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V Sigusch

Publications and source records attributed to V Sigusch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902. In memory of the 100th anniversary of his death].

Richard von Krafft-Ebing was a famous psychiatrist and sex researcher. However, little is known reliably about his life and work. The author was the first with the opportunity to review Krafft-Ebing's papers, which only recently had become accessible. Based on original documents, Krafft-Ebing's history is outlined. While Krafft-Ebing as general psychiatrist only followed the ongoing modernization and liberalization in his field, he was a pioneer of modern forensic psychiatry in his writings, opinions, and especially his viewpoint, emphasizing individual rights and responsibilities. In the field of sexual psychopathology, he basically summarized known case reports but did not lay down theoretical or therapeutic foundations for modern sexual science.

Forensic Psychiatry↗

Kallmann's syndrome and transsexualism.

Until the present, in the world literature only one patient with Kallmann's syndrome has been reported who became transsexual. This patient was seen almost 50 years ago. In this report, a second case is presented to encourage studies of the sexual and gender identity development in these patients. This patient's rare endocrine disorder and secondary emotional problems have led to negative consequences because appropriate treatment of her transsexualism became impossible.

Female↗

Sex ratio of transsexuals in Germany: the development over three decades.

OBJECTIVE: The higher incidence of man-to-woman transsexuals compared to woman-to-man transsexuals varies markedly from country to country. This is the first survey of the sex ratio to be made in Germany. METHOD: It covers 1785 patients who between 1964 and 1998 were diagnosed as transsexual at the four largest German centres offering treatment. RESULTS: From 1970 to 1994 the sex ratio remained constant at 2:1 in favour of man-to-woman transsexuals. Over the past 4 years, however, it has altered considerably and reached 1.2:1. CONCLUSION: Up to 1994 our results do not support the assumption that transsexualism is gradually becoming equally prevalent in both sexes. The drop in the sex ratio after 1994 can be explained either as a reduction of an overhang of male-to-female transsexuals or as an artificial phenomenon caused by recent developments in therapy and by the views of transsexuals' groups on the treatment they are offered.

Adolescent↗

[Social transformation of sexuality in the past decades. An overview].

The societies of the Western world have witnessed a tremendous cultural and social transformation of sexuality during the eighties and nineties, a process Sigusch refers to as "the neosexual revolution". Up to now, this transformation and reassessment of sexuality has proceeded rather slowly and quietly. Yet both its real and its symbolic effects may indeed be more consequential that those brought about in the course of the rapid, noisy sexual revolution of the sixties and seventies. The neosexual revolution is dismantling the old patterns of sexuality and reassembling them anew. In the process, dimensions, intimate relationships, preferences and sexual fragments emerge, many of which had submerged, were unnamed or simply did not exist before. In general, sexuality has lost much of its symbolic meaning as a cultural phenomenon. Sexuality is no longer the great metaphor for pleasure and happiness, nor is it so greatly overestimated as it was during the sexual revolution. It is now widely taken for granted, much like egotism or motility. Whereas sex was once mystified in a positive sense--as ecstasy and transgression, it has now taken on a negative mystification characterized by abuse, violence and deadly infection. While the old sexuality was based primarily upon sexual instinct, orgasm and the heterosexual couple, neosexualities revolve predominantly around gender difference, thrills, self-gratification and prosthetic substitution. From the vast number of interrelated processes from which neosexualities emerge, three phenomena have been selected for discussion here: the dissociation of the sexual sphere, the dispersion of sexual fragments and the diversification of sexual relationships. The outcome of the neosexual revolution could be described as self-disciplined and self-optimized "self-sex".

Humans↗

The neosexual revolution.

The affluent societies of the Western world have witnessed a tremendous cultural and social transformation of sexuality during the 1980s and 1990s, a process I refer to as the neosexual revolution. Up to now, this recoding and reassessment of sexuality has proceeded rather slowly and quietly. Yet both its real and its symbolic effects may indeed be more consequential than those brought about in the course of the rapid, noisy sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. The neosexual revolution is dismantling the old patterns of sexuality and reassembling them anew. In the process, dimensions, intimate relationships, preferences, and sexual fragments emerge, many of which had been submerged, were unnamed, or simply did not exist before. In general, sexuality has lost much of its symbolic meaning as a cultural phenomenon. Sexuality is no longer the great metaphor for pleasure and happiness, nor is it so greatly overestimated as it was during the sexual revolution. It is now widely taken for granted, much like egotism or motility. Whereas sex was once mystified in a positive sense--as ecstasy and transgression, it has now taken on a negative mystification characterized by abuse, violence, and deadly infection. While the old sexuality was based primarily upon sexual instinct, orgasm, and the heterosexual couple, neosexualities revolve predominantly around gender difference, thrills, self-gratification, and prosthetic substitution. From the vast number of interrelated processes from which neosexualities emerge, three empirically observable phenomena have been selected for discussion here: the dissociation of the sexual sphere, the dispersion of sexual fragments, and the diversification of intimate relationships. These processes go hand in hand with the commercialization and banalization of sexuality. They are looked upon as being controlled individually through the mechanisms of a fundamentally egotistical consensus morality. In conformity with the general principles at work in society, the outcome of the neosexual revolution could be described as self-disciplined and self-optimized lean sexuality.

Family Relations↗

[Transsexualism. Current status of research and clinical practice].

In the past decades the cultural and social status of transsexuals has changed considerably. They have established their own organizations, obtained legal rights and access to health insurance services. The professional point of view has changed as well considerably. Very different personality structures, developmental courses and sexual preferences are described. As differential diagnoses homosexual and transvestitic developments, psychoses, early-onset personality disorders, adolescence crises, culturally induced gender dysphorias, and intersexual disorders have primarily to be considered. In therapy, the old confrontation psychotherapy vs. surgery has widely been relinquished. Patient's age is nowadays much lower. Sex ratio in Germany is approaching for the first time 1:1. So far worldwide a preponderance of biologically male transsexuals is reported. The total number of adult transsexuals in Germany is estimated 2000-4000.

Adult↗

Psychosurgery on sex offenders and sexual "deviants" in West Germany.

About 70 men have undergone a stereotaxic hypothalamotomy in West Germany for sexual behaviors. In most cases the nucleus ventromedialis (Cajal) has been unilaterally destroyed. The question of whether this kind of psychosurgery shoudl be legally controlled is being discussed by both scientists and the public in West Germany. The justification for this psychosurgery is taken from a theoretical basis which is at least questionable and which stems from a biologically truncated and therefore limited perspective on human sexuality. An inspection of the published reports shows that the indication for surgery was based on questionable scientific and clinical grounds and practically excluded psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic aspects. In the authors' opinion stereotaxic hypothalamotomy can in no way be regarded as an unquestioned, applicable method of therapy. We consider it essential that this surgery be suspended at least as long as the possible therapeutic effectiveness and the possible adverse side effects remain unclear.

Germany, West↗