LGBTQ-PHOBIA - STATUS REPORT - IN ISRAEL #9

LGBTQ-PHOBIA STATUS REPORT IN ISRAEL #9

LGBTQ-PHOBIA STATUS REPORT IN ISRAEL - 2022

THE ASSOCIATION FOR LGBTQ EQUALITY IN ISRAEL

Opening Remarks

The findings of The Nir Katz Reporting Center for 2021 illustrate what we have been fighting for many decades. The center which has been operating since 2012, collects data regarding hatred and discrimination against the LGBTQ community in all areas of life in the Israeli society which illuminates critical and immediate challenges facing the LGBTQ community. This report illustrates a significant increase in the number of cases in the following areas: trans*, encounters with health systems, family life, periphery and notable incidents on social media. Unfortunately, the published data reflects a situation in which LGBTQ discrimination cases are present in all aspects of life: the workplace, during medical services, on social media, in governmental institutions, law and order institutions, in the public sphere and also in private homes. For example, compared to 2020, during 2021 there was a 10% increase in the number of reports of hate crimes and inequality towards all LGBTQ community members. The 2021 report findings present a bleak picture, where every three hours on average, a new case is reported to The Nir Katz Reporting Center; A reality in which the LGBTQ community has found itself subjected to ongoing discrimination for no other reason except their lifestyle. We will continue to act, collect reports, process the data obtained and make it accessible to the general public, so that our important findings will serve the appropriate authorities until full equality to all members in the LGBTQ community in Israel is achieved. As a strong and united community, we clearly know that as long as our struggle for security and equality progresses, so will the manifestations of incitement and violence against us. The great importance of monitoring these cases and publishing them to the Israeli public, is to put a spotlight on the dark places in which the LGBTQ discrimination and hatred movements reside and grow. The Aguda is here and will continue to strive to change the difficult reality of its LGBTQ members - everywhere and in every arena. We cannot be erased from the public sphere, we will not let our security be threatened, and we will insist on the basic right of personal security for each and every one of us.

Nurit Shein & Hila Peer Co-Chairwomen, The Aguda

Ran Shalhavi CEO, The Aguda

Center’s Data Trends in Recent Years

In recent years, the Aguda has been working to present The Nir Katz Reporting Center as an official platform for reporting cases of LGBTQ crimes and discrimination in all areas. Thus, thanks to the measures taken by the Aguda over the years, we have been able to reach and resolve most LGBTQ discrimination and hatred cases that occur in Israel.

Number of referrals between 2018-2021

2018 1557 referrals

2019 2125 referrals

2020 2696 referrals

2021 2971 referrals

2021 Key Data Findings

A 41% increase in the number of youth leaving their homes in favour of hostels

A 50% increase in the number of reports made by the trans community

An increase of 5 times more in LGBTQ-phobia cases within the health system

A 10% increase in the number of LGBTQ-phobia cases reported in 2021

41%

10%

5

50%

Year 2021 Year 2020

444 315

Year 2021 Year 2020

237 46

Year 2021 Year 2020

2,971 2,696

Year 2021 Year 2020

1010 674

Segmentation of cases according to geographical area

The graph presented to you shows a significant decrease in the percentage of cases reported in the central region. In 2020, about 43% of all referrals were received from this area, while this year, only about 35.5% reports were received. There is also a relative decrease in percentages (15%) within the Haifa and northern region of Israel, compared to 2020, where the percentage of reports was about 22%. In this context, in 2020 nationwide cases accounted for only about 8% of the total referrals, while this year it seems that almost a quarter of all referrals fall into this category. This category includes incidents that occurred on social media, statements made by key government officials and more.

Other 2.5%

Jerusalem Region 9%

Be’er Sheva & Southern Israel 10%

Sharon Area 4%

Haifa & Northen Israel 15%

Tel Aviv &Central Israel 35.5%

Nation- Wide 24%

Segmentation of cases according to sexual orientation

Segmentation of cases according to age

+56 4%

up to18 10%

Doesn’t define themselves 12%

General Community 31%

41-55 20%

Sexual Orientation Segmentation

Age Segmentation

/A- Sexual Romantic 1%

Homosexual 27%

31-40 25%

19-30 41%

Bi/Pan/Poli 10%

Hetrosexual 9%

Lesbian 10%

According to the data, more than a quarter of all applicants define themselves as gay. In addition, and unlike previous years, a new figure is presented here, which constitutes almost a third of the references - LGBTQ-phobia towards the whole community. These incidents are clearly directed at all of the LGBTQ community members.

In 2020, the percentage of people reporting LGBTQ discrimination, aged 31-40 was only about 14%, while this year it seems that this percentage has risen to 25%. The same applies to the age group 56+, which in 2020 accounted for only about 1%, whereas this year it’s about 4% of all referrals.

Segmentation of reports according to gender

This year, there is an increasing trend of applicants within the trans community. In 2020, the percentage of transgender women who approached The Nir Katz Reporting Center was about 7%, whereas this year, it has risen to 15%; More than twice the number of reports. A similar increase was also recorded by transgender men who reported that in 2020 they accounted for about 6% of all referrals, while this year the number has risen to about 10%. The percentage of people this year who define themselves as non-binary or prefer not to define themselves is 23%, compared to 2020, when the percentage was only about 12%.

Non-Binary/Doesn’t define themselves 14%

GenderQueer 9%

TransgenderMen10%

General Community11%

Gender Segmentation

TransgenderWomen 15%

CisgenderMen29%

CisgenderWomen12%

2021 major LGBTQ discrimination areas

The graph presents 2021 key areas of LGBTQ discrimination incidents (excluding online events) and indicates a significant increase in the number of referrals that occurred within the family (about 43%) compared to 2020 where the percentage of reports related to incidents within the family was about 28%. In addition, the percentage of incidents that occurred within the health system increased to about 7%, compared to 2020, where it measured at only about 1.7%. An explanation for the increased percentage in the family category according to the “Otot” Association is that in 2021 there was a significant increase in the number of LGBTQ community members residing in out-of-home frameworks for LGBTQ, due to prolonged conflicts within their own families that occurred during 2020. In addition, the Aguda’s psychosocial system presents a situation according to which children and adolescents, in conservative societies and even in the less conservative, are coming out of the closet at a younger age than in the past, which is probably another reason that more young people are experiencing LGBTQ discrimination and are forced to reach out-of-home frameworks. The increase in the percentage of incidents in the health system is probably due to the large influx of citizens to medical institutions due to COVID-19 (According to the 2021 State Comptroller's report). It seems that the more there are multiple encounters within the general population, the more likely there shall be an increase in LGBTQ discrimination.

Public spaces 5%

Other 10%

Educational institutes5% Workplace3% IDF1%

Criminal Incidents 9%

Close tohome3%

Publicfigures’s statements 4% Local authority 4%

Homophobic Arenas

MediaLGBTQphobia 1% Healthsystem 7%

Public transportation2% Customer service1%

Family 43%

State institutes 2%

The Trans Community Areas Key arenas for 2021

"I'm a business owner. My client called me and told me that he had seen articles about me on the Internet and that I was completely crazy. He thinks I conned him because I am trans and believes I’m impersonating a man. He demanded all his money back as well as canceling the deal." / L., central region of Israel. This year the LGBTQ community in general and the trans community in particular, had to deal with various LGBTQ discrimination incidents in both private and public spaces. This arena will address referrals received at The Nir Katz Reporting Center and in particular the number of referrals from the trans community; more than a third of all referrals received by The Reporting Center in 2021 (about 34% of all referrals reported to the Reporting Center) relate to LGBTQ discrimination incidents directed at people from the trans community. This rate of reporting is a 50% increase in the referral rate compared to last year. In the intense influx of inquiries this year, we received an inquiry from A. from Jerusalem, a young transgender man who had a humiliating experience at a branch of a well-known clothing chain store. When he went in the fitting room, a worker humiliated him by claiming that these are fitting rooms

according to sex and not gender, which resulted in A. being forced to leave the store. Segmentation according to geographical areas

It can be seen that the prevailing hypothesis that central Israel is a safe place for the whole community, where members of the trans community would prefer to live due to the relatively limited scope of LGBTQ discrimination and trans-phobia, turns out to be inaccurate. It seems that those who choose to live in central Israel and those who live outside this area, experience similar hardships and similar percentages of LGBTQ discrimination incidents.

