By: Alexa Strong
“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.”
– Jo March, Little Women
The intricate life of a human being who is unsure of their gender identity or role in the world: battered and belittled by the harsh upbringings of society. There are two insights into the complexities of the human mind and societal structures surrounding gender: the psychoanalytic theory and women and gender studies. The psychoanalytic theory explores how the unconscious contributes to the internalization of gender norms, and women and gender studies critique the norms and examine their impact on individuals. They connect in tackling society as it pushes these norms and ideas onto individuals, making them think they are wrong if they are in any way, shape, or form different from what is expected. This ideology has caused so many women and those of other genders to feel misplaced in the world.
The psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud, a well known theorist and neurologist, and was further expanded upon by other theorists. This theory seeks to understand human behavior by exploring the interaction between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind. It suggests that our behavior is greatly influenced by unconscious thoughts, desires, and conflicts. These thoughts often stem from past experiences and shape how we see the world and interact with others. It is a deep dive into the root of why society takes the steps it does in forcing a societal “blueprint” of how we are supposed to live and represent ourselves. This leads us to women and gender studies, which solely focuses on exploring the social, cultural, and political aspects of gender and how gender shapes our identities, experiences, and opportunities. It is about understanding how gender influences our lives and society as a whole. These studies analyze gender roles, stereotypes, discrimination, inequalities, and so much more. Through these studies, we are seeking to promote gender equality and social justice.
Although the psychoanalytic theory gives insight into how unconscious thoughts affect our actions and thought processes toward societal norms, it somehow still reinforces traditional gender stereotypes by limiting individuality and perpetuating inequality. I found that these traditional gender stereotypes come from past generations and are carried through family trees: consciously and unconsciously. Through reading Literary Theory: An Anthology by Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan, I gathered that Freud’s ideas suggest that gender identity forms through identification with parental figures and the resolution of unconscious conflicts.
He claims, “the contours of self-identity are given or shaped by that primary relationship” (Rivkin & Ryan 570).
It may be hard for some to admit, but our parents do play a part in who we grow up to become. Freud goes on to say that the child’s ability to separate and differentiate themselves from their primary caregiver, often the mother, guides them in forming their personality. Creating boundaries between parent and child is important in the child becoming their own person. How the child navigates the process of self-boundaries and separation from the parents determines how they will develop a sense of self and understanding of the world. This heavily influences their personality as they grow. However, it is difficult for some parents to accept the separation and allow for their child to be an individual being. Many parents try to mold their children’s paths and shape them according to their own desires. This creates an internal conflict for the child as they battle who they want to be versus who their parents want them to be.
Parents are not the only culprits in influencing individuality. Society has a huge role in influencing how we choose to represent ourselves, whether we want it to or not.
When speaking about uncanny feelings, Freud believed it explained why “we compulsively repeat certain gestures, desires, experiences, and self-induced situations that might be quite distressing but also compellingly unavoidable” (Rivkin & Ryan 567).
This explains why we so readily conform to societal expectations, particularly concerning gender roles and expressions. Our unconscious is affected by everything around us, without our knowledge, and this could be why how we represent ourselves can shift as we go throughout life. To go into more specifics, biological sex is normally distinguished between male and female, and historically, that is all that there was.
However, over time society has changed that construct by portraying gender identity as something that “can vary across different societies and time periods, rather than being solely determined by biological factors.” (Rivkin & Ryan 898).
We see a crossover of femininity and masculinity among individuals, as well as their own ideas of self-expression. Women are not tied to just being “feminine” anymore and men are no longer tied to only being “masculine”. People are fighting gender and social norms. The difficulty in that is those in older generations are more unwelcoming to the idea of more than one gender identity or expression, so they stick to defending the two that they accept: female and male. Which ultimately, locks people into labels they do not associate with or want to be categorized as.
Simone de Beauvoir, a French writer, philosopher, and feminist theorist, analyzed the oppression of women throughout history.
