Bar-Ilan University The Value of Menstruation: Positive Meanings of the Female Lived-Body Experience Sarit Gayle Moas Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M a s t e r ’ s d e g r e e from the Program for Higher Degrees in Gender Studies of the Interdisciplinary Unit, Bar-Ilan University *This work is protected by copyright law. Copyright © Sarit Gayle Moas 2010. All Rights Reserved. Ramat-Gan, Israel 2010 This thesis was written under the supervision of Prof. Larissa Remennick of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Dr. Hila Ha’elyon of the Program for Higher Degrees in Gender Studies of the Interdisciplinary Unit, Bar-Ilan University. Acknowledgements My thanks to the Creator and as the proposal was approved on my birthday, Alef Sivan, prior to Erev Shavuot, and as this thesis was accepted exactly one year later, may this first academic fruit be my offering to the Divine. To all my teachers & parents in this world and beyond who have assisted me in remembering and becoming who I am. To the social networks, spiritual communities and sisterhoods that continue to sustain and inspire me. To my supervisors, Professor Larissa Remennick for your flexibility, integrity and openness and to Dr. Hila Ha’elyon for your brilliant clairvoyance, enthusiasm and knowing how to empower me to work independently. To Professor Tova Cohen & Rachel Hillel from the Gender Studies Program, for your assurance, focus and cheerful encouragement. To Professor Jenny Kein for your reading and judgment which provided useful input. Further appreciation goes out to Dr. Rivka Tuval-Mashiach, Dr. Hila Ha’elyon, Professor Larissa Remennick, Dr. Tova Hartman and Dr. Ronit Ir-Shay –your classes academically strengthened and personally intrigued me to the extent of stimulating my research. To Dr. Tami Razi and Dr. Michal Rom for your patience in creatively brainstorming with me at the protracted outset of this project. To Dr. Orna Sasson-Levy, Dr. Lyat Friedman and Dr. Elisheva Baumgarten for challenging me to the extent of improving my academic style. To Meir Roth and Dr. Shlomo Sela of the computer department, for improving the thesis format through useful help and computer training. To Linda Joyce Moas; Ahuva Rosenblatt, Dr. Avraham Moskowitz, Dr. Michelle Garland, Amanda Wright and Dr. Orna-Rachel Weiner for your advice, proofreading and support. To my editor-in-chief, Reuven Goldfarb, for your professionalism, skills, patience, charm and our synchronized wavelength. To my dear friend, Rachel Bushary, for your continuous guidance and strong embrace. And a most special thanks I extend to Henit Azuz-Farchan, my confidante, colleague & coach as well as to Shelly, Nili and Ofra on the school front. I thank Ran Smilovitch and Ronain Moas for believing in this project on the home front. Although this project reflects an alternative view, I am grateful towards Rebbetzin Emuna Witt, HaMorah Leah Golomb, Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, Rabbi Haviva Ner-David, Rav Eran Bénisty & HaRav Israël Yitzhak Besançon, for your teachings, sharing & blessings. To my academic mentor –Dr. Avi Elqayam and to Dr. Dalila Amir, Dr. Marianna Ruah- Midbar and Dr. Rivka Raviv, I thank you respectively, for a partnership in a committed quest of giving over the experience of truth, bringing the body back into the discourse, academizing spirituality and exploring niddah openly. I extend my deepest gratitude by dedicating this work to all the amazing and authentic women who honor this lived-thesis endeavor by contributing to menstrual research, talking their walk as well as walking their talk through living out unique female wisdom. Sarit Gayle Moas (Sarita): [email protected]; [email protected] 972-54-4899458; 972-3-5225138. Table of Contents Abstract. 1. Introduction................................................................................................................. 1 2. Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 5 A: Menstruation in the Jewish Context .................................................................... 5 B: Menstruation in the Israeli Context ................................................................... 12 C: Feminist Reinterpretations of ‘Menstrual Purity’ ............................................ 12 D: Menstruation Models........................................................................................... 17 3. Research Design and Methodology ......................................................................... 20 Research Paradigm...................................................................................................... 20 Research Objective ..................................................................................................... 20 Research Questions..................................................................................................... 21 Research Tools............................................................................................................ 21 Study Population......................................................................................................... 22 Research Procedure..................................................................................................... 23 Interview Structure and Analysis................................................................................ 24 Ethics........................................................................................................................... 25 4. Research Findings..................................................................................................... 26 A: Table of Interviewees’ Characteristics............................................................... 26 B: Body Awareness and Acceptance ....................................................................... 31 Achieving Body Awareness.................................................................................... 33 The Approach of ‘Naturality’ ................................................................................. 36 C: Non-limiting Body Practices and Attitudes ....................................................... 38 Menstrual Experiences and Practices...................................................................... 41 Pre-menstrual Practices........................................................................................... 47 Reappropriating Body Practices ............................................................................. 48 Other Body-Related Behaviors............................................................................... 50 Implications of ‘Naturality’ on Fertility and Society.............................................. 56 D: Widening Space to Accommodate Changing Boundaries................................ 59 Implications of Institutionalizing Space ................................................................. 63 E: Redefining Menstruation and Reality ................................................................ 66 Women’s Authenticity Revealed through Menstruation ........................................ 70 Holistic Parallelism of Spiritual Embodiment ........................................................ 71 Towards Solving the Conflict of Niddah................................................................ 73 F: Personal Reflections ............................................................................................. 79 5. Discussion and Conclusions ..................................................................................... 82 6. Summary and Future Research............................................................................... 88 7. Appendixes................................................................................................................. 91 Appendix A: Candidate Screening Guide................................................................... 91 Appendix B: Semi-Structured Interview Schedule..................................................... 92 8. Bibliography.. ........................................................................................................ …93 Hebrew Absract. Abstract This qualitative feminist study deals with experiences of a group of ‘menstrually aware’ women in Israel, who describe their attitudes and practices concerning their bodies, menstruation and conceptualization of niddah. This thesis is based on in-depth interviews conducted with 19 fertile Jewish-Israeli women who are ‘involved with their menstrual cycle’ and contributes to opening up the public discussion of menstruation in Israel. This phenomenological research investigates their perceptions of the natural cycle through a thematic analysis in light of menstrual models and their philosophical, sociological and theological sources. Theoretical aspects of existentialism, ‘lived- body’ and ‘embodiment’ theories, along with Biblical sources, were examined within a critical feminist framework. The hypothesis of this research is the existence of positive menstrual meanings and this thesis sets out to describe and characterize the menstrual phenomenon as a valuable event. This research population is characterized by a body narrative of naturalness and body consciousness. The possibility of linking ‘positive force’ to the woman during her menstruation derives from self-acceptance of the body in all of its conditions. Such an experience is more accessible by adopting a body orientation that is related to spiritual, ecological