Tens of thousands attend Pride parade in Israel's Tel Aviv

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ARIEL SCHALIT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of people attended a Pride parade in Tel Aviv on Friday in one of the largest public gatherings in Israel since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The vibrant parade and beach party are held on the seafront promenade in the Israeli city, a rare hub of gay culture in the conservative Middle East. Elsewhere in the region homosexuality is widely considered taboo and is outlawed in many countries.

Some 250,000 people attended the Tel Aviv parade honoring the LGBTQ community in 2019, before it was called off last year because of the pandemic.

Organizers estimated the turnout at Friday’s event at 100,000, saying it’s one of the largest worldwide since the pandemic struck.



People participate in the annual Pride Parade, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 25, 2021. Tens of thousands of people attended the parade on Friday in one of the largest public gatherings held in Israel since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-tel-aviv-lifestyle-parades-health-6e0b1cf47860090184b62623887ee0f9

[EX500rider]

1. How many at the Gaza & West Bank Parade?

[GulfCoast66]

2. And that right there is why many on DU support Israel.

Certainly not all their policies or actions. Some flat out suck.

Point to another Middle Eastern country where this could happen. Outside of North America and Western Europe for that matter. And Australia and New Zealand. Maybe Brazil?

I may have missed a few but I think my point is made.

[JI7]

3. Kenya, Uganda , South AFrica

A number of Latin American countries, not just Brazil.I believe Mexico is one.

Japan, South Korea, some south east asian countries like philippines , India and some others.

Turkey has held them but i'm not sure how it's going with the current guy in charge these days.

But in the Middle EAst Israel does stand out and Palestinians part of the lgbtq community often go to Israel to be themselves.

[Mosby]

5. In Turkey the marchers were tear gassed.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/istanbul-police-fire-tear-gas-disperse-banned-pride-parade-25-said-arrested/

[EX500rider]

6. Uganda?!

Both male and female homosexual activity is illegal. Non-vaginal intercourse (such as oral sex and anal sex) between heterosexuals is also illegal. Under the Penal Code, "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" between two males carries a potential penalty of life imprisonment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Uganda

[GulfCoast66]

8. Kenya? You've got to be kidding me.

Sodomy is expressly outlawed under their constitution. Less than 15% of Kenyans support open homosexuality.

Gay men are legally prosecuted for their way of life.

No big, open parades there.

[JI7]

12. People have still held gay pride events

I'm not talking about laws.

Just places where gay pride events has been held.

[GulfCoast66]

13. My post was not about places you would automatically killed for being gay

And there are plenty of them.

But about places where tens of thousands of gay people and their supporters can openly and gladly celebrate their existence. With no legal or non legal threats them to them.

Israel is one of the small number of nations where that can happen and was one of the first. First Nation that allowed gay cohabitation with no problems.

I’m a straight, white, southern, upper middle class white male. Ex-evangelical and maybe Christian.

I’ve learned to use the treatment of my gay brothers and sisters as a barometer for the nations I support.

There aren’t many. Because most nations contain a majority of people who believe in a fundamental religion. Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, or what not.

Superstition all. They all teach that we should control others.

How would Hamas or even the Palestinian Authority respond?

I don’t see the need for making peace with people who despise your values.

[Cinnamonspice]

7. Not me.

I support Israel because there's no way Hamas would ever let them exist if they gave completely in. I also think some of Israel's policies are bad of course.

But yes, the West Bank and Gaza strip are not exactly lgbt friendly.

[Mz Pip]

10. Yes, this.

Name any Hamas leader who supports the LGBTQ community.

[GulfCoast66]

11. Like with republicans it starts with the followers.

I don’t think most republican leaders really give a shit one way or the other. But their evangelical base sure as shit does so they fight against anything resembling gay rights. If the evangelicals had a sudden group message from ‘god’ that protecting gay rights is cool republicans leaders would be right there with them.

The leaders of the Palestinians are violently against gay rights because a vast majority of Palestinians are against gay right. God and all that jazz.

[joetheman]

4. Just wondering what the Trump Evangelicals have to say about that? nt

[GulfCoast66]

9. They would make it illegal. Just like in most countries with a fundamentalist majority

And that is the main reason they are soooo pissed off. Their values and beliefs are no longer the majority opinion nor are they expressed in general society. So they are willing to ditch democracy. All in the name of their god.

They would have openly gay people in jail if the could.