Hasharon Region 5.5%

Nation- Wide 12.5%

Jerusalem Region 10.5%

Haifa Region 14%

Be’er Sheva Region 7%

Tel Aviv AreaRegion 50.5%

Segmentation per Locations

As indicated here, the trans community is affected on every level; Both in the private and the public spaces, with the health system being the largest place where the community experiences trans-phobia, while the family is the second largest place of harm. Throughout 2021, members of the LGBTQ community reported incidents of discrimination, exclusion, and violence, presenting a cruel and unbearable reality in public places as well. These events fundamentally impair the possibility of reasonable and fair living conditions thus making it difficult for members of the community to integrate into the Israeli society and contribute to it as an integral part of it.

The young members of the LGBTQ community, who have not yet reached adulthood, are forced to deal with many systems in which unique difficulties arise. These include their parents’ difficulty in accepting their gender identity, as well as additional issues which arise from the educational system’s inability to adapt and provide professional assistance to the needs of the trans community’s students.

Judicial system4%

Workplace 6%

Other spheres 11%

Recievingserviceat abusiness 7%

Publicfigueres’ statments2%

Transphobic Arenas

HealthSystem29%

Family12%

Close tohome 5%

Public sphere5%

Educational esteblishments9%

Violent Incidents 10%

Community coping

Throughout the year we have worked together with LGBTQ community organizations to change the complex reality of the trans community. In 2020, in a joint community effort, we collaborated with the Minister of Welfare and the Minister of Justice to establish the inter-ministerial team that is designed to promote and work with the trans community. In 2021, recommendations were adopted that were the result of hard work by organizations and inter-ministerial staff. The solutions proposed included models for a broad intervention, such as: 1. Integrating men and women from the trans community into public service through a voluntary model, which will encourage the recruitment of employees from the community and even create incentives to promote this issue. 2. Establishing emergency lodging frameworks for the trans community from the age of 18 and up without an upper age limit, as well as opening a tender for operating 8 designated transitional apartments. In addition, the Aguda operates a legal department that provides assistance to various issues as well as dedicated legal assistance to the trans community in collaboration with the law firm of Kalai-Rosen. Moreover, in January 2021, a trans social worker network was established at the “Maavarim” organization, funded, and supervised by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, in order to make welfare services accessible to the trans community and to train and strengthen relevant welfare responses. In matters related to the trans community, as well as accompaniment and assistance in exercising social and medical rights, in the first year of the network’s activity, about 1,400 applications were handled.

Encountering the Health and Medical Systems Key arenas for 2021

“About a month ago I went to my family doctor to ask to get tested for a sexual transmitted disease. The doctor started asking me about my sexual orientation and started asking what I do within my relationship. After he finished asking me the questions, he told me that he and the medical world recommend not having sex between men."/ B., from the Judean foothills region. One of the most notable places in which there has been a sharp increase in reporting of LGBTQ phobic cases is in the Israeli medical system, in comparison to less than 2% in 2020.

From the data presented to you, it can be concluded that most of the victims (46%) identify as heterosexual. For the most part, those who point this out identify themselves as part of the trans community, while the second largest figure comes from transgender and cisgender men alike. Segmentation according to sexual orientation About 70% of the reports are from the trans community. This is a very vulnerable population and at the same time, it is important to note that the nature of the transgender community's referrals and harm to them is not necessarily related to the gender adjustment process: a key part of the referrals also addresses the transgender community's sexual preference, which adds another layer to the community members’ vulnerability. Segmentation according to gender

Homosexual 21%

Lesbian13%

Bi/Pan/Poli 13%

Doesn’t define themselves 7%

sexual orientation Segmentation

Hetrosexual 46%

TransgenderWomen 29.5%

CisgenderMen28%

Gender Segmentation

CisgenderWomen 2% Non-Binary/Doesn’t define themselves 11%

TransgenderMen 29.5%

A case we were exposed to this year and treated relating to the HMO was the story of M. and her partner, from the central region, who are raising their children together. M. wanted to receive medical information about her children but had to provide legal documents stating that she was indeed registered as the children’s mother, even though her marital status was updated on her identity card. The discrimination came in a variety of forms: long waits for gender reassignment surgery; discrimination in the blood donation of gay and transgender people; inappropriate application language; HMO forms formulated only for a family consisted of a mother and a father, and deleted an option for a LGBTQ family; prevention of obtaining medical information about non-biological children and married couples of the same sex; prevention of receiving treatment due to a gender adjustment procedure; doctors who advise not to have sex between men as well as therapists who perform conversion therapies. These cases are just the tip of the iceberg, while we fully understand and know that there are many more cases that remain hidden and even cases that can sometimes be life-threatening. Community organizations have approached the Ministry of Health by demanding appropriate action pertaining to the entire LGBTQ community: 1. Allocation of hours to operating rooms as well as training surgeons for gender surgery. 2. Lifting the ban on private genital surgery in Israel. 3. Shortening the waiting period for gender reassignment surgeries. 4. Allocating resources for stigma-breaking advocacy activities for people living with HIV, in order to provide information to professionals working with the LGBTQ community as well as the general population. 5. Addressing the issue of surrogacy for female couples and enabling egg donation between spouses. An additional step was cooperating with the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health Division, which in 2021, introduced a procedure that recognizes that transgenderism is not a mental disorder and that members of the trans community must be adequately addressed. As a result, a treatment protocol is recorded with procedures that deal with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, by language, by defined services, by the manner of documenting the medical file and more. Community coping

LGBTQ Phobia in the Family Key arenas for 2021

"I am asking for help for a minority member, a 20-year-old Israeli citizen. He was evicted using physical violence from his home this evening by his family and has nowhere to stay. Please help him." / C. from Jerusalem.

The highest percentage of people reporting incidents comes from those who define themselves as gay – cisgender men and transgender alike. About a quarter of the incidents within the family were directed at the entire community. This is because we consider expressions and utterances of LGBTQ discrimination in general to be directed at the whole community (for example, the "Family = Mother and Father" campaign of the "Hazon" religious movement). Segmentation according to sexual orientation

Homosexual 29%

Non-Binary/Doesn’t define themselves 13%

General community 26%

sexual orientation Segmentation

Non-Romantic /ASexual 2%

Hetrosexual 8%

Bi/Pan/Poli 10%

Lesbian12%

Segmentation according to gender

As in the segmentation graph according to sexual orientation, the highest percentage of incidents was performed on cisgender men (27%). In addition, the vulnerability of the entire trans community, which accounts for about 45% of the total referrals, can be clearly seen.

Genderqueer 8%

Non-Binary/ Doesn’t define themselves 15%

Transgendermen9%

Gender Segmentation

General community 16%

Transgenderwomen14%

Cisgenderwomen11%

Cisgendermen27%

In 2021, the percentage of referrals reporting LGBTQ discrimination incidents within the nuclear family increased to 43% compared to 2020, so such incidents accounted for about 28% of all referrals. An explanation for the increase in percentages according to “Otot” Association is that in 2021 there was a significant increase in community members who resided in out-of-home frameworks for LGBTQ people. This increase may be due to prolonged conflicts within their own families, thus forcing them to leave their homes. In addition, the Aguda’s psychosocial department presents a picture in which children and adolescents, in conservative societies and even the less conservative, come out of the closet at a younger age than in the past and this is probably another reason why more young people experience LGBTQ discrimination and are forced to reside in out-of-home frameworks. Thus, many LGBTQ members experienced LGBTQ discrimination incidents in a broader sense within their own nuclear family: lack of acceptance towards LGBTQ relationships, verbal and physical violence, coping with financial difficulties and obligations, persecution, conversion therapies under the disguise of "Life skills"/" Parenting skills" classes, various daily hardships and more. A case that really shocked us was the story of Y., a young man from an ultra-Orthodox community situated in the central region of Israel. Y. came out of the closet to his parents and brother; In response his brother beat him, locked him in his room and forced him to undergo conversion therapy. He turned to The Nir Katz Reporting Center for help and together with the “Chevruta” organization and the “Otot” Association, we found a solution with the help of a professional therapist, where he was also referred directly to the emergency room. This year, there was an increase of about 41% in the number of residents at the out-of-home frameworks for LGBTQ people – “Beit Dror”, “Avnei Derech”, “Trans* transitional homes”, and the “Pink Roof”. This is due, among other things, to the complex difficulties experienced by members of the community during COVID-19, from the outbreak of the pandemic to the present day.

