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Read Ebook: Bi-sexual love; the homosexual neurosis by Stekel Wilhelm Van Teslaar James S James Samuel Translator
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Ebook has 389 lines and 23833 words, and 8 pages
The formation of man's character traits begins during the first years of life. He tests his powers upon the surroundings and his environment furnish him the picture of life. In the eyes of children who are not self-reliant the father must be a giant because he overawes them with his genial appearance and his image generates in their soul a feeling of inferiority which marks them for life. Every child has an ambition: to excel his father. This wish may express itself first in the desire to attain father's size, to be as strong and big as he. But later the wish shows itself in that quiet but determined competitive struggle which has always existed between father and son, or mother and daughter. The strong son takes after the powerful father. But suppose the father is weak and the mother is the one who dominates the house? What sort of picture of life becomes imprinted upon the child's mind under the circumstances? Can it help believing that women dominate the world, can he escape taking the attitude either of wishing to be a woman and rule, or of fleeing from woman when she clashes with his "will to power" as man?
In the conflict that follows, sexuality becomes mixed up with erotism, the soul of the child is bewildered, a definite outcome is delayed and meanwhile the child's soul is filled with anxiety and doubt.
We turn our attention now to the important question: what is the attitude of the neurotic towards his mother? We have seen that psychoanalysts correlate homosexuality to the repressed love for the mother. Let us give a glimpse at my few statistical data. The question: "Are you specially fond of your mother or your father? Or are you partial to some brother or sister?" was answered by my 20 homosexuals as follows:
"Only of mother--mother--no particular preference--both alike--mother--father--no preference--on the whole, more fond of mother--love the whole family passionately--father--mother--my father mother--mother--mother--mother--specially fond of a brother --father--mother."
Approximately one-half confess a greater fondness for the mother. I have mentioned the preferences in these cases because in one of them, at least, I am able positively to prove that back of love for the mother is hidden really a powerful aversion against the father; another subject had failed to mention his fondness for his sister which played a tremendous r?le in the development of his homosexuality. Such a statistical inquiry really requires documentation through psychoanalysis. But even on the face of the statistical figures we find a certain percentage of cases showing a greater fondness for the mother. This is also true of some of the cases in which the predominant love had been declared in favor of the father.
Undoubtedly there are many cases, in which direct love for the mother has absorbed all love for the female sex.
Prefers girls' games, avoids Prefers boys' games, dislikes characteristic boys' games, has handwork, confections, is many girlish features in his 'boy-like' in behavior, in acts character and behavior, Sometimes and, often, in appearance. also in his appearance. Observers Remark: "She is like a boy!" remark: "He is like a girl."
Prefers the company of girls. Preferably plays rough games with boys. Emotional fixation on the mother. Attachment greater to father.
Instinctively inhibited and Greater bashfulness in the bashful in relation to boys. presence of girls.
Dreamy attachment to teacher Similarly attached in dreams or some school mate. to some female person--teacher or school mate.
The powerful influence of the mother in bringing up the child is illustrated by the following passage from one history:
"A young lieutenant relates: as soon as I was out of the school room I used to rush to my girl friends. My mother was fond of taking me along when she went shopping and always asked me how I liked this thing and that, before making a purchase. For every new hat which mother bought I served as a model, that is, every hat was tried on my head, and mother purchased for herself the hat that looked best when tried on me. 'You look like a little girl,' mother often would say to me while the hats were tried on, 'too bad, that you are not a real girl!'"
Naturally when one explains everything so arbitrarily and tries to interpret in the parent's favor, suggesting that the father displayed great psychic insight, anything may be proven.
"In the midst of his worries he was suddenly embraced and kissed--his mother held him tightly in her arms; she drew his little face to her cheek and their tears mingled while she consoled him until his eyes again mirrored a smile. These were unforgettable experiences in the life of the homosexual child. He felt that his mother was his truest friend, and in his grateful heart he planned to recompense her above all other mothers. His whole life and hope was centered in her; it was for her sake that he was willing to prepare his school lessons, and because of her he avoided arousing his father's wrath; he did not want her to be scolded on his account. To make her happy was his ambition in life. Because she was not happy, he felt as if it were his fault and with redoubled tenderness he clung to her, the quiet sufferer.
