Unveiling the Erotic Psyche: A Journey Through Archetypes, Sexology, Sexual Culture, & Trauma Towards A New Theory of Change

A lot of people want to talk about sex. Students, Therapists. Activists. Regular people. But it's unclear to people what sex really means and how sex works.

It's unclear to people what happens when they get into relationships where the sex is hot-and-heavy, and then the sex dies.

From the LGBTQ Outfest 2023

It's not clear yet how sex is our royal road to inner experience and inner reality. If identity is, as many social constructionists say, "a modern invention," then sex is our way of knowing that modern construction is better. If it is also instinctual, sex teaches us to understand our instincts better.

In terms of identity and becoming a self, sex is the most profound way to identify and own one's identity. In the case of LGBTQ+, sex is often the engine of personality transformation from group-minded heteronormativity to becoming a person and establishing group affiliation.

In this regard, LGBTQ+ people, despite being oppressed by the dominant culture, are at a more tremendous advantage in discovering the inner reality and inner experience (what, in the old days, people would call "religion").

I have to give a monthly talk at Antioch University called "Community Psychology In Depth," which features a series called "EXPOSED: Unveiling the Erotic Psyche--A Journey through Archetypes, Sexology, Trauma, Sexual Difference and Differentiation for a New Theory of Change." I want to share what we have done in the classes at the Antioch University LGBT Specialization in our featured class Human Sexuality with the public.

Please Click Image to RSPV Zoom or Live at Antioch University’s Library, 400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City, CA 90230

There we included studies on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer identities. We didn't necessarily focus on "SEX" but on culture. But human sexuality is nothing if it is not human sexual diversity. So we could not teach Human Sexuality from a normative viewpoint, which concerns relations between the male and the female. We had to shake it up.

The talk last month focused on the "archetypal" nature of sex. This was to do with the fact that inborn patterns of meaning and behavior fuel psychological desire. When we fall in love, or lust, from an archetypal psychological point of view, our inner blueprint is triggered into action. Instinct and Image fuck, so to speak. One could say there is an archetypal pattern for homosexual love, heterosexual love, and bisexual love. I referenced Plato's Symposium on my YouTube on the subject.

We need to talk more about this when we fall in love. We are actually having a "religious" experience. Or better said, we are having a "theophanic" experience. Theophany means the manifestation of a god in divine form. We are projecting our divine erotic beloved onto our masturbatory image or sex partner. What to do about this?

But the archetypal is but one layer of archeology. Sexuality today, a contemporary phenomenon, could not have evolved were it not for those valiant figures over the last 150 years who gave us the science of sexology.

What is sexology? It is the history of the scientific study of sex.

In my new "model," I will create a layer cake called "the Erotic Psyche." I will lay out the layers as I have been known to study and eat them. I can think of at least six layers: (1) Archetypal; (2) Sexology; (3) Cultural Differences; (4) Trauma; (5) Differentiation.

So I am giving another such talk on Wednesday, August 9, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. This time I am going to be talking about modern sexology. Sexology is the scientific discovery of sexual diversity. One can look in a non-monotheistic way at sexual diversity with awe, much as one would look at the various forms of botany one would find in a garden. Not just one kind of flower, or two, but a multitude.

Key Sexologists I will focus on in my talk and subsequent E-book:

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs (1825-1895) was a German writer and early advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. While not a sex therapist in the modern sense, Ulrichs is an essential figure in the history of sexology due to his pioneering efforts in advocating for the rights and understanding of same-sex attracted individuals. He was among the first to propose a scientific approach to understanding homosexuality.

Ulrichs is mainly known for his writings, which he called "research on the riddle of man-manly love." In the mid-19th century, he published a series of pamphlets under the pseudonym "Numa Numantius," discussing his own homosexuality and arguing for the rights and dignity of same-sex attracted individuals. He advocated decriminalizing homosexuality and challenged prevailing beliefs that homosexuality was immoral or sinful.

Ulrichs' work laid the groundwork for the emerging field of sexology and provided an early example of someone speaking openly about same-sex attraction and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. His courage and determination in the face of significant social stigma and legal persecution were instrumental in paving the way for future advancements in the understanding and acceptance of sexual diversity. As such, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is rightfully recognized as an essential figure in the history of sexology and the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902): A German psychiatrist and sexologist, Krafft-Ebing is best known for his book "Psychopathia Sexualis" (1886). The book classified and discussed various forms of sexual behavior, and it significantly impacted the development of sexology as a scientific discipline.

Havelock Ellis (1859-1939): An English physician, writer, and social reformer, Ellis is considered one of the pioneers of sexology. He wrote several influential books on human sexuality, including "Studies in the Psychology of Sex" (1897-1928), which covered various sexual topics and challenged many prevailing societal norms.

Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935): A German physician and sexologist, Hirschfeld was an early advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and is known for his work on understanding sexual diversity. He co-founded the first Institute of Sexology in Berlin and advocated for gay rights, transgender rights, and the decriminalization of homosexuality. He is considered another father of the LGBTQ+ movement.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Although primarily known for his contributions to psychology and psychoanalysis, Freud also made significant contributions to understanding human sexuality. His work on psychosexual development and the interpretation of dreams impacted the early development of sexology.

Alfred Kinsey (1894-1956): An American biologist and researcher, Kinsey conducted groundbreaking research on human sexual behavior in the mid-20th century. His studies, published in the "Kinsey Reports" (1948 and 1953), provided comprehensive data on sexual practices and challenged many societal taboos.

And To Honor Women.

Helen Singer Kaplan (1929-1995): Kaplan was an American psychiatrist and sex therapist known for her work on sexual disorders. She developed the "Triphasic Model of Sexual Response," which included desire, excitement, and orgasm phases. Her contributions to sex therapy focused on integrating psychological and physiological aspects of sexual functioning.

Peggy Kleinplatz (1947-present): Kleinplatz is a Canadian sex therapist and psychologist who has contributed to human sexuality and sex therapy through research, clinical work, and teaching. Her work often emphasizes a holistic and inclusive approach to sexuality.

Esther Perel (1958-present): Perel is a prominent contemporary sex therapist and psychotherapist known for her work on relationships, intimacy, and eroticism. She has written books and conducted workshops exploring modern relationships' complexities and how they intersect with sexuality.

And Let Us Honor Evelyn Hooker:

Evelyn Hooker (1907-1996) was an American psychologist and one of the pioneering researchers in the study of homosexuality and LGBTQ+ mental health. Her work was crucial in challenging prevailing stereotypes and assumptions about homosexuality when it was widely stigmatized and pathologized.

In the mid-20th century, prevailing beliefs and psychiatric practices considered homosexuality a mental disorder. Hooker, however, was among the first researchers to question this assumption and sought to understand the mental health of non-heterosexual individuals more objectively and unbiasedly.

In her groundbreaking research, Hooker conducted a famous study in 1957 called the "Hooker Study." She compared the psychological well-being and adjustment of homosexual and heterosexual men using rigorous psychological tests and measures. Her study found no inherent difference in the mental health of homosexual and heterosexual men, debunking the prevailing notion that homosexuality was a mental illness.

The "Hooker Study" provided critical evidence that countered the prevailing psychiatric beliefs and influenced the American Psychiatric Association's decision to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973. This declassification was a significant milestone in the fight against the pathologization of homosexuality and an important step forward for LGBTQ+ rights and mental health advocacy.

Evelyn Hooker's work contributed to a more compassionate and informed understanding of sexual orientation and mental health. She was a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and equality, and her research continues to be highly regarded in psychology and sexology. Her dedication to science and social justice has left a lasting impact on the acceptance and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.