Uzi Even

Professor Uzi Even (Hebrew: עוזי אבן‎, born October 18, 1940) is an Israeli professor of chemistry in Tel Aviv University and a former politician.

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Born in Haifa to eastern European Jewish immigrants, Even studied for a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Physics at the Technion, and a Ph.D at Tel Aviv University. He lists his specializations as spectroscopy of super cold molecules, molecular clusters and cluster impact chemistry, and the quantum properties of helium clusters.

Activism and political career

In 1993 he told the Knesset that the IDF had sacked him and removed his security clearance after they discovered he was gay. His testimony led to Yitzhak Rabin's government changing the law to allow homosexuals to serve in the army.^[1]. In 1995 he successfully challenged his employer, Tel Aviv University, for spousal rights for his partner.

A member of Meretz, he narrowly missed out on being elected to the fifteenth Knesset in 1999, but as the next placed candidate on the party's list, he became an MK when Amnon Rubinstein resigned in 2002, making him the first openly homosexual member of the Knesset.^[1] He lost his seat in the 2003 elections.

He married his husband Amit Kama in Canada. They are raising a son who has both of their last names. Even is still active in gay rights issues today.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Israel's first gay MP enters parliament BBC News, 4 November 2002