Giles' theory of sexual desire
Encyclopedia
Giles' theory of sexual desire is an existential theory of sexuality due to James Giles.
or biological theories
. Giles, however, rejects both these views as inadequate. Instead, he frames sexual desire existentially within the hierarchy of needs. This need is based on the experience of one’s own gender
as a form of disequilibrium
. This creates “a sense of incompleteness that calls out to be fulfilled by the gender of another person”.
The need for fulfilling is expressed through the desire for mutual baring and caressing with one or more persons of the desired gender. That is, to have sexual desire is to desire to have the other person bare or naked
before oneself in order that one may caress that person, while at the same time desiring oneself to be bare to the other person’s caress. In heterosexual desire, it is the opposite gender that is felt to complete one’s own gender, while in homosexual desire, it is the same gender that is experienced as offering completion to one’s own gender. Bisexuality
is simply the alternation between these two sorts of desires. With the atypical sexual variations (e. g. fetishism
or zoophilia
) the person of the desired gender assumes a fantasized or symbolic form.
The baring and caressing of sexual desire, says Giles, can take numerous forms. In erotic kissing, for example, it takes the form of a mutual baring and caressing of lip
s, while in sexual intercourse
it is “a baring of the penis
to the caress of the vagina
, and a baring of the vagina to the caress of the penis”. At a deeper level, however, the desires for mutual baring and caressing are expressions of the desire for mutual vulnerability and care. This is because being naked before another person is a powerful way of being vulnerable
before that person, while desiring to be caressed is a way of desiring to be cared for or shown care.
It is these elements of vulnerability and care that enable sexual desire to be a fundamental feature of romantic love
. This is because, argues Giles, romantic love is a complex of reciprocal desires for mutual vulnerability and care. This is the Vulnerability and Care Theory of Love
. With love these desires refer to psychological and emotional vulnerability. These desires are typically so intense that they naturally spill over to include the desires for physical vulnerability and care, namely, the desires for mutual baring and caressing. The difference between romantic love and sexual desire, however, is that while romantic love implies sexual desire, sexual desire does not necessarily imply romantic love. This is because someone who is in love with another person normally wants the other person to show similar desires back to himself or herself. This feature of reciprocity
is not essential to sexual desire.
Exposition
According to Giles, sexual desire has been mainly accounted for in two principle ways, namely, in terms of social constructionismSocial constructionism
Social constructionism and social constructivism are sociological theories of knowledge that consider how social phenomena or objects of consciousness develop in social contexts. A social construction is a concept or practice that is the construct of a particular group...
or biological theories
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
. Giles, however, rejects both these views as inadequate. Instead, he frames sexual desire existentially within the hierarchy of needs. This need is based on the experience of one’s own gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
as a form of disequilibrium
Disequilibrium
Disequilibrium is a term used to describe the lack of or opposite of an equilibrium.* in medicine:** Disequilibrium in cerebral palsy - a syndrome described by Hagberg & all** lack of equilibrioception...
. This creates “a sense of incompleteness that calls out to be fulfilled by the gender of another person”.
The need for fulfilling is expressed through the desire for mutual baring and caressing with one or more persons of the desired gender. That is, to have sexual desire is to desire to have the other person bare or naked
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
before oneself in order that one may caress that person, while at the same time desiring oneself to be bare to the other person’s caress. In heterosexual desire, it is the opposite gender that is felt to complete one’s own gender, while in homosexual desire, it is the same gender that is experienced as offering completion to one’s own gender. Bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
is simply the alternation between these two sorts of desires. With the atypical sexual variations (e. g. fetishism
Fetishism
A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a man-made object that has power over others...
or zoophilia
Zoophilia
Zoophilia, from the Greek ζῷον and φιλία is the practice of sex between humans and non-human animals , or a preference or fixation on such practice...
) the person of the desired gender assumes a fantasized or symbolic form.
The baring and caressing of sexual desire, says Giles, can take numerous forms. In erotic kissing, for example, it takes the form of a mutual baring and caressing of lip
Lip
Lips are a visible body part at the mouth of humans and many animals. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech...
s, while in sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
it is “a baring of the penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
to the caress of the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
, and a baring of the vagina to the caress of the penis”. At a deeper level, however, the desires for mutual baring and caressing are expressions of the desire for mutual vulnerability and care. This is because being naked before another person is a powerful way of being vulnerable
Vulnerability
Vulnerability refer to the susceptibility of a person, group, society, sex or system to physical or emotional injury or attack. The term can also refer to a person who lets their guard down, leaving themselves open to censure or criticism...
before that person, while desiring to be caressed is a way of desiring to be cared for or shown care.
It is these elements of vulnerability and care that enable sexual desire to be a fundamental feature of romantic love
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
. This is because, argues Giles, romantic love is a complex of reciprocal desires for mutual vulnerability and care. This is the Vulnerability and Care Theory of Love
Vulnerability and Care Theory of Love
The vulnerability and care theory of love was put forward by the philosopher James Giles in an article entitled "A Theory of Love and Sexual Desire" and later developed in his book The Nature of Sexual Desire . Giles' theory has been discussed by scholars Dr. Ruth, in her textbook Human Sexuality:...
. With love these desires refer to psychological and emotional vulnerability. These desires are typically so intense that they naturally spill over to include the desires for physical vulnerability and care, namely, the desires for mutual baring and caressing. The difference between romantic love and sexual desire, however, is that while romantic love implies sexual desire, sexual desire does not necessarily imply romantic love. This is because someone who is in love with another person normally wants the other person to show similar desires back to himself or herself. This feature of reciprocity
Reciprocity
Reciprocity may refer to:*Reciprocity , used to describe the concept of free trade with the United States of America** Reciprocal trade agreement, entered into in order to reduce tariffs, quotas and other trade restrictions on items traded between the signatories*Reciprocity , the relationship...
is not essential to sexual desire.
External links
- Review of Nature of Sexual Desire Metapsychology Online Reviews
- Review of Nature of Sexual Desire by Itziar Alonso-Albio, Relationship Research News
- Review of Nature of Sexual Desire by Elaine Hatfield, Journal of Marital & Family Therapy
- Review of Nature of Sexual Desire Tifani S. Kislet in Journal of Marriage and Family
- Saying How You Feel: Women and Men on Sexual Arousal and Sexual Desire] Robert Scott Stewart, Cape Breton UniversityCape Breton UniversityCape Breton University , formerly the "University College of Cape Breton" , is a Canadian university in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality....