Problems beginning to double -- if female is embracing religious sect, that is (12)
I believe the answer is:
difficulties
'problems' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'beginning to double if female is embracing religious sect that is' is the wordplay.
'beginning to' indicates taking the first letters.
'female' becomes 'f' (abbreviation).
'embracing' indicates putting letters inside.
'religious sect' becomes 'cult' (I've seen this before).
'that is' becomes 'ie' ('i.e.' can be a synonym of 'that is').
The first letter of 'double' is 'd'.
'cult'+'ie'='cultie'
'is' placed around 'cultie' is 'iculties'.
'd'+'if'+'f'+'iculties'='DIFFICULTIES'
(Other definitions for difficulties that I've seen before include "Problems" , "Troubles" .)