Gender identity development in children is closely related to their genital morphology (Castel, 2003; Money, 1972; Stoller, 1964). From the moment of birth, parents will recognize their baby’s anatomical constitution and will then identify the child as a girl or a boy.
During adolescence, pubertal development usually reinforces one’s sense of belonging to the female or male gender. A certain degree of continuity in one’s body perception facilitates the gender identification process.
In this article, the personal characteristics of two or three individuals who sought sexological consultations have been grouped together. These individuals had a physical malformation and questioned their gender identity. In order to ensure confidentiality and anonymity, readers will understand that the following clinical illustration does not include any personal information.
Furthermore, an allegory (Merlin) will be presented in order to illustrate a particular way in which gender dysphoria may be expressed. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate one way in which a congenital defect can impact the process of gender identity development.
THE ROLE OF THE BODY IN SEXOANALYSIS
From a sexoanalytical point of view, Eros is seen as a reservoir of energy supplied by both the intrapsychic and somatic mechanisms (Crépault, 2001). As it manifests itself in various forms, this sexual drive seeks sexual pleasure. This search for pleasure is aimed at establishing a relationship with the Other. The idea of connecting with the Other nourishes the hope of fulfilling one’s psychological and emotional needs. Explicitly, Crépault (2001) emphasizes that Eros takes root in the body.
Sexoanalysis presents two perceptual levels of gender identity (Crépault, 1997). The first conscious level describes the importance of accepting the anatomical and physiological reality of one’s body. The second more intimate level can conceal a sense of belonging that is incongruent with one’s anatomical sex.
MERLIN’S STORY
Merlin “the child who speaks and reasons” is a character from Celtic mythology. It seemed interesting to us to use this name to personify an individual who took on the physical appearance of a woman in order to better express his masculinity to others.
During his childhood, Merlin grew up close to his mother. A congenital malformation to one of his limbs? made it more difficult for him to explore his environment. Remarks made by his classmates left their mark and remained painful. His belief of being different from others became crystallized.
As an adult, two important aspects kept him from investing in a new relationship. First of all, the “maternal cocoon” did not facilitate the separation-individuation process. Secondly, his disability brought him to believe that he could never hope for an “erotic” future because he only had the partial characteristics of a man. Merlin first created a transgression mechanism. He imagined that through the power of transvestism, he could astound the men and women around him. In this case, wearing women’s clothing can be seen as a “Trojan Horse” allowing access to feminine spaces and facilitating interactions, as well as partially fulfilling emotional needs and fostering the dream of an erotic future.
BODY INTEGRITY AND GENDER IDENTITY: DISCUSSION
From a psychodynamic perspective, the relationship between the loss of a limb and, by extension, the symbolic strike against his virility is paramount. Moreover, it is difficult to ignore the difficulty Merlin had in developing a unified self-image.
Furthermore, this metamorphosis allowed him to invest in his masculinity. By distancing himself from his fear of loosing his masculine identity, Merlin was able to regain his “own body2” (Merleau-Ponty quoted by Slattan, 2004) by metamorphosing himself. Feminization therefore symbolically shielded him from intragender competition.
Merlin began having sexual fantasies that, as he interpreted them, brought him to clearly see his feminization as a strategy to approach women (Trojan Horse). He came to believe that under the circumstances, this strategy was no longer useful to him. His becoming aware of his true gender identity awakened his desire to communicate intimately and sexually with a woman. At the beginning of the process, penetration was not very explicit in his fantasies. Through the mutation of his physical appearance, Merlin developed symbolic projects of erotic encounters. He felt sufficiently confident to finally become available to meet women.
CONCLUSION
In this article, we used an allegory to illustrate a manner in which gender dysphoria may be expressed. The impact of a congenital malformation on the gender identity development process is the underlying issue. However, it is the originality of Merlin’s journey that peaks one’s interest.
Merlin became convinced that women did not choose him as a sexual partner because he was not “complete”. His concerns over his sexual competency and his difficulty in dealing with intragender competition deeply wounded him.
Feminization acted as a protective mechanism that shielded him from the threat (castration anxiety) that surgery represented for him during his adolescence. This second skin (female representation) also protected him from others by freeing him of certain demands (role stereotypes). Lastly, it is through feminization that Merlin may have allowed himself to express his private suffering to others.
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