Sexual identity, trauma and creativity¹

Abstract

Starting with the credo that it is the healthy part of the personality that allows a person to be creative, the author investigates factors behind failures to create. First the relation to the external world is considered, followed by a more detailed discussion of factors pertaining to the internal world: the role of pregenital sexuality, and the importance of the universal bisexual wishes. Possible reasons for differences between the sexes are indicated and discussed in relation to clinical material. Main conclusions are: 1. In a sense, all creative acts may be conceptualized as a fusion of the masculine and feminine elements in our psychic structure. If this unconsciously represents stealing the generative powers of the parents, creative activity may be experienced as a transgression and thus become a cause of inhibition. 2. to create is to claim one's right to separate existence and individual identity. This too may be fantasized as a transgression if the creative act is experienced as an attack on the primitive maternal image and may in turn become a source of severe inhibition.