Universal Refusal

Freud spoke of the &quote;repudiation of femininity&quote; as being an &quote;underlying bedrock&quote;, part of the &quote;enigma&quote; of sexuality. The enigma is not so much the refusal of the feminine dimension as such; it has more to do with rejecting its erotic and genital aspects, as well as its creation through sexual ecstatic pleasure. Equality between the sexes is a legitimate demand in the political, social, and economic spheres, but forming a masculine-feminine relationship as a couple is a creation of the mind, exalting the acknowledgement of the otherness which is part of the difference between the sexes. There is a conflict in woman - and the feminine dimension itself is rooted in it - between a sexuality that demands &quote;defeat&quote; and an ego that abhors this. It is the man's masculine dimension - the antagonist of the phallic one - which creates the feminine dimension in women, by tearing away their defences and generating sexual ecstasy. The quality of the sexual, emotional, and social relationship that is set up between a man and a woman bears witness to the &quote;work of civilization&quote; (Kulturarbeit).