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Ultra-Orthodox Lesbian Women in Israel: Alternative Family Structures as a Bridge between Religious and Sexual Identities

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  • Shirley Ben Shlomo

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel)

  • Ayelet Oreg

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel)

Abstract

The Jewish ultra-Orthodox community enforces strict rules concerning its members’ way of life and demands that their identities be consistent with that of this conservative community. However, such congruence does not exist for ultra-Orthodox women who identify as lesbians. Drawing on social representation theory, this study examines the unique family structures that lesbian ultra-Orthodox women in Israel have adopted to accommodate their conflicting identities. The study employed a qualitative multiple case study design, conducting in-depth interviews with seven ultra-Orthodox lesbian women, and adopted a phenomenological approach to learn about their lived experience. The women had all married young in arranged marriages and all had children. Four of them were still married, while the other three were divorced. In all cases, however, their lesbian identity was kept hidden. The findings reveal the unique family structures these women created that allowed them to maintain their religious way of life on the surface, while remaining committed to their sexual identity in secret. The study extends the social representation theory and promotes an understanding of the multifaceted identity of ultra-Orthodox lesbian women. The findings can aid in designing interventions that can help such women cope with the secret aspects of their life.

Suggested Citation

  • Shirley Ben Shlomo & Ayelet Oreg, 2022. "Ultra-Orthodox Lesbian Women in Israel: Alternative Family Structures as a Bridge between Religious and Sexual Identities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:13:p:7575-:d:843962
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Sawrikar, Pooja & Katz, Ilan, 2017. "Barriers to disclosing child sexual abuse (CSA) in ethnic minority communities: A review of the literature and implications for practice in Australia," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 302-315.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dorit Segal-Engelchin & Orit Taubman-Ben-Ari, 2023. "Editorial: Health and Well-Being Related to New Family Forms: Perspectives of Adults, Couples, Children, and Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-8, April.
    2. Billig, Miriam & Maor, Maya, 2024. "From the body as an object to embodied subjectivity: Social egg freezing as a personal definition rite among ultra-orthodox singles," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).

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