Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade 2011

Photo Credit: Burghard Mannhofer

The Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade has flaunted its rainbow colors yet again and filled the streets and beaches with gorgeous drag queens, bikini-clad lesbians, proud supporters of gay rights and everyone in between. The parade somehow seems to get bigger and better every year, drawing larger crowds and higher numbers of tourists.

This year statisticians estimate that more than 100,000 Israelis and an added 5,000 tourists took part in the parade entitled "It's good to be gay – marching for social equality."

"I have come to say that being part of the gay community, to be gay or lesbian or any other member of the community, is not a political choice as is the choice to protect the gay community and its right for social equality," opposition leader Tzippi Livni told Haaretz.com, adding "we are here to fight together against any phenomenon of hate, to fight for Israel's values."

Photo Credit: Burghard Mannhofer

What I love about the Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade is first and foremost the fact that it dominates the entire city, but with such welcoming energy that it's easy to participate. In fact, if you are in the White City on the day of the parade, its nearly impossible to avoid joining in the festivities.

Throughout the course of the day roads are closed down, colorfully costumed people pour through the streets and the biggest beach, Gordon beach, is turned into a huge performance stage and outdoor bar.  The parties continue on through the evening, the rest of the weekend and the rest of the month- as June is designated as Gay Pride month.

Photo Credit: Burghard Mannhofer

People come from all over the world to participate or simply observe Tel Aviv's annual Gay Pride Parade as Tel Aviv boast one of the largest and most active gay communities in the world. In fact, according to Tel Aviv's  deputy mayor, Asaf Zamir, nearly17% of the city's population is gay.

"It's a very strong community here, a comfortable arena for the gay community. Two men walking hand in hand is a very normal thing," he told UK newspaper, The Guardian.

This year's 2011 Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade got tons of international press  from newspapers such as The Guardian, the AFP, el Mundo and The Sydney Morning Herald, and rightly so.

To give you a taste, I put together a small slideshow of the events calendar for the entire month, including the parade itself, as well as some snapshots by a great Israeli Photographer, Gadi Gilon. Hopefully this will help you get an idea of the extravagance and exuberance of this year's 2011 Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade.

Israel, Tel Aviv and Sweet Gay Lovin

Photo Credit: Noveciento

 It's important to keep in mind that while the rest of the world might see Israel as some conservative, racist war-zone, the amount of gay lovin that goes on here has got to prove them wrong.  At least to some extent.

Israel Loves GLBTQs: Dr., can you check my butt?

Courtesy of 365Gay.com

If you didn't know already, get with the program. Israel is a progressive and tolerant Mecca in the Middle East. Well, at least, when it comes to being gay and loving it.

Tel Aviv is especially well known for being a city of free love, gay pride and colorful characters. According to Wikipedia, the city was named as "the gay capital of the Middle East" by Out Magazine and "the final gay fronteir" by Ynet News.  This year thousands came to participate in Tel Aviv's famous Gay Pride Parade.

Courtesy of Haaretz.com

Well, now Israeli healthcare provider "Clalit" or "כללית" wants you to know that they love gays too!  That's right! Your Israeli doctor has no problem checking your butt for a possible allergic reaction to latex, nor does your doctor mind when a non-gender-specific individual sneezes all over the place in the lobby! He also somehow doesn't get annoyed by annoying lesbians who don't want to get fat but want to have babies!!!

I just had to post these three new ads, wonderfully directed by Adi Halfin, are targeting a well-established audience in Israel: The GLBTQ community.( If you aren't familiar with the long, politically correct and well-thought out term, GLBTQ refers to Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Trangenders and Queers). And yes, they get sick too and need medical care just like heterosexuals do.

Courtesy of backseatblogger, although I think this guy stole all his pics from somewhere else.

The ads are specifically for the Clalit Clinic at Gan Meir "גן מאיר" (Meir Garden, or Meir Park)- the annual starting point for the Tel Aviv Gay Parade.  Check them out

Lesbian Ad:


Translation:
GIRL1: Omg, this car is amazing. It's not like any car you've ever driven. First of all, the seats-- they are all...Leather. And the speed- Oh the speed! You just hit the gas and it's VRrrrrrrrrrrrom, vrrrrrrrrom, vrroooom!
GIRL 2: No no! Speed? I don't think he should have a license at all! Let his friends be the ones with the car- why him?
DOCTOR: Ahem. Maybe first we should talk about the process.....the sperm donation...?
(girls giggle and hold hands)
DOCTOR: So, which one of you will be carrying the child?
(Girls point at one another)
GIRL 2: But we decided it would be you!
GIRL 1: But you're older than me.
GIRL 2: By two months!
GIRL 1: I'm dying to see you fat already.
GIRL 2: But your genes are better than mine. You're Morrocan.
GIRL 1: So, I'll get fat, and you'll be pregnant. (Pause) I'm calling your mother.
Text: Clalit Clinic at Meir Gardens. Feel Comfortable.

TransgenderAd:


Translation:
DOCTOR: Natan Shtein=Levi? Natan?
(Clicking of high heels on floor-pan out to hot blonde)
BLONDE: *Sneeze!* Not Datan. Dida. Dida Joy.
DOCTOR: Dida?
BLONDE: Dida, Dida.
DOCTOR: Ah, Nina!
BLONDE: Nina.
DOCTOR: Ok, Nina. Eh, first I have to clear something up......Where did you get that gorgeous handbag?! Err, so, you're congested? Yes? Come on in....

Gay Ad:


Translation:
DOCTOR: Hello, er, Roni?
RONI: Yes.
DOCTOR: Please, have a seat.
RONI: No, it's ok, I prefer to stand.
DOCTOR: Ok. So, what's the problem?
RONI: Uhhh, I have a pain.
DOCTOR: Where does it hurt?
RONI: Uhhh, in... in the back? In my lower back?
(Doctor shrugs)
RONI: Down below....?
DOCTOR What happened? Did something happen?
*Phone Rings*
DOCTOR (on the phone): Hello? How are you buddy? Ok, and he wore a condom? And you? Oy, I forgot... you....I forgot. Ok, well, when you get back to Israel come in to see me and we'll make sure its nothing serious. My pleasure. (hangs up the phone.)
I'm sorry. So, where were you saying it hurts?
RONI: In my butt! (Fade out)