Femininity in Debate
the British Psychoanalytical Society and the Trajectory of English Psychoanalysis in the Twentieth Century
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/1676-1669.2026.60214Keywords:
feminity, female sexuality, British Psychoanalysis , History of PsychoanalysisAbstract
Throughout the twentieth century, femininity became a central focus of debate in the development of English psychoanalysis, particularly in its tensions and dialogues with the Viennese tradition. This article analyzes, from a historical-theoretical perspective, the history of psychoanalysis in England, as well as how broader social transformations in this context, such as feminist movements and the expansion of women’s participation in the public sphere, influenced the presence of women within the British Psychoanalytical Society. These changes contributed to the reformulation of theories on women and female sexuality, which had previously been predominantly centered on male experience. The study is based on a bibliographic review and documentary analysis. Controver-sies surrounding child analysis and female sexuality between the English and Viennese societies are highlighted as factors that fostered institutional rearran-gements and theoretical innovations. It is concluded that this process expanded the understanding of femininity and shaped English psychoanalysis as a space of social transformation.
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