- Title: ISRAEL-GAY PRIDE Israel's gay pride 2015 celebrates "all genders"
- Date: 12th June 2015
- Summary: PEOPLE IN COSTUMES MARCHING WITH RAINBOW PRIDE FLAGS
- Embargoed: 27th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA99XKIBD7Y53D3344O2O2O5XT6
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tens of thousands of people from the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community and their supporters marched through the streets of the coastal city of Tel Aviv on Friday (June 12) celebrating the city's 17th annual gay pride parade.
Led under the slogan "Tel Aviv Loves All Genders", this year's march was dedicated to promoting the equal rights of transgenders, hosting last year's Eurovision song contest winner from Austria, drag queen Conchita Wurst.
The several hours event started around noon (0900GMT) when thousands gathered at Tel Aviv's Gan Meir Park to enjoy drag queens performances and launch the celebrations.
"It's the most important (thing) because finally we manage to put transgender issues on the front of the LGBT Pride which is even called gay pride - we are not even in the name - so this is a really, really big deal, the media is talking about us and it's amazing because there is so much work to be done," said Elisha Alexander, a leading trans activist from Tel Aviv.
Tamara Mans, a transsexual from Tel Aviv, welcomed the tourists who attended the event, the largest parade the city has seen to date, Tel Aviv municipality said.
"I'm a transsexual of course, post-op (operation) of course, celebrating life and especially this day so I welcome everybody to Tel Aviv and Israel, celebrating this freedom," she said.
From Gan Meir Park the revellers took to the main road alongside Tel Aviv's beach, dancing and waving pride rainbow flags. Drag queens and performers in costumes danced on top of nine decorated trucks amidst the crowded streets of a city that has become the Middle East's capital of gay life.
The march culminated at Tel Aviv's southwestern Charles Clore Park with a concert headlined by Wurst.
At a news conference on Thursday (June 11) the Austrian artist said she arrived in Israel to promote the struggle to achieve equal rights to gay, lesbian and transgenders community members.
"It's so, so necessary to be visible, to fight for our rights, to stand up for our beliefs and so I'm more than happy to support anyone who wants me to be there," she said.
Israel does not recognise gay marriage, but has taken some steps toward gay rights.
Reforms for legitimising the lesbian and gay movement in Israel started in the 1990s, with the establishment of new laws and the ending of discriminatory rules in the military in 1993. In 2000, the age of consent was lowered to 16.
Israel's Supreme Court ordered the government in 2006 to recognise same sex marriages that were performed abroad; giving same sex couples tax breaks and other benefits. In 2008, Israel's Attorney General ruled that same sex couples will be able to adopt a child who is unrelated to the couple.
However, anti-gay sentiments are still very common in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, and past attempts to hold a pride parade in the city of Jerusalem were met with continuing attempts to block the event in court, and violent incidents weeks before and during the parades. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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