She expressed that the psychoanalysis holding women to a fixed destiny and clear-cut identity “renders woman as the other to a subject rather than a subject herself, and thereby denies her existential freedom” (Zakin & Leeb).
The psychoanalytic theory treats women as objects rather than individual beings. Reducing people to redefined roles restricts their existential freedom and denies their right to determine their own paths in life. Individuals are reduced to the gender roles and expressions that society sees fit for them: women are pressured to be nurturing, passive, and sensitive, and men are pressured to be strong, assertive, and to hide their emotions. Men are expected to go out and work, but they must look, dress, and present themselves as “manly”. While women are expected to stay at home, sit and look pretty, and present themselves as “girly”. It is unfair that if individuals do not conform to these societal norms, they develop an increase in body image issues and their self-esteem declines rapidly. As stated in the quote before, women especially are subjected to this treatment because they are viewed as less than others and as objects rather than human beings. People are stuck in the past when it comes to the treatment of women.
In the late 18th century, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Right of Woman to advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. She believed that women were at a disadvantage, not only in education but in opportunities.
She argued that social inequalities are to blame for the subjugation of women and that women are “degraded by the same inclination to enjoy the present moment and eventually to despise the freedom that they haven’t enough virtue to struggle to get” (Wollstonecraft 36).
There is the idea that due to societal pressures, women perhaps lack the courage to fight for their freedom because they are seen as so inferior to men, which can lead to women feeling oppressed and unable to break free from societal norms that limit their worth and potential. Wollstonecraft’s advocation for gender equality and women’s rights challenges the prevailing notions that women are intellectually and morally inferior to men.
Wollstonecraft also argued that “it is unanimously allowed that sex is out of the question; but the line of subordination in the mental powers is never to be passed over. Only ‘absolute in loveliness’, the portion of rationality granted to woman is, indeed, very scanty; for, denying her genius and judgment, it is scarcely possible to divine what remains to characterize intellect” (Wollstonecraft 36).
Women are often denied recognition for their intelligence, creativity, and judgment because of the unwavering belief in the superiority of men. Women are only seen for their physical qualities rather than their intellectual abilities and inner qualities. This circles us back to the parental influence on children, and how women are pushed to marry based on how desirable they look. What they want and who they see themselves to be is ignored as they are set up in arranged instances. They are pushed by society into following this way of life, even if they do not wish to partake. It comes to a point where women will break and not follow the path that is paved for them by others. Who says they are women, to begin with? They have automatically been put in a subordinate position in the world because society is heavily influenced by generational traditions carried through the unconscious mind.
Gender identity and women’s rights are heavily influenced by societal norms, which in hindsight are shaped by the psychoanalytic theory. From the psychoanalytic theory’s examination of the unconscious mind to the critiques and advocacy of women and gender studies, we gain a greater view of the complexities surrounding gender. Societal pressures continue to persist even today and continue to impact women and those of diverse gender identities. Through generational traditions and unconscious biases, harmful stereotypes are perpetuated, limiting the freedom of individuals all over. As exemplified by Mary Wollstonecraft’s and Simone de Beauvoir’s advocacies for women’s rights, there is a pressing need to challenge these persistent beliefs and advocate for equality. Unconscious or not, the treatment of those breaking the boundaries of gender identity must be challenged. Through collective efforts to dismantle oppressive systems and cultivate inclusivity, we can create a society where everyone’s identity is valued and respected, regardless of gender. Only with meaningful action will we create a world where all individuals can thrive and express their identities freely, with no negative influences or judgment.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Roberts Brothers, 1868. Accessed 8 March 2024.
Rivkin, Julie, and Michael Ryan. Literary Theory: An Anthology. Wiley Blackwell, 2017. Accessed 8 March 2024.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/wollstonecraft1792.pdf. Accessed 8 March 2024.
Zakin, Emily, and Claudia Leeb. “Psychoanalytic Feminism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 5 Dec. 2023, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-psychoanalysis/. Accessed 8 March 2024.
Sprockets and Springes 