Transgender Israel Co-existence Contest


In this Sunday, May 22, 2016 photo, contestants in the first Miss Trans Israel beauty pageant gather for rehearsal in Tel Aviv, Israel. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)From Tel Aviv and the "Times of Israel" 12 finalists are aiming to become Israel’s first “Miss Trans Israel.” They have spent long hours this week practicing their routines, strutting in stiletto heels and modeling evening gowns and swim wear.
The competition is more than a show of beauty and pride.
It also is a display of coexistence and tolerance, bringing together contestants from Israel’s Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities. The contestants describe themselves as a family of sorts, saying they find strength in one another.
“I’m happy that the competition is bringing together all of the ethnic groups, and together they are a model of coexistence,” said Israela Stephanie Lev, the pageant’s organizer. “I hope this model can be an example for our society, for the Middle East and the world.




   

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