A white city turned pink: Tel Aviv as Israel's homonormative LGBTQ flagship

Tel Aviv, known as Israel's 'White City,' has been increasingly branded as a global gay capital, often overshadowing its settler colonial roots. This study reveals that such narratives contribute to an exclusionary urban space, prioritizing a securitized and corporatized queer identity while marginalizing non-normative LGBTQ individuals, particularly Palestinians. Through critical analysis of media representations—including documentaries like Oriented and events such as Tel Aviv Pride and Birthright Trips—the research demonstrates how Israel's progressive LGBTQ rights are used to 'pinkwash' its occupation, reinforcing a homogeneous queer subjectivity that silences dissenting voices.

Stallone, S. (2019). A white city turned pink: Tel Aviv as Israel’s homonormative LGBTQ flagship. Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture, 4(3), 257–270. https://doi.org/10.1386/qsmpc_00011_1