“The Female Jew”. Constructions of Masculinity in the Reception of Acts 1:18; Mt 27:25 and Ps 78:66 – an Alliance between Anti-Semitism and Anti-Feminism

Abstract

This article discusses the intersection of anti-Semitism and anti-feminism, with a particular focus on the constructions of masculinity that emerge from this nexus. The phenomena of anti-Semitism and anti-feminism show numerous parallels in their conceptual development during the Fin de Siècle and have a great influence on the construction of Jewish masculinity. The categories of religion, body, and gender are particularly significant in this context: Jewish men and their bodies are portrayed in a feminized manner and thereby devalued. The fact that such depictions draw on ancient and medieval images of Jewish male deviance is exemplified by the motif of the alleged menstruation of Jewish men: Christian authors, referring to biblical texts (Acts 1:18; Matt 27:25; Ps 78:66), develop the idea that Jewish men suffer from regular bleeding. From the 14th century onwards, this notion also appears in medical writings and – under the influence of the humoral theory – is interpreted as a natural condition. Such naturalizations, in turn, provide fertile ground for the biologistic anti-Semitism of the Fin de Siècle, which intertwines with anti-feminism and continues to influence modern discourse.