Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2: Sexual InversionEllis, Havelock
Science
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2: Sexual Inversion
Ellis, Havelock
Sex; Sex (Psychology)
F.R. is very short-sighted. His favorite color is blue. He is
able to whistle. His tastes are chiefly of a literary character,
and he has never had any liking for sports. "I have been
generally considered ineffective in the use of my hands," he
writes, "and I am certainly not skillful. All I have ever been
able to do in that way is to net and do the simpler forms of
needlework; but it seems more natural to me to do, or try to do,
everything of that sort, and to play on the piano, rather than to
shoot or play games. I may add that I am fonder of babies than
many women, and am generally considered to be surprisingly
capable of holding them! Certainly I enjoy doing so. As a youth,
I used to act in charades; but I was too shy to do so unless I
was dressed as a woman and veiled; and when I took a woman's part
I _felt_ less like _acting_ than I have done in _propria
persona_. A remark made by an uncle once rather annoyed me: that
it seemed more like nature than art. But he was quite right."
HISTORY IV.--Of Lowland Scotch parentage. Both sides of house
healthy and without cerebral or nervous disease. Homosexual
desires began at puberty. He practised onanism to a limited
extent at school and up to the age of about 22. His erotic dreams
are exclusively about males. While very friendly and intimate
with women of all ages, he is instantly repelled by any display
of sexual affection on their side. This has happened in varying
degree in three or four cases. With regard to marriage, he
remarks: "As there seems no immediate danger of the race dying
out, I leave marriage to those who like it." His male ideal has
varied to some extent. It has for some years tended toward a
healthy, well-developed, athletic or out-of-door working type,
intelligent and sympathetic, but not specially intellectual.
At school his sexual relations were of the simplest type. Since
then there have been none. "This," he says, "is not due either to
absence of desire or presence of 'morals.' To put it shortly,
'there were never the time and the place and the loved one
together.' In another view, physical desire and the general
affection have not always coexisted toward the same person; and
the former without the latter is comparatively transient; while
the latter stops the gratification of the former, if it is felt
that that gratification could in any way make the object of
affection unhappy, mentally or emotionally."
He is healthy and fairly well developed; of sensitive, emotional
nature, but self-controlled; mentally he is receptive and
aggressive by turns, sometimes uncritical, sometimes analytical.
His temper is equable, and he is strongly affectionate. Very fond
of music and other arts, but not highly imaginative.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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