TEL AVIV, ISRAEL—Adir Steiner has great pride talking about this city, where he is the highest-ranking openly gay official. He is the deputy service manager in Mayor Ron Huldai's office, a post he has held for 10 years.
Steiner and his partner, Zach Granite, have been together for 15 years.
"It is a great responsibility to be in a position where you can contribute to a revolution. I never thought of it as a gift to use it for my own needs because, when you work and achieve things for your community, you always get more and more demands," said Steiner, 45, who was appointed as the city spokesman in 1998.
"Tourists rarely know that Tel Aviv is so gay, so gay-friendly. They mostly just know about the conflict, what they hear on TV or see in the media. But you can be whatever you want to be here. That's why we're trying to show the world a different side of Israel.
"Tel Aviv is a very, very safe place to visit. The [much publicized] confrontations are not here; they are [happening] an hour or two hours away. Tel Aviv is the safest city in the world, and that's something we're very proud of."
Gays are out and proud in Tel Aviv—without issues. Women walk alone in Tel Aviv at all hours—without issues. Tel Aviv is an easy walking city, with English ever-present—on street signs, menus and elsewhere. Most locals speak Hebrew and English.
"We've found that tourists who come here want to come back," Steiner said, "and we want to further expand Tel Aviv as an international city with international events."
Such as hosting a future EuroPride and/or LGBT sporting events, perhaps a beach volleyball tournament. Tel Aviv has no organized LGBT sports teams or leagues.
Steiner estimated that up to 20 percent of Tel Aviv is gay, which is higher than the U.S. average and the highest of anywhere in Israel. He tabbed Tel Aviv as the country's top LGBT city, followed by Eilat and Haifa.
"I could take you 20 minutes [away] from [Tel Aviv], to small towns; you'd be amazed how difficult it can be for a gay couple to live there," Steiner said. "There also are towns in Israel where it can be unbearable for gays to live because they are very traditional [cities]. Their daily life would be very difficult."
Including parts of Jerusalem, which Steiner calls, "the most complicated city in the world; you can't compare it to anywhere."
Jerusalem, he said, is a city where all confrontations meet. "Everyone hates each other; everyone fights [against] each other in Jerusalem. And LGBT people are in the middle of that conflict," he said. "Still, there is a growing [LGBT] community there; they are doing a great job."
Tel Aviv is about a 45-minute drive from Jerusalem.
Steiner said Tel Aviv is a "super gay-friendly city," but notes it hasn't always been that way.
"I remember as a young gay man coming to Tel Aviv that it could have been dangerous to walk [the streets] holding hands with another man. You could have been beat up, but now it's the most natural thing that you could do. And this revolution is only 20 years old; it's very young," he said. "The most poignant year [for the advancement of the LGBT community in Tel Aviv] was 1998, when the city held its first Pride and [Sharon Cohen, better known by her stage name of] Dana International won the Eurovision Song Contest.
"Since [1998], there has been vast, steady improvements [for the LGBT community]. That means more money, more budgets, more projects. Overall, LGBT people from all of Israel are coming to live in Tel Aviv because they feel so free, comfortable here."
Steiner compares LGBT life in Tel Aviv to that of Spain, "where the LGBT revolution was very fast" as well.
So what's ahead for the gay-friendly Tel Aviv?
How about a gay mayor, Steiner said.
Adir Steiner speaks out on a few LGBT topics:
—The 2009 shooting at Tel Aviv's gay community center that killed two: "That attack is something that we still cannot explain. There was an atmosphere of fear for a few months [after], but then things calmed down."
—Gays in the military: "It's no problem to be gay and be a fighter in the [Israeli military], in any unit." In fact, Steiner said his husband was out and promoted to a high-ranking military position.
—Tel Aviv's gay community center: "The LGBT community needs its own building for our activities, for our meetings, for our organizations." He said the venue is particularly popular with elderly gay men.
—Lesbians in Tel Aviv: "They make up about 30 percent of the local LGBT community. "The out lesbian scene is very vibrant, with a lot of parties."
—Transgender in Tel Aviv: "Is a very, very small transgender community, maybe only a few hundred [members.]"
—Tel Aviv Pride (June 10): "What we have at Tel Aviv Pride that not too many other cities have is one of the best beach parties. There's something very open about the Tel Aviv gay community."
The Pride parade is one where attendees participate. They march in it, not just stand and watch. About 50,000 are expected for the parade.
Tel Aviv Pride has grown into the city's biggest street event.
