Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - DP110044
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED327757 AUTHOR: Dworkin, Sari H.
TITLE: Female, Lesbian, and Jewish: Complex and Invisible.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1990
NOTE: 17 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Convention of
the American Psychological Association (98th, Boston, MA,
August 10-14, 1990).
ABSTRACT: Managing a marginal identity different from the
dominant culture is a difficult process. For a woman who is
a lesbian and also Jewish, this means feeling marginal in
each of the communities she considers to be her primary
support systems. Within the Jewish community, lesbianism is
not acceptable, and within the lesbian community, there is
often anti-Semitism. This paper begins by briefly
discussing some historical and religious issues of
relevance to the empowerment of women within Judaism and to
coming out as a Jewish lesbian. It then explores the
process of coming out as a Jewish lesbian within the
framework of a four-stage model of the coming out process
that is generally accepted as the theory for the
development of a lesbian identity. From the perspective of
this framework, the acceptance of two marginal identities
is examined. Implications for counselors working with
Jewish lesbians are discussed.
(Author/TE)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Religious-Discrimination; Religious
Factors; Self-Actualization; Self-Concept; Self-Esteem
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Homosexuality-; *Jews-; *Judaism-;
*Lesbianism-; *Social-Bias; *Social-Discrimination
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