10 LGBTQ-Phobia 2022 Report

LGBTQ-Phobia 2022 Report

Opening Statements

The Nir Katz Reporting Center has been working extensively since 2012 to monitor, document, and treat LGBTQ-phobic events that harm members of the LGBTQ community. This year, the report highlights a brutal and challenging reality that has worsened with the rise of conservative and radical entities in the government. The report exhibits a surge in detrimental events correlating to the changes in the political landscape in Israel. The report focuses on four main spheres where the complex life experiences of the LGBTQ community in Israel are reflected: the transgender community, religion versus LGBTQ individuals, the media, and discrimination in obtaining services. The Reporting Center presents statistical data in which the LGBTQ community is still frequently mistreated in the public sphere - in businesses, the healthcare system, schools, academic institutions, recreation and leisure, the media, government institutions, and the legal and judicial system. Thus, there has been an 11% increase in LGBTQ-reported events in 2022 compared to 2021. The arenas portrayed in the report demonstrate injustices and damages on two levels. LGBTQ-phobia offline (physical and verbal abuse in public spaces, discrimination in businesses, schools, etc.), and hate speech online (LGBTQ phobicstatementsbypublicpersonasandjournalists,themedia,newswebsites, and social networks). Since the beginning of 2023, we have observed an alarming series of LGBTQ-phobic events of varying intensities. We are concerned that this may be only the start of a new trend that began in the last quarter of 2022. The Aguda for LGBTQ’s asserted mission is to protect and assist every community member, and we will not rest until we can all live our lives in nRENR EdP rRNvqZu~Ŭ 8R |Zbb nRqrZru Zd ’XYuZdX Wfq uYR 1- NfccvdZu~Ɔr right to live peacefully in this country and confront every harmful LGBTQ event and any attempt to hurt the community for its different way of life. We will not allow extremist behaviors to force the community to hide and live in the dark. They will not shove us back into the closet or nullify laws aimed to protect us, laws enacted by right and not as a luxury. We are a strong community, and we have learned from past experiences that despite the complex reality where forces directed at us carry hatred and attempt to undermine our existence, we will become stronger and unite in our battle for equality, tolerance, love, and acceptance of one EdfuYRqŬ 1YRrR {EbvRr EqR Eu uYR WfqRWqfdu Er |R ’XYu Wfq fvq bZ{RrŬ

Hila Peer Chairwoman, The Aguda

Ran Shalhavi CEO, The Aguda