Many applicants at the “Otot” Association’s out-of-home frameworks, who during COVID-19 outbreak, were forced to remain in their homes and rooms without social interactions and out of a desire to reduce interactions within their nuclear family. This situation continued throughout 2021. Moreover, other populations that are in a significantly vulnerable situation are the religious and Arab sectors who experience a sad reality where there is a huge fear when reporting incidents of LGBTQ discrimination. Even in 2022, LGBTQ discrimination in the religious and Arab sectors is still violent, many undergo persecution, many are evicted from their homes and more. Some members of the LGBTQ community in the religious and Arab sectors struggle to get out of the closet alone, with only a small number of them turning to organizations for help. In a joint effort with the Ministry of Welfare, a tender was published to establish new frameworks in terms of geographical distribution, in terms of religion and in terms of age groups. These efforts wish to place religious and Arab members of the community in out-of-home frameworks. In the Arab sector, the “Beit El-Meem” organization works directly with the LGBTQ sectoral community and throughout 2021, it launched campaigns to encourage the reporting and eradicating of the LGBTQ stigma within the Arab society. The “Chevruta” and “Bat-Kol” organizations operate dedicated support groups for religious and ultra-Orthodox LGBTQ people. “Chevruta” operates a support system for victims of conversion therapies and provides a response by clerics, while “Bat-Kol” operates a "For you" center that provides a response from rabbis, as well as a psychosocial framework which is tailored for religious and ultra-Orthodox women in the closet. Throughout the year, the activity increased, and an additional supportive system was opened for women who were thrown out of their homes. Another project operates which dedicates Saturdays for hospitality and an online support center that operates 24/6. Community coping

The Periphery Arena Key arenas for 2021

"When we came to the Pride event, I put a pride flag on myself and my child. As I was finishing tying the flag, we were thrown eggs at and sprayed with tear gas. I was very humiliated, and I felt terrible for my child. We came to the parade so that he would feel whole within himself." / L, Southern Israel. * Pride activities and involvement in the periphery refer to the social and geographical periphery. We also measure the data of community members who have experienced LGBTQ discrimination outside central Israel. In addition, the area of data refers to vulnerability in public places only.

Segmentation according to geographical area

Be’er Sheva & Southern Israel 11%

Tel Aviv &Central Israel 49%

Haifa & Northen Israel 15%

Sharon Area 6%

Jerusalem Region 19%

The percentage of referrals outside central Israel is about 51%. As one may understand, LGBTQ discrimination is scattered throughout the country and despite the widespread thought that Tel Aviv and the central region constitute a safe place for LGBTQ people, the data presented here reflects a different reality in which LGBTQ discrimination is experienced everywhere. In 2020, COVID-19 moved the LGBTQ discrimination close to home due lockdowns. About 25% of all referrals reported in 2020 were close to home, while this year it seems that the area closest to home is only about 3% of all referrals. A significant increase in LGBTQ discrimination cases outside the central region had to do with a continuous sequence of inquiries and reports received at the Nir Katz reporting Center during the summer months around the Pride Parades. For example, this year, during the June Pride Parades across the country, the number of reports received was 67% higher than the total average referrals to the Nir Katz reporting Center received throughout the months of 2021. The data also showed that about 68% of reported incidents were directed at the whole LGBTQ community; That is, not towards a specific person but as a de-legitimization towards the whole community (for example, cases such as the removal of pride flags and the destruction of "gay" properties). Although the classification is towards the entire LGBTQ community, the experience of burglary, intrusion into private properties, trespassing, damage to properties, and undermining the sense of security - damages, and scars individuals. Among the cases reported and dealt with by us during Pride month: the vandalism of Pride flags which hung on behalf of the municipality; Discrimination in renting apartments, spray-painting slurs inciting murder; Throwing stones at balconies decorated with pride flags; Opening WhatsApp groups calling to hurt LGBTQ residents; Shattering the windshield of a mayor's car after declaring that he intends to support pride events in his city and on the other hand a mayor who declares that he does not recognize the LGBTQ flag and therefore is not willing to address his LGBTQ residents as a community, or even responding to this topic. This year, for the first time, a call for proposal was issued by the Ministry of Social Equality - a precedent-setting call to local authorities which are encouraged, from a budgetary point of view, to introduce LGBTQ programs into their cities and towns. The call was answered by 63 local authorities who agreed to take a substantial part in improving the lives of their LGBTQ residents and put forward city plans in their favour. In addition, the Aguda’s local community development project and the local authorities’ index examine and measure dozens of authorities in a wide geographical scale in various fields (such as education and culture) in terms of their treatment towards residents. These projects unequivocally influence the allocation of more resources towards the local LGBTQ community, as well as the improvement of the attitude received from the authority and the positioning of the community as central and significant in the fabric of life. Community coping LGBTQ Discrimination Incidents Over the Internet Key arenas for 2021 "I'm a 56-year-old lesbian. I've been getting comments on Facebook from a cruel woman who has a few usernames on this platform and abuses me through them. She curses me and threatens to take me out of the closet in front of my children and grandchildren. I am asking for your help." / C. from southern Israel. Responses such as these, are received by members of the community on a daily basis throughout the year. This year, in the face of COVID-19 that forced us to stay home in front of screens and also due to further elections, that led to campaigns of slander and hatred against us, the LGBTQ community was exposed to thousands of cases of LGBTQ discrimination on social media that included swearing, verbal violence, threats of physical violence, death threats during Pride parades and growing trans-phobia.

