I'm going to be at the Jerusalem LGBT Pride March this year!

I just discovered that the Jerusalem Pride March is happening while I'll be visiting Israel in late July-early August.

Here are the details from the הבית הפתוח (Open House):

Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance – July 30th, 2015

Where: Independence Park (Gan HaAtzma'ut) to Liberty Bell Park (Gan HaPa'amon)

When: 

5:00 – 6:00 – Assembling at Independence Park (Gan HaAtsma'ut).

6:00 – 7:30 – Marching on Agron St., Keren HaYesod St.

7:30 – 9:00 – Pride Rally in Liberty Bell Park (Gan HaPa'amon).

9:00 – concert at HaTachana Compound and parties in Jerusalem.

Route:

Independence Park (Gan HaAtsma'ut)

Agron Street.

Keren HaYesod Street.

Liberty Bell Park (Gan HaPa'amon).

Come march with us!

  

Transforming Jerusalem

This year has been an impressive milestone for the transgender community so far. Among violent acts, extreme social exclusion and institutional discrimination, year 2015 was also filled with light: President Barack Obama was the first US President to mention the transgender (and LGBT) community in his annual SOTU speech, Caitlyn Jenner – once an Olympic athlete named Bruce and now a transitioned woman has emerged, and it's hard to impossible to imagine the successful Netflix series "Orange is the New Black" without its transgender supporting actress Laverne Cox.

Transgender visibility and public awareness to their struggle have also risen throughout 2015, as gender identity and diversity have slowly paced towards mainstream media. Pride Parades all over Israel are being dedicated to the transgender struggle. The Israeli Prime Minister gave a blessing to the LGBT Community. The Israeli President declared, "The freedom from fear, violent actions and bullying belongs to every man and woman, from one gender or another, or to those challenge gender boundaries." The National Labor Court has ruled gender identity related discrimination prohibited under the Israeli Law.

The Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance will speak clearly against transphobia and social exclusion of transgender people among Israeli society. We will declare our opposition to any kind of discrimination – in workplaces and public service systems. We will speak up for men, women and others on the transgender spectrum who face extreme difficulties. The March will endorse transgender visibility and gender diversity, explaining that gender is much more than "one or the other". We invite the Transgender and LGBT Community from all across Israel to Jerusalem – the Israeli capital and a symbol of diversity and coexistence under the same sky – encouraging true partnership and harmony.

The March will begin at the Independence Park (Gan HaAtsma'ut) and end in Liberty Bell Park (Gan HaPa'amon). We will fight for our rights and celebrate Jerusalem as the multicultural city which belongs to everyone regardless of identity, including transgender, genderqueer, bisexual, homosexual, lesbian, and Straight people. We will pay them the same respect we expect for ourselves.

We invite people of all ages, sexes and gender identities to march with us. Jerusalemites and others who live in our little piece of land in the Middle East, supporters of the Transgender and LGBT cause from Israel and all over the world – come and join us. Come to take part in the Transgender and LGBT struggle.

The Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance will take place for the 14th time. Come to march with your heads up, flags lifted and out of an honest will for change, because we the local Transgender and LGBT Community deserves a better Jerusalem in a better Israel.