Last week, four years after I graduated from the Israel Defense Forces officer course, I was promoted to the rank of captain. For me, this is not a personal achievement; it is one dedicated to my commanders. Understand that my journey was not like any other. I am Israel’s first openly transgender soldier.
A year and a half into my service, at the urging of my supportive superiors, I found myself in front of a group of fellow cadets and came out. To say it was easy would be dishonest. And without the faith and support of the people around me, I might have never found the strength to make that life-changing decision.
But I did. And for it I was rewarded with kindness, understanding and tolerance. My peers received me with open arms. They congratulated me and told me how proud they were of my achievement. They even asked why I had kept it a secret for so long. Of course they would have supported me all along.
Their words were more than mere platitudes. Not once during my time at the IDF have I been discriminated against because of my gender identity. And my superiors also offered more than just supportive gestures. The Israeli military’s health insurance covered the cost of my transition. They paid for my hormone injections and complex surgery, including difficult procedures such as double mastectomy and chest reconstruction.
The sheer kindness and tolerance that made it all possible for me is what motivates me now to create the same conditions for those who are still on the journey that I have already successfully completed. And I have a message for all young people — not just for those who are transgender — who are still struggling, who feel different: We are equal and we all should have equal rights and opportunities.
Israel’s critics often accuse the IDF of “pinkwashing,” using cultural propaganda that seeks to present Israel as a haven for minorities in order to deflect criticism about the military’s treatment of Palestinians. The obscene fatuity of the concept should be obvious: Israel is the only gay-friendly country in the Middle East, a region where people like myself are routinely being harassed, prosecuted and worse.