Both this year and in 2020, since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a steady increase in the number of referrals relating to violence and hate on the internet. This year, the number of reports is about 53% of the total inquiries, compared to 2019, when the percentage of inquiries was about 50% - this means hundreds of additional inquiries this year.

Segmentation according to gender

This graph shows those who marked their gender identity. The trans community’s stands at about 41% of all referrals presented here. In addition, the relative percentage of harmful incidents to cisgender and transgender men stands at about 36.5% combined.

Cisgender women 9%

Cisgender men 22%

General community 28%

Gender Segmentation

Transgender men 14.5%

Transgender women 23%

Non-Binary/Doesn’t define themselves 3.5%

In 2021, members of the LGBTQ Community experienced numerous incidents of violence on social media: degrading videos and derogatory comments, offensive talkbacks, articles published across the net and private messages with offensive content mocking sexual orientation and / or gender identity. LGBTQ discrimination incidents directed towards community members also experienced one of the largest cyber events known to the LGBTQ community. About a month after a cyber-attack on the “Atraf” dating site, during which a file was published with records of over a million users, a message was sent to a significant number of members of the LGBTQ community with a sentence that caused terrible panic: "You are LGBTQ and therefore you are destroyed. You deserve severe punishment, death, and banishment from the land. Come to the yeshiva to repent. We would love you to convert into faith”. Sending this inciting and threatening message was experienced as a sense of intrusion, uncertainty, fear of being taken out of the closet and a real threat - all of which led to panic. Since there was no tailored response from the authorities, in light of this, within 24 hours, about 200 inquiries flooded the Nir Kats reporting center from people who reported it to us, and quite a few of them expressed emotional distress in face of the incitement. The cyberbullying department was established in 2018 to aid community members and in particular youth, who are more exposed than the general population to cyberbullying. During the years 2018-2020, the department operated as a pilot in cooperation with the Israeli Internet Association and the National Insurance Institute’s Foundation for Children and Youth at Risk, and as of 2021, the department is managed exclusively by the Aguda. As part of the program, volunteers actively locate and respond to LGBTQ discrimination phrases online, both publicly through voicing opposition to LGBTQ discrimination, and in person in front of the attacker. The main goal is to reduce and mitigate the LGBTQ discrimination discourse. Community coping

