HETEROSEXUAL PHASE versus HETEROSEXUAL ORIENTATION

It is worth noting that, for Dias, both Idealized Sexual Identities (of their own and opposite sex) are necessary conditions for people to be in tune with any sexual partner, i.e, with all possible discharge channels and drives[1] (receiving/welcoming-feminine and impelling/aggressiveness[2] -masculine). It is plausible to associate sexual arousal in a male sex body with penetration followed by ejaculation (masculine drive) and orgasm in a female sex body with being penetrated (feminine drive) aiming at a “natural link” to reproduction. This hypothesis fails, however, to explain the diverse forms of sexual attraction or orientation, when suggest reproduction as an “end”/ highest form to enjoy sexual/erotic desire. It is not sexual orientation that defines S.I developmental stage. It is capacity to be or feel in tune with both sex and complementary energies, which are incorporated during Idealized Sexual Identities development. This is a relevant detail once anguishes regarding Sexual Identity or orientation are, many times, related to the lack of balance in combativeness and sensibility (intuition) that show up in other areas in life. If this is the case, they are not necessarily sexual orientation issues. Sexual identities blocks are “solved” by settling conflicts with childhood models. Once they are unblocked, people go through fusion (new models and existing ones) and give room for incorporating new feminine and masculine ways of feeling and behaving in both sex/energies. An adult (integrated) identity is meant to hold sexual and erotic interaction between these 4 elements: feminine and masculine sex and drives. This is what defines the “interactional dance” we call sex or making love.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that functional and structural blocks imply different clinical approaches because the reasons behind sexual identities blocks are so systematically avoided that end up being “erased” from consciousness (adults aren’t used to being aware of them). This way, they don’t cause anxiety and are not brought deliberately as issues to be worked out in psychotherapy.

[1] I will use energies and drives as synonyms. [2] Combativeness and aggressiveness will be used as synonyms- masculine energy properties and Sensibility, delicacy, intuition as synonyms- feminine energy properties.