about water with a high salt content here — seawater along the Mediterranean coast is also polluted with untreated wastewater, which is continuously discharged into the Mediterranean from Gaza’s dysfunctional sewage system.”

This, of course, appears to be part of a broader Israeli objective — not just to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities but to further degrade and destroy Gaza’s imperiled aquifers (already polluted with sewage that’s leaked from dilapidated pipes). Israeli officials have openly admitted their goal is to ensure that Gaza will be an unlivable place once they end their merciless military campaign.

“We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said shortly after the Hamas attack of October 7th. “We will eliminate everything — they will regret it.”

And Israel is now keeping its promise.

As if its indiscriminate bombing, which has already damaged or destroyed up to 70% of all homes in Gaza, weren’t enough, filling those tunnels with polluted water will ensure that some of the remaining residential buildings will suffer structural problems, too. And if the ground is weak and insecure, Palestinians will have trouble rebuilding.

Flooding tunnels with polluted groundwater “will cause an accumulation of salt and the collapse of the soil, leading to the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes in the densely populated strip,” says Abdel-Rahman al-Tamimi, director of the Palestinian Hydrologists Group, the largest NGO monitoring pollution in the Palestinian territories. His conclusion couldn’t be more stunning: “The Gaza Strip will become a depopulated area, and it will take about 100 years to get rid of the environmental effects of this war.”

In other words, as al-Tamimi points out, Israel is now “killing the environment.” And in many ways, it all started with the destruction of Palestine’s lush olive groves.

(B)Olives No More

During an average year, Gaza once produced more than 5,000 tons of olive oil from more than 40,000 trees. The fall harvest in October and November was long a celebratory season for thousands of Palestinians. Families and friends sang, shared meals, and gathered in the groves to celebrate under ancient trees, which symbolized “peace, hope, and sustenance.” It was an important tradition, a deep connection both to the land and to a vital economic resource. Last year, olive crops accounted for more than 10% of the Gazan economy, a total of $30 million.

Of course, since October 7th, harvesting has ceased. Israel’s scorched earth tactics have instead ensured the destruction of countless olive groves. Satellite images released in early December affirm that 22% of Gaza’s agricultural land, including countless olive orchards, has been completely destroyed

“We are heartbroken over our crops, which we cannot reach,” explains Ahmed Qudeih, a farmer from Khuza, a town in the Southern Gaza Strip. “We can’t irrigate or observe our land or take care of it. After every devastating war, we pay thousands of shekels to ensure the quality of our crops and to make our soil suitable again for agriculture.”

Israel’s relentless military thrashing of Gaza has taken an unfathomable toll on human life (more than 22,000 dead, including significant numbers of women and children, and thousands more bodies believed to be buried under the rubble and so uncountable). And consider this latest round of horror just a particularly grim continuation of a seven decade-long campaign to eviscerate the Palestinian cultural heritage. Since 1967, Israel has uprooted more than 800,000 native Palestinian olive trees, sometimes to make way for new illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank; in other instances, out of alleged security concerns, or from pure, visceral Zionist rage.

Wild groves of olive trees have been harvested by inhabitants of the region for thousands of years, dating back to the Chalcolithic period in the Levant (4,300-3,300 BCE), and the razing of such groves has had calamitous environmental consequences. “[The] removal of trees is directly linked to irreversible climate change, soil erosion, and a reduction in crops,” according to a 2023 Yale Review of International Studies report. “The perennial, woody bark acts as a carbon sink … [an] olive tree absorbs 11 kg of CO2 per liter of olive oil produced.”

Besides providing a harvestable crop and cultural value, olive groves are vital to Palestine’s ecosystem. Numerous bird species, including the Eurasian Jay, Green Finch, Hooded Crow, Masked Shrike, Palestine Sunbird, and Sardinian Warbler rely on the biodiversity provided by Palestine’s wild trees, six species of which are often found in native olive groves: the Aleppo pine, almond, olive, Palestine buckhorn, piny hawthorne, and fig.

As Simon Awad and Omar Attum wrote in a 2017 issue of the Jordan Journal of Natural History:

“[Olive] groves in Palestine could be considered cultural landscapes or be designated as globally important agricultural systems because of the combination of their biodiversity, cultural, and economic values. The biodiversity value of historic olive groves has been recognized in other parts of the Mediterranean, with some proposing these areas should receive protection because they are habitat used by some rare and threatened species and are important in maintaining regional biodiversity.”

An ancient, native olive tree should be considered a testament to the very existence of Palestinians and their struggle for freedom. With its thick spiraling trunk, the olive tree stands as a cautionary tale to Israel, not because of the fruit it bears, but because of the stories its roots hold of a scarred landscape and a battered people that have been callously and relentlessly besieged for more than 75 years.

