Sexual inversion is a theory of homosexuality popular primarily in the late 19th and early 20th century.[1] Sexual inversion was believed to be an inborn reversal of gender traits: male inverts were, to a greater or lesser degree, inclined to traditionally female pursuits and dress and vice versa.[2] The sexologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing described female sexual inversion as "the masculine soul, heaving in the female bosom".[3]
Initially confined to medical texts, the concept of sexual inversion was given wide currency by Radclyffe Hall's 1928 lesbian novelThe Well of Loneliness, which was written in part to popularize the sexologists' views. Published with a foreword by the sexologist Havelock Ellis, it consistently used the term "invert" to refer to its protagonist, who bore a strong resemblance to one of Krafft-Ebing's case studies.[4]
In 19th century Europe, where the theory of sexual inversion emerged, homosexuality was a criminal offense in most jurisdictions. The emergence of the theory of sexual inversion marked a turn in the conceptualization of same-sex sexual behavior from vice to congenital disposition.[5]
Origin and popularization
In 1869, the same year that Karl-Maria Kertbeny coined "homosexuality", Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal wrote a paper reporting on several cases of what he called "conträre Sexualempfindung", translated into English as contrary sexual feeling or contrary sexual instinct. This paper was published in the Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankeiten in 1870, under the title "Die conträre Sexualempfindung, Symptom eines neuropathischen (psychopathischen) Zustandes".[6] Arrigo Tamassia introduced the theory into Italian as inversion of the sexual instinct with the article "Sull’inversione dell’istinto sessuale" in 1878.[7]Jean-Martin Charcot and Victor Magnan introduced the theory into French as inversion of the genital orientation with the article "Inversion du sens génital et autres perversions sexuelles" in 1882.[8]John Addington Symonds used the phrase "sexual inversion" in "A Problem in Greek Ethics", which he wrote in 1873 and published privately in 1883[9]
Theory
The theory of sexual inversion understands same-sex attraction as a form of gender variance. A sexual invert is someone who is attracted to their own sex, and the theory makes limited distinction between same-sex attracted people who are gender conforming apart from their attractions and same-sex attracted people who transgress assigned sex roles in other ways, such as crossdressing or cross-sex identification.
According to this theory, gay men and lesbians were sexual "inverts", people who appeared physically male or female on the outside, but felt internally that they were of the "opposite" anatomical sex (according to the binary view of gender). Therefore, same-sex desires and attraction were explained as "latent heterosexuality", and bisexual desire was known as psychosexual hermaphroditism – in other words, gay men and lesbians were really just heterosexuals who were "born in the wrong body", and "bisexuals" were what modern-day sexologists would call intersex people (formerly hermaphrodites) by this theory (the bisexual person's "male" part supposedly has attractions towards females, and the "female" part attractions towards males).[10]
References
Notes
^Havelock Ellis's definition was "sexual instinct turned by inborn constitutional abnormality toward persons of the same sex". Ellis, 1.
^Tamagne, Florence (2006). A history of homosexuality in Europe. Volume I & II : Berlin, London, Paris 1919-1939. New York: Algora Pub. pp. 153–154. ISBN0875863566.
^Westphal, Carl Friedrich Otto (1870). "Die conträre Sexualempfindung, Symptom eines neuropathischen (psychopathischen) Zustandes". Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten. 2: 73. doi:10.1007/BF01796143. S2CID 21275286. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
^Beccalossi, Chiara (2014). "Arrigo Tamassia, l'inversione sessuale e la sessuologia italiana di fine Ottocento". Rivista Sperimentale di Freniatria. 138 (2): 27–42. doi:10.3280/RSF2014-002004. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
^Schaffner, Anna Katharina (2012). "The French Scene: Degeneration Theory and the Invention of Fetishism". Modernism and Perversion: 63–88. doi:10.1057/9780230358904_3. ISBN978-0-230-23163-4.
^Eisner, Shiri (2 Jul 2013). Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution. Seal Press. pp. 8–9. ISBN9781580054751. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
Bibliography
Doan, Laura (2001). Fashioning Sapphism: The Origins of a Modern English Lesbian Culture. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN0-231-11007-3.
Ellis, Havelock (1927). Studies in the Psychology of Sex Volume II: Sexual Inversion. 3rd Ed. Project Gutenberg.
Prosser, Jay (2001). "'Some Primitive Thing Conceived in a Turbulent Age of Transition': The Transsexual Emerging from The Well". Doan, Laura; Prosser, Jay (2001). Palatable Poison: Critical Perspectives on The Well of Loneliness. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 129–144. ISBN0-231-11875-9.
Taylor, Melanie A. (1998). "'The Masculine Soul Heaving in the Female Bosom': Theories of inversion and The Well of Loneliness". Journal of Gender Studies. 7 (3): 287–296. doi:10.1080/09589236.1998.9960722.
