"How I became a professional homosexual" • The story of Michael Ross from Haifa

(haipo) - It is true that Pride Month has passed, but for LGBT people, Pride Month lasts a lifetime. Therefore, I decided to talk to the young Michael Ross from Haifa, who has been through quite a bit in his life and is likely to go through more just by being gay.

The story of Michael Ross from Haifa

Ross was born in Nahariya in 1991, half a year after his parents immigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union. After immigrating, the family lived in a fairly conservative neighborhood. In addition, his parents did not receive their professional degrees in Israel and they worked very hard to fit in at work and in Israeli society in general.

From the age of 4 Michael knew he was "different"

When we talked, Michael told that already at the age of 4 he knew he was "different":

I remember, for example, that when I was playing with a girl, a friend, the parents and the adults around would say, jokingly, that we would get married, and even then something there felt very wrong or logical to me.

Michael elaborated and said that already in elementary school he fell in love with one of the kids in the class, and it felt strange to him. This is how he describes: "I would do All Just to meet him. Of course there was nothing sexual, but there was definitely attraction and love. I had a clear feeling that something about me was different from the others."

Michael's visit to Tel Aviv

The token that he is gay fell to Michael at an older age, when he visited Tel Aviv and saw for the first time a proud couple walking down the street with their children and holding hands. Despite this, at the age of 18 he has not yet "come out" publicly, choosing to share only with his close friends.

Army recruitment

Michael said that in the army he served in a selected position in the UN unit, to which he tried to be accepted due to his attraction to cultures that began as a child in Nahariya, where different populations such as Japanese, Koreans, Norwegians, etc. live. In the army, Michael enjoyed every moment and even though he felt different from the other soldiers in the unit , he felt that he had fulfilled a dream and reached where he wanted.

"That's how I came out of the closet, without meaning to"

During the army Michael had a first partner and they kept the relationship a secret. During this time, one of the officers at the base, who was also gay, recognized Michael Gay and tried to court him. When Michael refused, the officer told his superiors that he was gay. Michael describes the fear and hysteria he felt that the commanders would spread the word that he was gay, and especially that they would tell his father.

Michal said:

That's how I came out of the closet, without meaning to. After 10 years the commander apologized to me.

Although the commanders did not tell his parents, Michael decided during this period to "come out of the closet" in front of his mother. His father found out later.

Michael's strong character

Michael says that he always had a strong character and that in relation to other Jewish soldiers to whom similar incidents happened, some of whom even committed suicide, he decided to continue serving in the army and move to the base in Rosh Hankara, where he engaged in diplomacy around the border crossing between Israel and Lebanon. The service was very significant for him and at the end of it he received a certificate of appreciation from the UN.

Michael always liked to act "to fix the world" and says:

I once had a trainee in one of the settings where I worked who asked that we address him in the female form. At first I had a very hard time with it. I then began to research and understand the complex process that trans people go through. Later, I really admired the change he made and she (who used to be him) even became my favorite apprentice.

After the army Michael decided to tell his father that he was gay, but the day before his father had a stroke and became disabled. Later, when his father realized that his son was gay, Michael had to leave Nahariya and thus came to Haifa. It was a very difficult time for him.

The evolution of Michael Ross

Michael met his first LGBT friend who was Arab and his partner was Jewish in the Hadar neighborhood in Haifa. He describes how he fell in love with the Hadar neighborhood and felt at home there. Until then, he was sure that Haifa was only as far as the center of Carmel. At that time he also became interested in the Jewish conflict He said that his friend later left the country, like many other LGBT people, and that this is a very common phenomenon.

Michael tells about the separation from his friend who left the country:

Parting with him was very difficult for me. I was broken.

When asked what happened next, Michael answered: "I went to New York where I studied international relations and multicultural education. The LGBT topic interested me very much and I began to study and read about it. When I returned from New York I lived in Tel Aviv for 4 years, but I missed Haifa. On 01.07.21 I returned to Haifa and founded the "Sport Gaa" group. The municipality did not help me at all with this. Despite this, it is a strong group The most successful.'

The difficulty of initiating for LGBT people in Haifa

Michael says that today there is no association in Haifa that works with LGBT people despite the need for an organization to help the population. For this reason, it is very difficult to establish ventures on the subject. Michael described that he tried to initiate a line for LGBT parties but was unsuccessful. He added that in Haifa the property tax is very high, another factor that makes it difficult for young people to initiate projects. Thus, in contrast to Haifa, when he established the project "Straight Friendly" in Tel Aviv, the municipality gave him a place free of charge. In Haifa he did not receive any help.

Michael's "Straight Friendly" global venture

"Straight Friendly" is a unique project that aims to make the LGBT issue accessible to LGBT people themselves and those around them. His target audience is people who want to know how to explain to others what it is to be "Tab" in general, about their needs and their way of life.

Michael, where would you like to be in five years?

Michael answered: "Parenting and family are important to me, as well as making the whole LGBT issue accessible through technology that will save lives. I want to approach the issue from a place of strength and not of victims, making information available to people about my issue was lacking."

On choosing to add Thidi Frank to the "Straight Friendly" venture

Michael tells about the choice to add me, Thidi Frank, a 60+ year old straight woman, to the project: "At the age of 17, when I was a co-founder of the Green Party in Nahariya, the absolute majority of the party's members were adults, the founders of the city, 60+ years old. I learned a lot from them and their experience, and I felt that they respected me, regardless of my age. During this time I learned how important it is to learn from the experience of adults.'

"It was important for me to apply this learning in the project, and to create a variety of ages among the partners in it. Although my friend is straight, I felt that a 60+ year old woman could contribute the most to the project. In practice, that's exactly what happened, you just had to help her a little with the technology. Today, after learning and investing, she is one of ours even though she is straight and even technology no longer scares her. She even becomes an AI (artificial intelligence) expert."

Tell us an interesting detail that we don't know about you

Michael thought for a moment and answered: "During my studies in New York, I got to know the Conservative LGBT Synagogue and since then I have had an affinity for Judaism. I even had the honor of talking with many of San Francisco and many of New York, who advised Biden on religious matters. In my opinion, Judaism can benefit the community The LGBT. Today, I observe Shabbat in my liberal and secular ways."

Life as a student at the Haifa Technion

Today, Michael is studying for a master's degree in business administration in the entrepreneur track at the Technion. He says that he personally does not feel any discrimination as a student at the Technion and added that he openly promotes his project "Straight Friendly" in classes and on various platforms at the Technion.

A few words from Michael Summary:

The LGBT choice to live with the truth carries a heavy price in Israel and I admire anyone who chooses to do so and sympathizes with their pain. I hope that someone will "pick up the gauntlet" and build an LGBT leadership in Haifa and in particular at the Technion.

A few words from me, Thidi Frank, as a partner in the project "Straight Friendly"

At first I was frightened by the issue and the involvement in it in the project "Straight Friendly", what people would say, the technology and various aspects related to the issue and the project. Today, I overcame my fear and don't let age stop me. The more I work and help this wonderful group, the more I know the LGBT people and know how to distinguish their needs.