White Phosphorus and Bombs, Bombs, and More Bombs

While contaminating aquifers and uprooting olive groves, Israel is now also poisoning Gaza from above. Numerous videos analyzed by Amnesty International and confirmed by the Washington Post display footage of flares and plumes of white phosphorus raining down on densely populated urban areas. First used on World War I battlefields to provide cover for troop movements, white phosphorus is known to be toxic and dangerous to human health. Dropping it on urban environments is now considered illegal under international law, and Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on earth. “Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” says Lama Fakih, director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

While white phosphorus is highly toxic to humans, significant concentrations of it also have deleterious effects on plants and animals. It can disrupt soil composition, making it too acidic to grow crops. And that’s just one part of the mountain of munitions Israel has fired at Gaza over the past three months. The war (if you can call such an asymmetrical assault a “war”) has been the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory, by some estimates at least as bad as the Allied bombing of Germany during World War II, which annihilated 60 German cities and killed an estimated half-million people.

Like the Allied forces of World War II, Israel is killing indiscriminately. Of the 29,000 air-to-surface munitions fired, 40% have been unguided bombs dropped on crowded residential areas. The U.N. estimates that, as of late December, 70% of all schools in Gaza, many of which served as shelters for Palestinians fleeing Israel’s onslaught, had been severely damaged. Hundreds of mosques and churches have also been struck and 70% of Gaza’s 36 hospitals have been hit and are no longer functioning

.

A War That Exceeds All Predictions

“Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history,” claims Robert Pape, a historian at the University of Chicago. “It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever.”

It’s still difficult to grasp the toll being inflicted, day by day, week by week, not just on Gaza’s infrastructure and civilian life but on its environment as well. Each building that explodes leaves a lingering cloud of toxic dust and climate-warming vapors. “In conflict-affected areas, the detonation of explosives can release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter,” says Dr. Erum Zahir, a chemistry professor at the University of Karachi.

Dust from the collapsed World Trade Center towers on 9/11 ravaged first responders. A 2020 study found that rescuers were “41 percent more likely to develop leukemia than other individuals.” Some 10,000 New Yorkers suffered short-term health ailments following the attack, and it took a year for air quality in Lower Manhattan to return to pre-9/11 levels.

While it’s impossible to analyze all of the impacts of Israel’s nonstop bombing, it’s safe to assume that the ongoing leveling of Gaza will have far worse effects than 9/11 had on New York City. Nasreen Tamimi, head of the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority, believes that an environmental assessment of Gaza now would “exceed all predictions.”

Central to the dilemma that faced Palestinians in Gaza, even before October 7th, was access to clean drinking water and it’s only been horrifically exacerbated by Israel’s nonstop bombardment. A 2019 report by UNICEF noted that “96 percent of water from Gaza’s sole aquifer is unfit for human consumption.”

Intermittent electricity, a direct result of Israel’s blockade, has also damaged Gaza’s sanitation facilities, leading to increased groundwater contamination, which has, in turn, led to various infections and massive outbreaks of preventable waterborne diseases. According to HRW, Israel is using a lack of food and drinking water as a tool of warfare, which many international observers argue is a form of collective punishment — a war crime of the first order. Israeli forces have intentionally destroyed farmland and bombed water and sanitation facilities in what certainly seems like an effort to make Gaza all too literally unlivable.

“I have to walk three kilometers to get one gallon [of water],” 30-year-old Marwan told HRW. Along with hundreds of thousands of other Gazans, Marwan fled to the south with his pregnant wife and two children in early November. “And there is no food. If we are able to find food, it is canned food. Not all of us are eating well.”

In the south of Gaza, near the overcrowded city of Khan Younis, raw sewage flows through the streets as sanitation services have ceased operation. In the southern town of Rafah, where so many Gazans have fled, conditions are beyond dire. Makeshift U.N. hospitals are overwhelmed, food and water are in short supply, and starvation is significantly on the rise. In late December, the World Health Organization (WHO) documented more than 100,000 cases of diarrhea and 150,000 respiratory infections in a Gazan population of about 2.3 million. And those numbers are likely massive undercounts and will undoubtedly increase as Israel’s offensive drags on, having already displaced 1.9 million people, or more than 85% of the population, half of whom are now facing starvation, according to the U.N.

“For over two months, Israel has been depriving Gaza’s population of food and water, a policy spurred on or endorsed by high-ranking Israeli officials and reflecting an intent to starve civilians as a method of warfare,” reports Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch.

Rarely, if ever, have the perpetrators of mass murder (reportedly now afraid of South Africa’s filing at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, accusing Israel of genocide) so plainly laid out their cruel intentions. As Israeli President Isaac Herzog put it in a callous attempt to justify the atrocities now being faced by Palestinian civilians, “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible [for October 7th]. This rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved, it’s absolutely not true. They could’ve risen up, they could have fought against that evil regime.”

The violence inflicted on Palestinians by an Israel backed so strikingly by President Biden and his foreign policy team is unlike anything we had previously witnessed in more or less real-time in the news and on social media. Gaza, its people, and the lands that have sustained them for centuries are being desecrated and transformed into an all too unlivable hellscape, the impact of which will be felt — it’s a guarantee — for generations to come.

This piece first appeared at TomDispatch.

JOSHUA FRANK is the managing editor of CounterPunch. He is the author of the new book, Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in America, published by Haymarket Books. He can be reached at joshua@counterpunch.org. You can troll him on Twitter @joshua__frank.