As part of the program to eradicate LGBTQ discrimination and cyberbullying, this year we contacted “TIKTOK” and Facebook platforms in order to increase digital responses in reporting bullying towards girls and teens and to produce a common strategy between community organizations and social media. As reporting data indicate, tremendous harm is done towards the trans community, thus, we decided to establish a "cyberbullying program trans course” for the first time, which provides knowledge and skills to cyberbullying volunteers about the many difficulties relating to the trans community. In addition to the cyberbullying department dealing with rising LGBTQ discrimination, the Nir Katz reporting Center and the Aguda hotline were at the forefront of trying to provide emotional support to community members who received threatening messages and sought response and emotional support. At the same time, we obtained information on the various cyber-attacks from the Israeli police and the National Cyber organization. Thus, we focused on providing an emotional response as well as providing the victims with self-empowerment through planning and deploying options together with them. This year, similar to last year, we continued to face COVID-19 regulations and routine as well as the entry of a new government, which created both opportunities and new struggles for our community. In 2020, LGBTQ discrimination showed its face mainly close to home or around it. In 2021, however, we exited many lockdowns and began to return to a more familiar life routine: The labour market began to return to normal, the education systems began to function again, public transportation returned to its normal activities and so did the LGBTQ-related discrimination incidents, which gradually spread across the public, educational institutions, state, legal institutions and more. The Aguda, together with other LGBTQ organizations, has led a policy change in a broader aspect with the understanding that together, with a common goal, people will see and hear our voice in all areas much more significantly; this is because our voice resonates louder when we wave the flag together. However, we recognize that we have a long way to go until social, employment, economic, and political equality is achieved that applies to all LGBTQ letters and thus, we shall not remain silent until we achieve it. We call on the government, as we have done with all Israeli governments since our establishment: to take responsibility for all its citizens without discrimination and provide answers and resources for inclusive education, care for the entire LGBTQ community, strengthening and especially regarding the weakened populations within us. We will continue to care for all members of the LGBTQ community and strive to support and assist, as well as encourage the entire LGBTQ community and our supporters to report harmful incidents, so that in the coming years there will be a different reality here: inclusive, accepting, tolerant and benevolent with us all. Summary

Report each case, only then can we continue to produce change!

To report on LGBTQ discrimination incidents:

An online reporting form on the homepage of the Aguda’s website: www.lgbt.org.il

The Aguda Hotline, "There is always someone to talk to" Operates on Sundays-Thursdays and Saturdays from 19:30 to 22:30 by phone: *2982 or on WhatsApp: 0586205591 The array of services for the LGBTQ community: Therapy and Consultation service, Legal Consultation Department LGBTQ discrimination aid and Asylum Seekers and Refugees.

You can contact the Aguda through the website: www.lgbt.org.il or via email: aguda@lgbt.org.il

Full disclosure:

* The percentages presented in the report refer only to the reported cases that were characterized in terms of age, gender, and sexual orientation and do not refer to cases marked as “other” for these characteristics. * The reported data includes inquiries received at The Nir Katz Keporting Center and information we collected on a one-off basis. * The data on the main areas of harmful incidents rely on the data presented by The Nir Katz Reporting Center, an HMO satisfaction survey of the trans community, cyberbullying, LGBTQ social workers who work with the Aguda across the country and out-of-home frameworks of “Otot” Association.

Nir Katz Nir katz was born on July 18th 1983 to his mother Ayala Katz, And his father Rami Katz (RIP) who has fallen during IDF reserved training, on the e vent known as the T z e ’elim Disaster in July 1990. Nir was 7 years old at the time. Nir grew up in Givatayim and later moved to Modiyn. When he was 18, he joined one of the Intelligence cyber units in the IDF, as a programmer. After his release from active service, Nir started his academic studies of computer science at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya. After he came out of the closet, and while sharing his life with his partner, Thomas, Nir who has chosen a lifestyle of giving back to the community and beli e ved in strengthening the LGBTQ comminity, was volunteering for the LGBTQ community center as an instructor at The Aguda’s youth club, the “Barnoar”. On Saturday night of August 1st, 2009, at the exit of the Shabbat, A masked man dressed in black walked into the LGBTQ center, on Nahmani st. in Tel Aviv. At that time the youth club, “Barnoar”’s activity was ongoing. The murderous man, holding a loaded gun in his hand, began shooting e veryone who was present in the center. The night ended with 10 wounded people, tens of victims of anxiety, and 2 deaths: Liz T rubishi and Nir Katz.

May they rest in peace.

- Writers and editors -

Ran Shalhavi –CEO Hila Peer & Nurit Shein – Co-Chairwomen Danielle Itzhak –Vice President Lior First Rabi –Director of the Execution of Rights Dr. Sigal Gooldin - Director of the Israeli Institute for Gender and LGBTQ Studies

- Partner organizations for writing the report -