Note on Terms

There are two main terms that may be unfamiliar to readers:
1. halakha -Jewish law
2. hashkafa -theology (for lack of a better term)

There are two more terms that are important, but complicated:
1. The Gay Rights Movement
2. Feminism/The Feminist Movement

Both of these terms encompass such diversity, that to reduce them to one term, "The" gay rights movement or feminist movement, is unfair, and implies at monolith that does not in fact exist. Many would argue there is no gay rights movement or feminist movement, but rather a series of gay rights/feminist movements, many of which have partial overlap in their sets of goals or their methods of agitation. In reality, I should say "certain streams within the Feminist Movement" or "certain elements within the Gay Rights Movement". When writing however, this gets redundant. Therefore, I may at times critique "the gay rights movement" or "feminism". In those times, I am only critiquing the elements of the movement to which the critique applies, not the entire movement as such. I am using a whole as a stand-in for the part - sort of the opposite of synecdoche.

I apologize in advance to any I may confuse or offend. I consider myself a part of both of these movements, and my critique is sharp precisely because I care. As children of Jewish mothers* can tell you, criticisim is a form of love.

* No, I do not actually believe in the stereotype, but it is fun to play with.