May 20, 2023
sexual, inversion, sexology, sexual, inversion, theory, homosexuality, popular, primarily, late, 19th, early, 20th, century, sexual, inversion, believed, inborn, reversal, gender, traits, male, inverts, were, greater, lesser, degree, inclined, traditionally, f. Sexual inversion is a theory of homosexuality popular primarily in the late 19th and early 20th century 1 Sexual inversion was believed to be an inborn reversal of gender traits male inverts were to a greater or lesser degree inclined to traditionally female pursuits and dress and vice versa 2 The sexologist Richard von Krafft Ebing described female sexual inversion as the masculine soul heaving in the female bosom 3 Initially confined to medical texts the concept of sexual inversion was given wide currency by Radclyffe Hall s 1928 lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness which was written in part to popularize the sexologists views Published with a foreword by the sexologist Havelock Ellis it consistently used the term invert to refer to its protagonist who bore a strong resemblance to one of Krafft Ebing s case studies 4 Contents 1 Historical context 2 Origin and popularization 3 Theory 4 ReferencesHistorical context EditIn 19th century Europe where the theory of sexual inversion emerged homosexuality was a criminal offense in most jurisdictions The emergence of the theory of sexual inversion marked a turn in the conceptualization of same sex sexual behavior from vice to congenital disposition 5 Origin and popularization EditIn 1869 the same year that Karl Maria Kertbeny coined homosexuality Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal wrote a paper reporting on several cases of what he called contrare Sexualempfindung translated into English as contrary sexual feeling or contrary sexual instinct This paper was published in the Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankeiten in 1870 under the title Die contrare Sexualempfindung Symptom eines neuropathischen psychopathischen Zustandes 6 Arrigo Tamassia introduced the theory into Italian as inversion of the sexual instinct with the article Sull inversione dell istinto sessuale in 1878 7 Jean Martin Charcot and Victor Magnan introduced the theory into French as inversion of the genital orientation with the article Inversion du sens genital et autres perversions sexuelles in 1882 8 John Addington Symonds used the phrase sexual inversion in A Problem in Greek Ethics which he wrote in 1873 and published privately in 1883 9 Theory EditThe theory of sexual inversion understands same sex attraction as a form of gender variance A sexual invert is someone who is attracted to their own sex and the theory makes limited distinction between same sex attracted people who are gender conforming apart from their attractions and same sex attracted people who transgress assigned sex roles in other ways such as crossdressing or cross sex identification According to this theory gay men and lesbians were sexual inverts people who appeared physically male or female on the outside but felt internally that they were of the opposite anatomical sex according to the binary view of gender Therefore same sex desires and attraction were explained as latent heterosexuality and bisexual desire was known as psychosexual hermaphroditism in other words gay men and lesbians were really just heterosexuals who were born in the wrong body and bisexuals were what modern day sexologists would call intersex people formerly hermaphrodites by this theory the bisexual person s male part supposedly has attractions towards females and the female part attractions towards males 10 References EditNotes Havelock Ellis s definition was sexual instinct turned by inborn constitutional abnormality toward persons of the same sex Ellis 1 Doan 26 Taylor 288 289 Prosser 133 Taylor 288 290 Tamagne Florence 2006 A history of homosexuality in Europe Volume I amp II Berlin London Paris 1919 1939 New York Algora Pub pp 153 154 ISBN 0875863566 Westphal Carl Friedrich Otto 1870 Die contrare Sexualempfindung Symptom eines neuropathischen psychopathischen Zustandes Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten 2 73 doi 10 1007 BF01796143 S2CID 21275286 Retrieved 31 January 2022 Beccalossi Chiara 2014 Arrigo Tamassia l inversione sessuale e la sessuologia italiana di fine Ottocento Rivista Sperimentale di Freniatria 138 2 27 42 doi 10 3280 RSF2014 002004 Retrieved 31 January 2022 Schaffner Anna Katharina 2012 The French Scene Degeneration Theory and the Invention of Fetishism Modernism and Perversion 63 88 doi 10 1057 9780230358904 3 ISBN 978 0 230 23163 4 A Problem in Greek Ethics via Wikisource Eisner Shiri 2 Jul 2013 Bi Notes for a Bisexual Revolution Seal Press pp 8 9 ISBN 9781580054751 Retrieved 14 March 2015 BibliographyDoan Laura 2001 Fashioning Sapphism The Origins of a Modern English Lesbian Culture New York Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 11007 3 Ellis Havelock 1927 Studies in the Psychology of Sex Volume II Sexual Inversion 3rd Ed Project Gutenberg Prosser Jay 2001 Some Primitive Thing Conceived in a Turbulent Age of Transition The Transsexual Emerging from The Well Doan Laura Prosser Jay 2001 Palatable Poison Critical Perspectives onThe Well of Loneliness New York Columbia University Press pp 129 144 ISBN 0 231 11875 9 Taylor Melanie A 1998 The Masculine Soul Heaving in the Female Bosom Theories of inversion and The Well of Loneliness Journal of Gender Studies 7 3 287 296 doi 10 1080 09589236 1998 9960722 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sexual inversion sexology amp oldid 1155923711, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
