ABSTRACT

Homosexuality, Transsexuality, Psychoanalysis and Traditional Judaism explores the often incommensurable and irreconcilable beliefs and understandings of sexuality and gender in the Orthodox Jewish community from psychoanalytic, rabbinic, feminist, and queer perspectives. The book explores how seemingly irreconcilable differences might be resolved.  

The book is divided into two separate but related sections. The first highlights the divide between the psychoanalytic, academic, and traditional Orthodox Jewish perspectives on sexual identity and orientation, and the acute psychic and social challenges faced by gay and lesbian members of the Orthodox Jewish world. The contributors ask us to engage with them in a dialogue that allows for authentic conversation.

The second section focuses on gender identity, especially as experienced by the Orthodox transgender members of the community. It also highlights the divide between theories that see gender as fluid and traditional Judaism that sees gender as strictly binary. The contributors write about their views and experiences from both sides of the divide. They ask us to engage in true authentic dialogue about these complex and crucial emotional and religious challenges. 

Homosexuality, Transsexuality, Psychoanalysis and Traditional Judaism will be of great interest to psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists as well as members and leaders of Jewish communities working with LGBTQ issues.

part Section I|142 pages

Sexual identity, psychoanalysis, and traditional Judaism

chapter |5 pages

Preface to Section 1

3Moving the conversation along

chapter |9 pages

Introduction to Section I

9Sexual identity, psychoanalysis, and traditional Judaism

chapter Chapter 1|14 pages

Does God make referrals?

19Orthodox Judaism and homosexuality

chapter Chapter 3|4 pages

Discussion of “Does God make referrals?”

Orthodox Judaism and homosexuality

chapter Chapter 4|6 pages

The challenges faced by LGBTQ Orthodox Jews

An Orthodox response

chapter Chapter 6|22 pages

Gay Jewish men in the Orthodox Jewish community

Striving for selfhood

chapter Chapter 7|12 pages

The parents are our future 1

Orthodox communities’ openness to their LGBT members

chapter Chapter 8|24 pages

Envisioning an Orthodox gay wedding

A Jewish ritual of same-sex union and an inquiry into the meanings of marriage

chapter Chapter 9|15 pages

“Women known for these acts”

A review of the Jewish laws of lesbians

part Section II|167 pages

Gender identity, psychoanalysis, and traditional Judaism

chapter |9 pages

Introduction to Section II

145Gender identity, psychoanalysis, and traditional Judaism

chapter Chapter 13|8 pages

Border crossings

Commentary on Dr. Ben Baader’s chapter

chapter Chapter 14|23 pages

Knowing the soul of the stranger