Gila Goldstein (Hebrew: ×'יל×" ×'ול×"שטיין‎; 18 December
1947 â€" 5 February 2017) was an Israeli actress, singer and
transgender rights activist. She was one of the first activists of the
Aguda, the oldest and largest LGBT organization in Israel. She is
considered Israel's first transgender woman and an LGBT icon.Gila
Goldstein was born in Turin as Avraham Goldstein and assigned male at
birth. After immigrating to Israel, she lived in Haifa. Goldstein
realized she was transgender in 1960 and changed her name to Gila. She
worked as a prostitute in Haifa before having sex reassignment surgery
in Belgium in 1960 â€" the first officially documented sex
reassignment surgery for an Israeli. In the early 1970s, Goldstein
lived in Europe and worked as a dancer and striptease performer. When
she returned to Israel, she performed in nightclubs and bars,
including Bar 51. She served as the prototype of one of the characters
in Bar 51 directed by Amos Guttman.Goldstein recorded several songs
and performed them in "Allenby 58" club in 1990s. In 1998, together
with Nino Orsiano she had music program on the local radio.She was
awarded the Israeli LGBT community prize in 2003 and Miami LGBT Film
Festival Award for the best supporting actress for her role in "Good
boys" in 2005. In 2010 she starred in the TV series for children and
in the same year, a documentary film was made about her life. The
organization that provides assistance to transgender people was named
after her in 2011. In 2015, in recognition of her service to the
community, she had the honor to go at the head of the Tel Aviv pride
parade.
1947 â€" 5 February 2017) was an Israeli actress, singer and
transgender rights activist. She was one of the first activists of the
Aguda, the oldest and largest LGBT organization in Israel. She is
considered Israel's first transgender woman and an LGBT icon.Gila
Goldstein was born in Turin as Avraham Goldstein and assigned male at
birth. After immigrating to Israel, she lived in Haifa. Goldstein
realized she was transgender in 1960 and changed her name to Gila. She
worked as a prostitute in Haifa before having sex reassignment surgery
in Belgium in 1960 â€" the first officially documented sex
reassignment surgery for an Israeli. In the early 1970s, Goldstein
lived in Europe and worked as a dancer and striptease performer. When
she returned to Israel, she performed in nightclubs and bars,
including Bar 51. She served as the prototype of one of the characters
in Bar 51 directed by Amos Guttman.Goldstein recorded several songs
and performed them in "Allenby 58" club in 1990s. In 1998, together
with Nino Orsiano she had music program on the local radio.She was
awarded the Israeli LGBT community prize in 2003 and Miami LGBT Film
Festival Award for the best supporting actress for her role in "Good
boys" in 2005. In 2010 she starred in the TV series for children and
in the same year, a documentary film was made about her life. The
organization that provides assistance to transgender people was named
after her in 2011. In 2015, in recognition of her service to the
community, she had the honor to go at the head of the Tel Aviv pride
parade.
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