Being a Deaf Woman in Bedouin Society.

Israel's Bedouin population, an ethnic minority, has a higher incidence of deafness than that reported in the literature, but is not studied sufficiently. A patriarchal and collective society, in recent years it has undergone accelerated change spurred by Israel's urbanization policy. Deaf women are an inseparable part of Bedouin society, but they are transparent and their needs are not met. In a qualitative study of 23 Bedouin women with congenital deafness who participated in the only social club for the deaf among the Bedouin population in southern Israel, these women were found to exist between dreams and frustration, between hope and despair, between strength and loneliness-induced weakness, and between transparency and visibility. Focusing on these aspects, the authors describe the experience of being a deaf woman in Bedouin society. Their findings are applicable to deaf women who are members of minorities worldwide.