It will be of interest to record on this question the opinion of a man who is looked upon as the spiritual leader of the homosexual circle in a cosmopolitan city, a man who has organized them and who has had considerable experience. This gentleman writes me:
"My Dear Doctor:
"In conformity with your wish I am sending you herewith a number of life histories.
"First I wish to report to you the result of a questionnaire; I have reached with the questionnaire 800 persons. It is noteworthy that none of them knew that the answer to the question was of any particular interest to me, for the question and the answer came up unobtrusively in the course of ordinary conversation. This disposes of the criticism sometimes heard in medical circles that the answers to interrogatories are of little or no worth because the respondents unconsciously report things in a manner to favor themselves if they do not deliberately tell falsehoods with that end in view.
"Among the 800 persons interrogated 65% stated that the mother was unusually energetic and self-reliant, while the father was mild and easy going, as well as diffident and easily influenced.
"In my opinion these 65% represent the hereditary cases; there may be some also among the other 35% due to hereditary transmission but this, of course, I am unable to ascertain and it would be interesting to conduct a medical inquiry into the subject.
"In favor of a hereditary predisposition as the most general factor stands also the fact that in many families the homosexual's sisters or brothers show a similar tendency."
U. Sch., 26 years of age, a merchant. The mother extraordinarily self-reliant and the one who determines the course of action in every family emergency. Father good-natured fellow, easily influenced. U. Sch. has been several years ago under the care of Prof. Pilz. At the time he had some intercourse with women, but the act always caused him disgust and did not diminish his need to get into contact with men. At first he tried to oppose this leaning towards men, but after two months of struggle--during which he lost considerable weight--he had to give in again and today he maintains relations exclusively with men. His brother, six years younger than he, is an actor and is also homosexual. An older brother, also a merchant, is completely normal in his sexual life, but far from self reliant and very moody. His sister is also heterosexual, but has male traits and physical features, hairy growth on the face and a bass voice which would be considered very low even in a man.
Karl W., 28 years of age, bank clerk. For the past six years has maintained relations with his older colleagues. He is very strikingly feminine and anxiety appears to lend zest to life in his case. He is continually living in dread lest some one in his family should find out about his peculiar inclination, although he is a stranger here and has no relative living nearby. But if he has no reason to fear anything on this score he finds some other reason to keep his mind in torment. For instance, he fears he will be run over by an automobile, even when he strolls along the safe side of a side walk, etc. As he is otherwise mentally normal I conclude that he has a strong masochistic tendency which he satisfies thus by conjuring up absurd fears. There is no expression of the masochistic tendency in any overt acts. On the other hand K. has relations only with persons belonging to the lowest social stratum and it is probable that the greater danger in that connection serves as a stimulant for him.
His mother is normal, but a very energetic woman, always taking care of her own affairs and when a couple of thieves once broke in at her home she grappled with them, threw them to the ground and held them. She has married a second time, has a slight downy beard growth, and in her house often puts on male clothing.
We need not be surprised that the expert emphasizes the fact that in many instances homosexuality occurs in groups in the same family. The same conditions bring about similar effects. Even the fact that 65% of homosexuals have a very energetic mother need not be in itself of any particular significance as typical of the psychogenesis of homosexuality. The expert really means that these are mannish women so that they naturally bring into the world womanly boys.
INDEX
Abstinence, 249
Abuse, 322
Act, specific, 334
Acquired, 245
Adler, 273, 335
Affect, 274
Aggression, 59, 73, 85, 150, 176, 250
"All gone" feeling, 136
Ambition, 344
Amnesia, 143
Anal irritation, 189
"Analytic scotoma," 248
Androgyny, 24
Anesthesia, sexual, 76, 163
Anger, 133
Antifetichism, 102, 118
Anxiety, 23, 40, 68, 96, 121, 140, 153, 196, 201, 213, 242, 283
Aphrodisiac, 261
Ascetic ideal, 176
Asceticism, 226
Attraction , 345
Aversion, 201, 253, 304
Azoospermia, 24
Bashfulness, 342
Belief in devil, 220
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