The Intersexes: A History of Similisexualism as a Problem in Social Life/Appendix B
APPENDIX B.
Some Physical Considerations of Uranianism and Uraniadism.
As noted earlier, the preceding general study is not intended to go deeply into many psychologic aspects, even less into distinctively physiological aspects of similisexualism. For such data the reader is referred to many medical, legal or other sorts of works. Such matters are somewhat superfluous for casual lay-study. But a few elementary points, that mark similisexual intercourse and its instincts may usefully be clarified here. The ignorance of many men and women as to especially the physical pratique of Uranianism is almost ludicrous.
The similisexual act, coition between masculine types, Uranian or Dionian-Uranian, is not necessarily what is technically called "sodomy," i. e. anal coitus, any more than is such what we have seen pointed out in our volume as pederastic. Nor do a majority of Uranians incline to womanish mankind, or wish to have sexual satisfactions with very unripe youths, children, with distinctly degenerate physical types, etc. Even desire for eccentric acts is not universal. Such tastes are not often met in the finer similisexuals. The mere bodily embrace betwen the Uranian and the male type for whom he feels passion,—often the embrace not even nude—is frequently sufficient to produce the full measure of sexual pleasure and orgasm. The high nervous organization of the Uranian is here at its tensest. There is often horror for anal coitus, for buccal onanism, etc. Mutual masturbation is frequently all that the Uranian ever accepts or desires. Or his passion, wholly idealized, does not seek a physical contact with that human being beloved with all his soul; turns in a troubled aversion from such bodily rapport, as from a desecration.
Again, similisexual intercourse between. mature Uranians, or Uranian-Dionians, usually is physically beneficial to them. This has always been the classic and the oriental theory. It is d stimulant and sedative to the Uranian body and mind, not a weakening or mischievous process. But intercourse with women often has an evil effect on the Uranian, in proportion to his being completely Uranian; not tinctured with Dionism. In youth, in delicate health, similisexual intercourse naturally can be harmful, just as to youth is normal sexualism. It weakens the young generative physique more or less seriously if indulged in to any excess, and creates neurasthenia, and organic disorders. But this excess depends on the individual constitution of a boy much more than is often thought. A lad need not suffer material harm from sexual practices with other lads, or with mature men, provided he be robust, sexually precocious—and if there be no excess. This fact is attested by even professional male prostitutes, younger or older. The Uranian has a marked tendency to longevity.
On the contrary, as already been pointed out, female similisexualism, the pratique of the Uraniad, seems to be unfavourable to her physical and mental well-being, first and last, in comparison with the effects of Uranian passion. Her relation to it is covertly dangerous, either as girl or mature woman; and it frequently grows patently very harmful.
Contraction of sexual diseases, such as syphilis, in homosexualism though occasionally transmitted by similisexual intercourse, is relatively rare and relatively of lighter form. The nature of the sexual contacts between homosexuals is considerably a deterrent.
The absurdity (so common) of fancying that masculine similisexualism demands hermaphroditism or an abnormality of the physique for its origin and satisfaction, has been pointed out. The continuous practice of certain forms of homosexualism, including especially anal coition, does sometimes produce more or less important bodily disorders—enlargements of the anus, atrophied organs, inelastic muscles, weakened tissues, etc. But this is not a necessary consequence even of the most persistent habits of a passive kind.
The fact that in masculine or feminine similisexual ism there is no haunting dread of procreation, of pregnancy to come, has undoubtedly an emotional influence in the acts. The physic and psychic "surrenders" are the more complete.
The arguments that similisexual love and its satisfactions are a natural or "unnatural" violation of existence, because heterosexual congress is associated with propreation; that homosexuality is a criminal waste of precious sexual feeling and material, etc., are of the least logical. One might as well say that men were to eat only when they need nourishment, as the end in view; or must not drink save when the body requires fluids; must not walk, talk, think, smell a perfume, or do much else, except when utility primarily is their motive. Sexual intercourse of normal sort, even between the married, is only fractionally for procreating; nor is there any wisdom in saying that it should become so. Nature is not a niggardly mother. She willingly gives man much more of appetite, material and occasion for his pleasures than she expects him to return. Furthermore, an old query may well be repeated: if similisexuality may not have a perceptible relation to the great modern problem of over-population of the civilized globe, at least in great racial centers.