Jun 6, 2025
to my fellow queer jews and israelis: i love you so much.
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to my fellow queer jews and israelis: i love you so much.
Don't come to Tel Aviv pride.
I hate saying that, but don't come to Tel Aviv pride.
The reason - the LGBTQ rights in Israel are shit.
I know this is absurd, but hear me out.
The government of Israel always announces everywhere possible about Tel Aviv pride, and says how modern and LGBT friendly Israel is.
But this is a lie. Israel is not queer friendly: for example, the government decided not to allow gay adoption at all, and the Supreme Court decided not to allow gay marriage. AND THOSE ARE ONLY EXAMPLES FROM THE LAST MONTH.
Why does the government of Israel tells everyone that the country is gay friendly?
Because Tel Aviv pride makes money. Foreign participants of the TLV pride are like any other tourist. The government of Israel simply does not treat TLV pride as anything other than money maker.
What can you do then?
Don't come to Tel Aviv pride, and let the whole internet know why. A drop in tourism because all of this may be the most effective in changing the situation.
Protest. Spread the facts across the internet - if there's something that can change the situation, is international help.
If you do want to come to an Israeli pride, come instead to Jerusalem Pride; unlike Tel Aviv, this pride is a protest rather than a party, and because it is in the Capital of Israel, it is more influential.
Don't let the LGBTQphobic government win this. Do something.
The Years-long Illusion of Being Protected Under 'Special Status' Under a Populist Government Is Now Being Shattered for Israel's LGBTQ+ Community. But This Frightening and Sad Moment Is an Opportunity to Recalculate, and to Collaborate With Other Minorities
(article may be behind paywall)
The request was inspired by the 'historic resolution' passed by the Zionist congress to 'endorse the bond between LGBTQ communities worldwide and Israel.' After rejecting it, the Jewish Agency reiterated that it 'respects and includes all members of [its] communities, every day'
(article may be behind paywall)
JLM pride with @tunisianboys & @officialfifthcolumn (that’s her beautiful face under all the stickers!). Had the best time, I’m so glad I went.
Thankfully, the 17th annual gay Pride event went off without violence.
Since the Jerusalem pride is even more controversial than other cities (add religious anti-gay parties to your normal homophobic ones), our parade is always more toned down. A gathering, a march without any naked dancing, another gathering. Yesterday brought 25,000 marchers, the biggest ever in Jerusalem. Which was nice. And we even had a gay couple who got married during the first gathering, which was really really nice!
Some related Jerusalem Pride parade 2016 photos and selfies. 1. The sign I made last year (for Shira Benky's local memorial - who died of her wounds after being stabbed in the 2015 pride parade), and decided to use this year as well. It sayes "queer* hate kills". The word I used can't be really translated to English, but it is used as a all-inclusive term of the whole queer/lgbtqia community. It's massage is over simplified, but I think it was OK. 2. A photo from the bus window in Jerusalem. It is the first time I travelled to Jerusalem by myself, and it wasn't easy. I arrived a day before the parade and leaving a day after because travelling back and forth and protesting in the same day is just too much. Anyway, I was very excited to see all the rainbow flags, and flapped happily every time I saw a flag. 3. A lame selfie from the bus to the parade starting point. I am wearing my trusty noise protection earmuffs. 4. A derpie selfie with 2 friends in the park where everyone gathered for the parade. We marched with the bi-pan-poly (sexual/romantic) party. Behind us you can see the Trans* party flags. You can't see it in the selfie, but I am wearing a trans* headband as well. 5. After-parade tiered selfie. I will tell about the parade itself in a later post,