This past weekend, over 200,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv for the city’s annual Gay Pride Parade. The eighteenth year of festivities took off on Friday, June 3, after a moment of silence honoring the memory of those who have been victims of anti-LGBT violence.

“We’re slowly walking toward a more equal, more respectful society that allows all human beings to express themselves as they see fit,” said Ron Huldai, mayor of Tel Aviv. The parade’s theme this year was “Women for a change,” focusing on women’s empowerment. MORE