27 beautiful moments from the Tel Aviv gay pride parade

A tidal wave of sweaty bodies, fluffy rainbow ears and vodka water bottles crashed down HaYarkon Street along the coast of Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon — forming what was likely the city's largest gay pride parade to date. The explosion of pent-up social and sexual energy was a fitting climax to a steady build of pride events over this past week, and an ideal starting gun for another hot mess of a “>the largest event of its kind in the Middle East” and proof that Tel Aviv has become ““>pinkwashing is at play, the love, acceptence and sunshine beaming down on the androgynous HaYarkon street mob on Friday was overwhelming. And the freedom to strip to your thong in public and make out with a drag queen (or your same-sex life partner) is certainly given extra weight by the understanding that in other countries just a few hours away, the LGBT community is largely in hiding.

With that in mind, here are 27 of the most beautiful moments I witnessed at Tel Aviv's 2014 gay pride parade — just a few among millions.

27. This beautiful baby.