Male Sexuality and Gender in Psychoanalysis: Selected Essays

This book represents an attempt at a systematic, critical exploration of male sexualities and gender(ed) identifications through the prism of psychoanalytic theory. Taking Freud's theories and hypotheses as a starting point, the author examines a range of topics, including: male homosexuality, constitutional bisexuality, psychic bisexuality, bisexual object-choice, males' masculine and feminine identifications, intrapsychic conflict in relation to gender expression and psychoanalysis of non-heterosexual males. Post-Freudian (especially, Kleinian) and contemporary psychoanalytic theories are also enquired into, with the view toward theoretical diversity and evolution. By demonstrating that no object-choice is implicitly psychopathological, it is also shown how Freud's original theories may be misinterpreted to come to such a conclusion and therefore misused in a clinical setting, which is harmful to both patients and the psychoanalytic profession. While elucidating a number of theoretical controversies and also suggesting particular modifications, the author consistently argues in favor of relevance of Freud's ideas, with regard to these areas of psychoanalytic theory and practice.