Reexamining Jewish Orthodox Gay Identity in Disobedience and Trembling Before G-d

Includes bibliographical references (pages 39-40).Naomi Alderman's novel, Disobedience, and the documentary Trembling Before G-d, directed by Sandi DuBowski, explore how coexistence between one's gay identity and Jewish Orthodox identity can be seen as an alternative way of being gay and Orthodox. I believe it is important to rethink what it means to be gay and Orthodox because these two parts of one's identity may have previously been perceived as unable to coexist. However, these two parts of one's identity can come together in the form of an alternative way of identifying as being a gay Orthodox Jew. I believe it is essential to examine the coexistence of one's gay identity and Orthodox identity because gay identity may be seen as being contradictory towards several fundamental principles of Orthodox Judaism. The coexistence may seem contradictory because the novel and documentary illustrate that Orthodox Judaism emphasizes heterosexual marriage and procreation within the Orthodox community. The characters in the novel and individuals in the film also display a range of ways they establish coexistence either within their community or outside of their community. Individuals who live outside of an Orthodox community are able to be more open about their sexuality. However, the individuals who establish coexistence within their community typically keep their sexuality a secret. In Disobedience, Alderman uses Ronit and Esti, who are two gay Orthodox female characters, to outline how they are able to achieve coexistence. Ronit and Esti demonstrate they are able to achieve coexistence in their Orthodox community by redefining the Orthodox female gender roles that are typically expressed in their community.\ud They also show how they achieve coexistence by either rejecting or accepting the idea that their Orthodox community rejects outside social and cultural influences. Also, these two female characters outline why they believe their Orthodox community can be seen as being male dominant and illustrate how this belief causes them difficulty achieving self-acceptance because they deal with feelings of guilt, self-hatred, and, in Esti's case an eating disorder. The documentary Trembling Before G-d also reveals how gay Orthodox Jews are able to achieve coexistence between these two parts of their identity. I believe the documentary suggests some individuals in the film use coexistence as an alternative because they claim their Orthodox communities view Orthodox sexuality as a subject that should be suppressed. Furthermore, since procreation is essential to Orthodoxy, I observe that sexual intercourse within Orthodoxy can be perceived as a tool that is used in order to help the survival of the\ud Jewish community. Also, gay Orthodox Jews in the film use this alternative because they believe their community views their gay identity as a disease, and as something that needs a cure. Due to these perceptions, several individuals in the film are unable to achieve selfacceptance because they are unable to receive acceptance from their family and from their Orthodox community. I believe it is important to examine the coexistence between one's gay identity and Orthodox identities because it demonstrates how coexistence is possible through\ud one's desire to be dedicated to two parts of their identity that may previously have been perceived as unable to coexist