Orit
Chorowicz

Orit Chorowicz Bar-Am is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev under the supervision of Prof. Yael Hashiloni-Dolev (Ben- Gurion University) and Prof. Elly Teman (Ruppin Academic Center).

Her research focuses on the intersection between gender, motherhood, fertility, assisted reproductive technologies, and the emerging generation of surrogates and women’s activism in Israel.

Her study takes a holistic approach to the surrogacy experience over time, drawing on the narratives of retired surrogates to contribute to our understanding of the personal and collective significance of the surrogacy process. The unique connection between various theoretical fields in Orit’s research aims to draw interest and contribute to a more informed public discourse both in Israel and around the world.

Orit was raised in Tel Aviv and currently lives in Hatseva, a moshav in the Central Arava region with her spouse and two sons. She obtained a BA in behavioural sciences at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo and an MA in school counselling with a specialization in early childhood at Tel Aviv University. During her pregnancy as a surrogate, she immersed herself in the surrogate community and became an activist. Through her involvement, she identified gaps between the internal discourse among surrogates and external discourse and academic literature. This prompted her to embark on a feminist study in the field, amplifying the voices of women – who are often marginalized in the public sphere and rarely studied in academia – and adopting the political and ethical principle of “nothing about us without us.” In her free time, Orit enjoys hiking and camping with her family, sports activities, such as jogging and cycling, music, creative writing, and travelling