URI hosts Israeli TV star

KINGSTON – Before Assi Azar came out of the closet 12 years ago, at age 24, he was contemplating suicide. Keeping his sexuality a secret, especially from his family, was taking a great personal toll. 

Now one of Israel’s most popular television personalities, it’s hard to believe that this charismatic celebrity was once so tormented. But, as he described to a packed room of students and community members at URI’s Gender and Sexuality Center on March 31, he did not have any gay role models growing up in Israel. When he came out, he knew of only one other celebrity in Israel who was openly gay.

A lot has changed. Tel Aviv is now considered one of the world’s most gay-friendly cities. Much of Israel’s religious community, however, still denounces homosexuality and many teens still struggle with coming out to parents who grew up in households where such things were not discussed.

Azar, who in 2009 was listed among the most 100 influential gay people in the world by OUT Magazine, has used his celebrity to speak out for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community. At his URI appearance, sponsored by URI Hillel, the Gender and Sexuality Center and the Harrington School of Communication and Media, he introduced and showed his film “Mom and Dad: I have Something to Tell You.” The film, which aired nationally on Israeli television, tells the story of his and others’ coming out to their Israeli parents and the journey the parents undergo as a result. 

“The minute I came out of the closet, I put my parents in the closet,” Azar said. “What took me 24 years to admit, I unfairly expected my parents to embrace immediately.” Through the making of the film and with the passage of time, Azar and his parents have strengthened their relationship.

Under the laws which govern marriage in Israel, same-sex marriage cannot legally be performed. However, Israel recognizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, making it the first and only country in Asia to do so. 

Azar estimates that 90 percent of gay celebrities are “out” in Israel and two Knesset members are openly gay.

At appearances on some other college campuses in the United States, Azar has been accused of “pinkwashing” – using Israel’s excellent record on LGBTQ rights as a way of diverting attention from the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. When no one at URI raised that issue, Azar, who is known in Israel for his willingness to publicly criticize Israeli politics and society, brought it up himself. “I am not here to pinkwash. I just want people to know that there is more to Israel than the conflict and what people see on TV.” 

AMY OLSON is executive director of University of Rhode Island Hillel.