Continuing the previous Post, the first stage of idealized projections happens between girls and boys of the same sex (specular stage[1]), which means girls go through the same process. In girls’ case, gradually, the new idealized feminine identity merges with infantile feminine model [2] (coming from the mother or whoever had this role during girl’s childhood), consolidating the first stage of her feminine idealized sexual identity. In short, infantile feminine model incorporated by the girl is not thrown away. It merges with the idealized feminine sexual identity, embodying women’s model the girl aspires. Boys go through the same process. Feminine and masculine idealized sexual identities work, therefore, as a new “tacit ruling code” of how to feel and behave in eroticized situations with other bodies. Dias called this stage of development homosexual phase. I’ll refer to it as specular phase in order to avoid terminological confusion with homosexual orientation. For Dias, homosexual, in this context, refers to the process of identities fusion, which enables pre-adolescents to slowly separate themselves from infantile models (feminine -in girls’ case- and masculine -in boys’ case) and start to create new psychological references, both erotic and moral, in order to develop their adult identities. “The great relevance of this phase lies in psychological and affective intimacy that are established in these relationships”. (Ibid.97). Although “experiencing their bodies” together with friends of the same sex is the first step in the process of eroticizing bodies, it doesn’t represent “sexual game” yet. They are “interacting experiments” with similar bodies. That is why I’ll refer to it as specular stage. Enjoying this phase spontaneously means being able to move through the new Language games (interacting ones) with the necessary freedom to get in contact with inner sensations and, later, start their active sexual life.
The next stage starts between 13 to14 years old and finishes at around 17 or 18. At this stage eroticization starts being directed to other bodies and sex. It doesn’t happen out of the blue. For Dias, the “first boyfriend/girlfriend” has this transition role, which means, they have the psychological function of getting in tune with eroticization in other bodies and from the opposite sex. Consequently, girls start to connect with masculine desire in male bodies and boys with feminine desire in female bodies. It enables girls to be in tune with how men feel in an eroticized contact with women and vice-versa[3].
To be continued in the next Post
[1] I’ll use phase and stage as synonyms. [2] Dias calls them Pre-Existing Models. I’ll refer to them as infantile models in order to avoid technical terms, the best possible, making it easier to be understood by lay readers. [3] Controversies regarding behaviors and genders associated with sex will be discussed further in essays: 7- Cultural influences on Identity and 8- Contemporary anguishes.
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