1:
T
HE
S
EXUAL
A
BERRATIONS
The facts contained in the first "Contribution" have been gathered from the familiar publications of
Krafft-Ebing, Moll, Moebius, Havelock Ellis, Schrenk-Notzing, Löwenfeld, Eulenberg, J. Bloch, and
M. Hirschfeld, and from the later works published in the "Jahrbuch für sexuelle Zwischenstufen." As
these publications also mention the other literature bearing on this subject I may forbear giving
detailed references. The conclusions reached through the investigation of sexual inverts are all based
on the reports of J. Sadger and on my own experience.
The fact of sexual need in man and animal is expressed in biology by the
assumption of a "sexual impulse." This impulse is made analogous to the
impulse of taking nourishment, and to hunger. The sexual expression
corresponding to hunger not being found colloquilly, science uses the
expression "libido."
1
Popular conception makes definite assumptions concerning the nature
and qualities of this sexual impulse. It is supposed to be absent during
childhood and to commence about the time of and in connection with
the maturing process of puberty; it is supposed that it manifests itself in
irresistible attractions exerted by one sex upon the other, and that its
aim is sexual union or at least such actions as would lead to union.
But we have every reason to see in these assumptions a very
untrustworthy picture of reality. On closer examination they are found to
abound in errors, inaccuracies and hasty conclusions.
If we introduce two terms and call the person from whom the sexual
attraction emanates the sexual object, and the action towards which the
impulse strives the sexual aim, then the scientifically examined
experience shows us many deviations in reference to both sexual object
and sexual aim, the relations of which to the accepted standard require
thorough investigation.
1. DEVIATION IN REFERENCE TO THE SEXUAL OBJECT
The popular theory of the sexual impulse corresponds closely to the
poetic fable of dividing the person into two halves—man and woman—
who strive to become reunited through love. It is therefore very
1
For general use the word "libido" is best translated by "craving." (Prof. James J. Putnam, Journal of
Abnormal Psychology, Vol. IV, 6.)
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puberty.
4
These different categories of variation generally exist independently of
one another. In the most extreme cases it can regularly be assumed that
the inversion has existed at all times and that the person feels contented
with his peculiar state.
The character is either retained throughout life, or it
occasionally recedes or represents an episode on the road to normal
development. A periodical fluctuation between the normal and the
inverted sexual object has also been observed. Of special interest are
those cases in which the libido changes, taking on the character of
inversion after a painful experience with the normal sexual object.
Many authors will hesitate to gather into a unit all the cases enumerated
here and will prefer to emphasize the differences rather than the
common characters of these groups, a view which corresponds with their
preferred judgment of inversions. But no matter what divisions may be
set up, it cannot be overlooked that all transitions are abundantly met
with, so that the formation of a series would seem to impose itself.
Conception of Inversion.—The first attention bestowed upon
inversion gave rise to the conception that it was a congenital sign of
nervous degeneration. This harmonized with the fact that doctors first
met it among the nervous, or among persons giving such an impression.
There are two elements which should be considered independently in
this conception: the congenitality, and the degeneration.
Degeneration.—This term degeneration is open to the objections
which may be urged against the promiscuous use of this word in general.
It has in fact become customary to designate all morbid manifestations
not of traumatic or infectious origin as degenerative. Indeed, Magnan's
classification of degenerates makes it possible that the highest general
configuration of nervous accomplishment need not exclude the
application of the concept of degeneration. Under the circumstances, it is
a question what use and what new content the judgment of
"degeneration" still possesses. It would seem more appropriate not to
speak of degeneration: (1) Where there are not many marked deviations
4
Many have justly emphasized the fact that the autobiographic statements of inverts, as to the time of
the appearance of their tendency to inversion, are untrustworthy as they may have repressed from
memory any evidences of heterosexual feelings.
Psychoanalysis has confirmed this suspicion in all cases of inversion accessible, and has decidedly
changed their anamnesis by filling up the infantile amnesias.
