The Psychogenesis of a Case of Homosexuality in a Woman

Freud’s (1920) case, the psychogenesis of a case of homosexuality in a woman, with reference to other relevant texts.

Freud’s 1920 case presents an examination of the psychogenesis of homosexuality in an 18 year old girl who pursued the adoration of a lady ten years her senior (p. 147). Early on, the young girl’s father meets the two of them together and casts an angry glance (p. 147). This instigated a suicide attempt by the young girl which had the secondary gain of making the parents ‘back off’, with the addition of an increased respect from the society lady (p. 147). In Freud’s case of hysteria (1905), Dora’s parents discover her suicide note but question her intent. Similarly, a secondary gain for Dora was not only making her father concerned and thus allowing her to grow closer to him, but it also may have been an attempt to keep her father away from Frau K. Both cases have the undertones of a suicide attempt being used to make the parents first take note of their daughter’s pain.

The girl’s libido, or manifestation of her ‘sexual instinct’ (Freud, 1916-1917, p. 313) was never directed towards young men (Freud, 1920, p. 147). Her father was outraged when he discovered her homosexual tendencies and if psychoanalysis failed, a speedy marriage would ensue (Freud, 1920, p. 148). Little Hans (Freud, 1909) was given threats of castration from his mother due to his fascination with his ‘widdler’. Not too dissimilar, the father of the young girl (1920) was threatening a castration between his daughter and the society-lady if her fascination did not cease. Freud remarks that during analysis the young girl didn’t hold back on what she said about the father (1920, p. 148). However, at this stage of development the father is only viewed as nothing more than a ‘troublesome rival’ (Freud, 1931, p. 2).

Freud (1920) adds that during her childhood the girl passed through the normal attitude of the feminine Oedipus complex (p. 150). The later comparison of her brother’s genitals did leave a strong impression on her (p. 150), in that she felt inferior or that she had ‘come off badly’ (Freud, 1924). The girl showed signs of a maternal instinct to a small boy when she was 13 years old (1920, p. 151). Later, during a revival of her infantile Oedipus complex, the girl began to desire an unconscious wish for a child with the father (p. 152). ‘Normal’ women and homosexuals may desire the phallus and rebel against the frustration of castration (Riviere, 1929, p. 310), thus the earlier genital comparisons with her brother had led her to want a child as a substitute for her inferior organ. Here Freud is making a reference to 'penis-envy' (1925). This ‘penis-child’ equation (1925) was denied when it was the mother, her unconscious rival, who bore the child – her third brother (Freud, 1920, p. 152).

Owing to this disappointment, the girl gave up her wish and discarded the father as love-object (p. 152). Instead, the mother became the love-object and Freud’s analysis of the girls dreams revealed the society lady to be a substitute (1920, p. 151). The recognition of the anatomical difference between the sexes can force girls away from masculinity to adopt the development of femininity (Freud, 1925). In contrast, this incident led the girl to become a homosexual ‘out of defiance against her father’ (Freud, 1920, p. 152), and to repudiate the feminine role in general (p. 152), in favour of what Freud later discussed as a ‘masculinity complex’ (1925).

Freud (1920) broke off the treatment with the girl when he recognized the transference of the girl’s hatred towards her father and men (p. 154). In a similar fashion, Freud’s treatment of Dora (1905) was cut short when she ended analysis abruptly, which Freud felt to be an act of betrayal or vengeance on Dora’s part (1905, p. 157). Advising for the treatment to be continued by a woman doctor, Freud adds, that the girl promised her father to give up seeing the society lady (1920, p. 154).

"I'm offended" ~ 21st Century

Those who are determined to be 'offended' will discover a provocation somewhere.
We cannot possibly adjust enough to please the fanatics.
And it is degrading to make the attempt.

Christopher Hitchens

Yesterday's Ignorance

Personal reflections on the dating world: If you’re a gay man, body image and insecurities are hugely magnified, much more so than in comparison to heterosexuals. In the 21st century, social media platforms like Instagram exacerbate these insecurities and force feed you your daily fix of unrealistic pressures of what the ideal body or partner should look like. It's nothing new that it's becoming more and more infused in to society, especially in the lives of the LGBT world. However, once the bedroom lights go off it's the conversation and the mind that you're going to be ultimately attracted to. Whether you want to admit that or not, this is what will sustain any meaningful relationship you'll ever have. Social media is all about comparisons, where we spend a lot of time admiring other people’s lives instead of investing in our own. Ignore the status quo. You can’t judge a book by its cover, and the same goes for people. Those looks will surely fade, but that personality is in it for the long haul.  
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind ~ Shakespeare

2018, In the Blink of an Eye

It was the Busta Rhymes, It was the Wursta Rhymes.

