Phallic envy
Phallic envy is a word created to replace the term penis envy in Sigmund Freud's Oedipus complex theory .
Phallus refers to a symbol rather than the anatomical penis . In this case, this denotes the freedoms that parents grant to children in male positions and the dominance of the male in society in general. Accordingly, a girl does not conclude from the “absence” of a penis per se the deficiency of her “gender” (as a social category), but unconsciously about the inferiority of her (biological) primary sex characteristic .
Meaning in the concept of the Oedipus complex
The substitution of phallic envy for penis envy also plays a role in the theory of the formation of the superego in women. As Freud explains in his castration complex theory, it arises from castration anxiety in boys. Out of inferiority among the rivals, they internalize their fatherly reference person. The expression of the superego in women is not adequately explained - if at all - by the simple analogy of castration fear and penis envy. Freud rejected the Elektra complex , the analogous concept of his student Carl Gustav Jung .
history
The concept of phallic envy was developed by feminist psychoanalysts in order to free penis envy from its inevitability and instead place it in a social context, which would make it changeable. Freud also mentioned the influence of patriarchy on the socialization of children, but did not see the changeability of society and the social categories of “ gender ”. From a feminist point of view, the genius was defeated by its time. By expanding the concept of penis envy, Freud is protected by his students from the widespread, supposedly feminist resentment against psychoanalysis. Jessica Benjamin and Dana Birksted-Breem , for example , create reservations , which advocates of the term such as Ljiljana Radonić explain as psychological resistance . Its plausibility remains controversial to this day. The argumentation of one from the classification of the male counterpart as the origin of envy brought the term in turn the charge of ideologization .