Over 200,000 people from Israel and abroad took part in Tel Aviv’s Pride March on Friday (June 3), making it the most spectacular and best-attended Pride Parade in the Middle East, according to the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality.
But the parade didn’t just come and go. The Municipality’s official video for the Pride event is still very much alive and growing in popularity. It has even been called the “best version of an Aerosmith song you’ll ever hear.”
The video is a cover of the song “Pink” and stars Israeli YouTube cover artist, Shefita. The video also includes belly dancer Avishag Efrati, tattoo artist Anat Nimni, bodybuilder Efrat Wechsler and drag king Michael Angelo (Shirley Charlie Kleinman).
Scottish actor Alan Cumming and American musician/actor Lea DeLaria were this year’s Pride ambassadors for the Tel Aviv event.
In fact, DeLaria tweeted that her fans should start following Shefita: “This chick is hilarious. SEE HER B**CHES!!”
“I’m so glad that I’ve waited to visit Israel until now, as coming to Tel Aviv as a very proud Pride ambassador is the best way I can imagine,” said Cumming. “I’m so honored to be so honored, and had a great time part-aying!”
“I couldn’t be more honored and excited to be a Pride Ambassador for Tel Aviv Pride,” said Lea DeLaria. “Jewish girls are hot!”
The Tel Aviv Pride Parade is the only parade in the world that is fully sponsored by a municipality, according to Tel Aviv’s city council.
In 2011, Tel Aviv was selected the Best Gay City in the world by GayCities.com.
“My friends, we have been marching for some years now, and we will keep on marching in pursue of equality. We will keep marching these streets of Tel Aviv with the hope that the pluralism, tolerance and liberalism of this city will spread to the country, the Middle East and the world,” said Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Ron Huldai, upon launching the Parade.