Authors
Reut Itzkovitch-Malka
Publication date
2021
Journal
The Oxford handbook of Israeli politics and society
Pages
211-225
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Description
One of the most significant changes Israeli society has undergone in recent decades is its growing awareness of gender inequality. Gender issues are no longer the domain of a few small groups. The feminist discourse, in all its diversity, exists among women from all segments of society: Jewish and Palestinian, Ashkenazi and Mizrahi, heterosexual and gay, religious and secular, immigrants and Sabras, and more. However, while women have made great strides in all areas of life—political, social, legal, economic, and cultural—true gender equality remains a distant vision. Analysis of the gender situation in Israel shows similarities to other postindustrial societies, as well as characteristics unique to the gender regime in Israel. While gender inequality is not unique to Israeli society and is prevalent in most postindustrial societies, it appears that path dependency plays a significant role in shaping the gender structure of Israeli society, especially with regard to the myth and the ethos of gender equality. In addition, some of the sociocultural features of Israeli society exacerbate gender inequality by sustaining and strengthening existing gender-based stereotypes. In this chapter I seek to trace, identify, and characterize the main features of the gender division in Israeli society and politics; address questions relevant to the status of women and the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community; and assess the magnitude of gender inequality in various societal, cultural, and political arenas. I argue that while substantial progress has been made in improving the status of women in many arenas, there is still a long road ahead for Israel …
Total citations
2023202412
Scholar articles
R Itzkovitch-Malka - The Oxford handbook of Israeli politics and society, 2021