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from the normal; (2) where the capacity for working and living do not in
general appear markedly impaired.
5
That the inverted are not degenerates in this qualified sense can be seen
from the following facts:
1. The inversion is found among persons who otherwise show no marked
deviation from the normal.
2. It is found also among persons whose capabilities are not disturbed,
who on the contrary are distinguished by especially high intellectual
development and ethical culture.
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3. If one disregards the patients of one's own practice and strives to
comprehend a wider field of experience, he will in two directions
encounter facts which will prevent him from assuming inversions as a
degenerative sign.
(a) It must be considered that inversion was a frequent manifestation
among the ancient nations at the height of their culture. It was an
institution endowed with important functions. (b) It is found to be
unusually prevalent among savages and primitive races, whereas the
term degeneration is generally limited to higher civilization (I. Bloch).
Even among the most civilized nations of Europe, climate and race have
a most powerful influence on the distribution of, and attitude toward,
inversion.
7
Innateness.—Only for the first and most extreme class of inverts, as
can be imagined, has innateness been claimed, and this from their own
assurance that at no time in their life has their sexual impulse followed a
different course. The fact of the existence of two other classes, especially
of the third, is difficult to reconcile with the assumption of its being
congenital. Hence, the propensity of those holding this view to separate
5
With what reserve the diagnosis of degeneration should be made and what slight practical
significance can be attributed to it can be gathered from the discussions of Moebius (Ueber Entartung;
Grenzfragen des Nerven- und Seelenlebens, No. III, 1900). He says: "If we review the wide sphere of
degeneration upon which we have here turned some light we can conclude without further ado that it
is really of little value to diagnose degeneration."
6
We must agree with the spokesman of "Uranism" that some of the most prominent men known have
been inverts and perhaps absolute inverts.
7
In the conception of inversion the pathological features have been Separated from the
anthropological. For this credit is due to I. Bloch (Beiträge zur Ätiologie der Psychopathia Sexualis, 2
Teile, 1902-3), who has also brought into prominence the existence of inversion in the old civilized
nations.
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person brings along a congenital sexual impulse connected with a
definite sexual object. In the second case it is a question whether the
manifold accidental influences suffice to explain the acquisition unless
there is something in the individual to meet them half way. The negation
of this last factor is inadmissible according to our former conclusions.
The Relation of Bisexuality.—Since the time of Frank Lydston,
Kiernan, and Chevalier, a new series of ideas has been introduced for the
explanation of the possibility of sexual inversion. This contains a new
contradiction to the popular belief which assumes that a human being is
either a man or a woman. Science shows cases in which the sexual
characteristics appear blurred and thus the sexual distinction is made
difficult, especially on an anatomical basis. The genitals of such persons
unite the male and female characteristics (hermaphroditism). In rare
cases both parts of the sexual apparatus are well developed (true
hermaphroditism), but usually both are stunted.
8
The importance of these abnormalities lies in the fact that they
unexpectedly facilitate the understanding of the normal formation. A
certain degree of anatomical hermaphroditism really belongs to the
normal. In no normally formed male or female are traces of the
apparatus of the other sex lacking; these either continue functionless as
rudimentary organs, or they are transformed for the purpose of
assuming other functions.
The conception which we gather from this long known anatomical fact is
the original predisposition to bisexuality, which in the course of
development has changed to monosexuality, leaving slight remnants of
the stunted sex.
It was natural to transfer this conception to the psychic sphere and to
conceive the inversion in its aberrations as an expression of psychic
hermaphroditism. In order to bring the question to a decision, it was
only necessary to have one other circumstance, viz., a regular
concurrence of the inversion with the psychic and somatic signs of
hermaphroditism.
8
Compare the last detailed discussion of somatic hermaphroditism (Taruffi, Hermaphroditismus und
Zeugungsunfähigkeit, German edit. by R. Teuscher, 1903), and the works of Neugebauer in many
volumes of the Jahrbuch für sexuelle Zwischenstufen.
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