Volume 1

Sexual aberrations; the phenomena of fetishism in relation to sex : Authorized English version from the 1st German ed / by S. Parker.

  • Stekel, Wilhelm, 1868-1940.
Date:
[1930]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Sexual aberrations; the phenomena of fetishism in relation to sex : Authorized English version from the 1st German ed / by S. Parker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fetishism of clothes and goods. We have passed from the “physiological” to the pathological. The same processes are to be found among women, although in this case the vestigial and transitional forms as well as true fetishism are much more sel- dom, or at least appear to be so because the personal love con- ditions of women, their “partial attractions” (and partial re- pulsions) operate at a deeper level and come to the surface much less frequently. Nevertheless, the preference for bearded or clean-shaven men, big and strong or small and delicate males, the susceptibility of some women to exotic, foreign races, or types of other colors, brown Turcos, black Somalis, yellow Asiatics, etc., these expressions of sex attraction must be reck- oned in this class.” Many authors consider “individual love conditions” to be fetishism. Let us examine such a case somewhat more closely. This case was described by Gamier as object fetishism of an inverted person (homosexual). Case I. Gustave L., thirty-two, servant, of medium build and normal physical development, was indicted because of an attack upon his faithless love object X. The story of his life mentions the fact that as early as ten years of age he experienced a thrill when embraced by a man whose beard brushed his cheek. He proceeded by all manner of means to achieve the same excitement whenever he could. Shortly thereafter he was so impassioned by the sight of an urinating man that he was impelled to masturbate. At thirteen he noticed that he was sexually excited by the sight of laborers in their working clothes. A well-fitting shirt was sufficient to bring on an orgasm even if only imagined. Any other form of clothing, however, including the military uniform, left him cold. He began to have relations with women, but felt no particular pleasure. His vain desire to imitate his com- rades impelled him in these relations more than anything else. Only one woman was able to enchant the twenty-three-year-old boy, and the reason for that was the fact that he was in love with her lover and not with the forty-six-year-old woman herself. This lover also wore a blouse. During intercourse with the woman, he would have a mental picture of her lover and would then have an orgasm. Nevertheless, he tired of the woman, bummed restlessly about searching for his ideal and was unable to remain in any one place. Finally he succeeded in