Jewish GLBT Communities

In 1492, the Jews of Spain were given a choice: convert or leave.

I watched the movie "Trembling Before G-d" this morning before class. It really made me sick to see how people within the Jewish community are shunned because of their sexual orientation. There were many instances in the movie of people being told that in order to fit in and be accepted in the community they must change who they are. In class we watched the story of David, a man from Chicago who was told 20 years ago by a rabbi to get therapy to "fix" him. Twenty years later and he's still gay. The same rabbi told him this time he must not live the lifestyle that makes him comfortable because it is just not right.

Essentially David was given a choice: be straight or leave.

Do you see my connection?

Gay Jews are being shunned just as the Jews of Spain were over 500 years ago. Only this time it is by other Jews. In Spain the Jews were expelled because of their beliefs. Many Jews left because they identified as Jews; they couldn't change who they were. And now gay Jews are being told that they must change who they are or else they will be expelled as well. It just seems very hypocritical to me. How could that rabbi say this to David when he knows the history of his people and he knows what it is like to be shunned based on personal feelings and beliefs?

I think by watching this movie I gained a lot more respect for the greater gay community. Jewish or not, it gave me a sense of what people who identify as homosexual must go through in order to be true to themselves.