Short report
The controversy between psychoanalysis and feminism
R. Vecht-van den Bergh
According to the feminists, psychoanalytic theories describe women to be inferior creatures and regard their characters to be determinated by biological aspects. Horney and Thompson as well as modern psychoanalysts agree with the feminists that the unequal position of women is due to cultural influences. However, discussion seems unfruitful because feminists reject psychoanalytic basic principles. The classical psychoanalysts regard the shock, arised by discovery of the difference between the sexes responsible for the shape of a girl's character. They consider penisenvy as the only motive of emulation of male pursuits and of protest against the traditional feminine role.