From the Ordinary to the Extraordinary.
2 interviews and 4 brake shoes,
Researching and breakthroughs.
New gins, old gins. New friends, old friends.
Relationships, Friendships, Hardships.

Auschwitz tours and Cards against Humanity,
Graphing data while losing my Sanity.
From breakfasts at the Junction, and bloody Coppers tryna function.
Yanny or Laurel, and every minor quarrel,
The piss-ups in Enniscorthy; bordering on the immoral.

Out fine dining or just eating Chickens,
Netflix and chill - scratching my Charles Dickens.
McGregor, Mourinho, and Kim Jong Un,
Causeways and Salt Mines and the Pope in Ballymun.

A little off the top, 20 on number seven,
BT, T.M.Lewin; feck the recession.
A year of kind and special acts,
And the scumbags, maggots, and cheap lousy [redacts].

From flossing to yodelling, to surgery on a grape,
I'm eating too many selection boxes, to maintain this shape.
A gazillion birthdays, 3 weddings and the christening.
Bustin' my balls in spontaneous River Dancin'.

Doctors checking, and dentists pulling,
Bar staff pouring...and me skulling.
Drinking-boozing, messy nights of fun.
Shots and beer, and Christ the fear.

Repealing the 8th, "It's Coming Home".
Donald Trump, and a Game of Thrones.
Over-worked and underlaid,
Wondering next when I'll get paid.

The M50 and swearing, but air travel's fine,
Albeit, I'm preloaded on wine.
Upload, download, liking and scrolling,
Ticking off bucket lists and scenes in Poland.

Jameson tours and the 90 foot of snow,
Hen parties, music; and the boats and hoes.
Stairways to Heaven and selfies from hell.
Hello to new employers, and to others farewell.

Overindulgence and moderation,
Peter Casey and a polling station.
Studying-advising, musing-procrastinating.
Always buying, more than saving.

To jumping in, and my comfort zones,
To the Lynx showers and the new colognes.
Bills, NCTs and Penalty Points.
Inbox checking, PowerPoints.

Wandering Northside, Southside, Countryside,
Wondering if I'll ever be Board Certified.
Presidential hopefuls and Michael D.
To too much thinking WITH my D.

And the working hard or hardly working,
The Titanic, volunteering, and all the flirting.
From reading comments in the Journal,
To overcoming societal hurdles.

Alarms, snooze; being lazy,
To newborn nieces...'Sup Baby!
Crossing a rope bridge in Northern tranquillity,
To working with disability, and wanting stability.

RIP Dolores and a Queen of Soul,
Royal Weddings, Backstops, and Brexit me hole!
Sober analysis and common sense,
Or being indecisive and sitting on the fence.

Laminating, researching, systematic-reviewing.
Gym and sweating, or sitting and regretting.
Dressing up, grooming and shaving,
Dating - Mating - Masturbating.

To being an ass, and a misplaced boarding pass,
To the comedy and laughs, that ye can't say at Mass.
The West of Ireland, Beasts from the East,
Afternoon tea in the sunny South East.

Happiness, sadness, pain and stress,
Sports and dog-walking...cleaning up his mess.
The whole shebang, and travels to London,
Crying-fighting-apologising...loving.

John Lewis and a cross city Luas; watering cans - hose pipe bans.
Bad weather, good weather - now and then.
That summer for 3 months, can we have it again?
Haps to the Baps, and VB-MAPPs;
Chicken wraps and hungover Macs.

Confirmations and celebrations,
Heuston station, agencies relocating.
Eating-munching, and trying not to choke,
Cleaning, scrubbing...leave the big pan to soak.

All the self-talk and the feeling well,
To the sneaky self-doubt...FML.
Hear me now, and hear me well,
It'll probably get worse before it gets well.

Every faux pas, and every blooper,
Fearing change, yet embracing the future.
To every yes, and every no,
From pillar to post, to the status quo.

So 2019, no quiet ones then,
In the words of a Pint-Man, "I'll go at it again".

January 1st can be the first data point towards a new Goal.

Last year had its ups and downs, but has personally ended so badly and I've noticed I'm honestly losing interest in even the smallest things in life that used to carry such meaning up to now.

So I'm reminding myself how there are opportunities in just about every experience. Things I can learn from. Things that will help me grow.

A good friend recently said to me, what's meant for you won't pass you by. So whenever you have a negative experience, ask yourself, where is the opportunity in this? What is good about this situation? Opportunity won’t knock until you build that door.

Wishing everyone the best in the years ahead.

G