„In the spring, a year after transitioning from male to female, Ms. Abu Hanna became Israel’s first transgender beauty queen, winning the Miss Trans Israel pageant, a Swarovski-studded crown that barely made it over her hair-sprayed updo, and something she values more: visibility, for herself and for a cause she believes in. ‚She was so beautiful, impressive,‘ said Israela Lev, a transgender activist who organized the pageant and initially spotted Ms. Abu Hanna at a sushi restaurant in a mall. Now, Ms. Abu Hanna is looking ahead to a bigger stage: the global transgender pageant, Miss Trans Star International, in Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 17. ‚I think winning the crown in Barcelona will give some hope, like planting a seed of hope‘ for other transgender people, she said. ‚Imagine because of who you are, you have to leave your family, home and country – I am speaking of Arab countries.‘ She plans to represent Israel out of ‚respect, because it is a democracy that has given me peace between my soul and my body.‘ (…)
But nothing is simple in this part of the world. Even among gay people, her quest for the beauty crown has drawn criticism. Leading Palestinian groups for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people declined to comment on Ms. Abu Hanna’s activities. But gay and transgender activists say the groups see her decision to represent Israel as ‚pinkwashing,‘ a term that critics use to describe how Israel markets its gay-friendly reputation to shift focus from military occupation.“
(Dia Hadid: „A ‚Seed of Hope‘ for Transgender People in Arab Communities“)