The first bisexual-themed Pride parade in the world will take place in Tel Aviv in June.
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, which fully sponsors the city’s annual Pride parade, on Tuesday announced that this year’s theme is “bisexuality visibility.” A press release said officials expect more than 200,000 people will attend the parade that is scheduled to take place on June 9.
“Both in Israel and around the world, many bisexual people feel that they are an invisible group within the LGBTQ community,” said Tel Aviv-Yafo City Council members in the press release. “Here in Tel Aviv we are committed to celebrating each and every LGBTQ person and ally equally, so that we can all be out and proud together.”
Tel Aviv-Yafo City Council member Yaniv Weizman echoed this sentiment.
“Every year tens of thousands of the LGBTQ community from around the world visit Tel Aviv-Yafo,” said Weizman in the press release. “We are proud to have them join us during Pride week celebrating the diversity and spirit of tolerance that makes Tel Aviv the best gay city in the world.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro is among the American officials who have previously marched in Tel Aviv’s annual Pride march.
Yishai Schlissel, an ultra-Orthodox Jew, killed Shira Banki, a 16-year-old teenager, and injured six others during the 2015 Jerusalem Pride parade. Schlissel stabbed three people during the same event in 2005.
The 2015 attack took place less than a month after Schlissel completed a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the 2005 stabbings. The Jerusalem District Court last June sentenced Schlissel to life in prison plus 31 years for the 2015 attack.
