Speaking on campus and drawing students of various religions and
sexual orientations, the first openly gay member of the Israeli
parliament explained his belief that being openly gay in Israel is
more socially accepted than in the United States.
“I dare say being gay in Tel Aviv is as open and free as
in San Francisco,” said Uzi Even.
Even, a chemistry professor at Tel Aviv University, spoke
Tuesday in an event sponsored by Hillel, Bruins for Israel,
Progressive Jewish Students Association, the LGBT resource center
and Mishpacha, the Jewish LGBT group. He attributed the difference
between the two nation’s social norms to the small size of
Israel, in which gays are socially integrated, and his 10-year
presence in the media.
The average age of people who come out in Israel is dropping
from between 40 and 50 years during Even’s generation to
people in their teens today, which he said is proof that it is
becoming far more socially acceptable.
In 1993, Even led a successful campaign to end discrimination
against gays and lesbians in the Israeli Defense Force, the same
time that former President Clinton came up with his own policy of
Don’t Ask Don’t Tell for the U.S. military.
After meeting with U.S. senators who opposed the policy in 1993,
Even concluded that there is little chance the U.S. military will
change their policy anytime soon.
“The questions they raised had to do with prejudices, not
facts,” he said, referring to questions about AIDS and the
problem posed by showering together.
Even said he thinks the difference lies in Israel’s
obligatory military system, compared to the voluntary one in the
United States.
“Everybody knows someone who is gay. We can’t treat
them as someone who is not human, as your military does. You cannot
demonize someone who is part of your daily life,” Even
said.
While homophobia is not absent among religious members of the
Israeli parliament (or Knesset), Even said their rhetoric has
improved.
“They want you to keep it quiet,” he explained.
On the whole, Even said he has been well accepted. Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon publicly congratulated Even on being elected
to the Knesset last November. Israeli Arab Knesset delegates have
also warmly accepted him.
When asked about homosexuality in the Arab world and Palestinian
territories, Even replied that in the Arab world homosexuality is a
severe sin with the punishment of imprisonment and sometimes
execution. “It is not surprising that many of them come to
Israel to find refuge. We are a refugee camp for the gay people of
the Palestinian Authority.”
Though homosexuals are legally protected as individuals in
Israel, Even said he still believes couples have a long way to go
to achieve recognition.
His plans to help gay couples and families win equal rights were
cut short when his political party, Meretz, lost seats in the
recent election. While his term will end Feb. 17, Even is still
optimistic about the presence of gay rights supporters in the
Knesset.
Adam Levy, co-head of Mishpacha, said he thinks Even’s
presence broke stereotypes of Israel as being a religious state and
therefore intolerant of gays.
“It is important to realize that Israel is more
progressive than the United States in a lot of ways,” he
said.
Audience members said they found Even’s example as a gay
Jew inspiring.
“It embarrasses me that they made such strides in Israel
that we in the United States are … stuck on, not because of
religion but just societal norms,” said Rabbi Mychal
Rosenbaum Copeland, associate director of UCLA Hillel.