Sharon Afek
The chief military Prosecutor Sharon Afek was the first openly gay in the IDF (Israel defense forces). About his homosexuality he said in an interview with Israeli media, said The Haaretz.
45-year-old Colonel said that his attitude is “never interfered and did not help his military career.” “When I was a young officer, there were other times. I was afraid that it would somehow play against me, I will rest in the glass ceiling. Fortunately, one is not particularly interested in my homosexuality and I have never felt that my sexual orientation plays a role in decision-making in relation to me,” he explained.
He noted that he wanted a personal example to show the recruits from the LGBT community that in the IDF there is no discrimination against homosexuals.
While Afek added that “the manifestation of ignorance and xenophobia” is also found in the present.
Since 1993, open gays and lesbians are allowed to serve in the Israeli army. In 1980-ies the military leadership had to report to the psychiatrists about the presence in the ranks of the army of the LGBT community, despite the fact that the 70-ies of homosexuality in most countries ceased to be considered a mental disorder.