Corrigendum to “Her Perfection Is My Wound: A Look at Hans Bellmer’s La Demie Poupée.”
Citation: Corrigendum to Wahlen, Samantha. “Her Perfection Is My Wound: A Look at Hans Bellmer’s La Demie Poupée.” The Coalition of Master’s Scholars on Material Culture, August 6, 2021.
This addendum corrects the following:
In the article by Wahlen, Samantha, a few claims and terms are in need of further contextualization and qualification. This corrigendum, written with the help of the author and CMSMC editors, seeks to clarify language that may be outdated, and therefore interpreted as harmful or offensive.
“Through the examination of Bellmer’s personal history, accounts of transvestitism, obsessions with androgyny and the pubescent female, this proposition delves into a brief look at this Surrealist German artist who was and continues to be a shadowy, controversial figure in early twentieth century art history.” Abstract.
“Transvestitism,” or “transvestism,” is an outdated and misleading term used to refer to people who engage in dressing up as someone of a different gender for a variety of reasons (entertainment, experimentation, etc.) other than as part of their expression of their gender identity. A more accurate term to explain Bellmer’s situation is “crossdressing.”[1]
2. “Bellmer potentially suffered from several psychosexual (paraphiliac) disorders, including fetishism, sadomasochism, pedophilia, and possible autogynephilia (in which a man becomes sexually aroused by imagining himself as a woman).” page 6.
a.) “Psychosexual (paraphiliac) disorders,” and “fetishism, sadomasochism.”
Contrary to the wording of this statement, fetishism and sadomasochism are not necessarily paraphilic disorders i.e. mental illnesses putting a subject or others at risk of harm.[2]
b.)“Autogynephilia.”
“Autogynephilia” is a defunct term originally used to describe why transgender individuals assigned male at birth decide to transition. The term’s theoretical implications conflate sexual attraction and gender identity. It continues under professional scrutiny as a misleading and stigmatizing term, and has overall been disproven by the scientific community.[3] By no means should anyone employ this term. Furthermore, contrary to the wording of this statement, transgenderism (as associated with the term “autogynephilia”) is neither a paraphilia nor a paraphilic disorder. Though understandings of gender and transgenderism were extremely limited while Bellmer was alive and working, the author does not believe that Bellmer himself was trans as we understand the term today.
3. “Regarding a kind of feminine alter ego or second self in which Bellmer may have found shelter from his psychological angst, this is also very common for people who struggle with gender dysphoria or paraphiliac disorders.” Page 10-11 and note xxiii.
Contrary to the wording of this statement, “gender dysphoria” is neither a mental disorder nor related to paraphilia or paraphilic disorders.[4]
4. “Why does Bellmer include this secondary indication of arousal? This young girl is not being ravished in a biologically comprehensible way. Instead, she exudes a holistic arousal and sexuality. This modification of his favorite version of the female form—the young girl—reaches out to a universal audience whilst also expressing Bellmer’s own sense of sexuality. We know that this male/female amalgamation is a recurring theme in Bellmer’s work, and some scholars believe this to be a testament of Bellmer’s “desire to actually be [the woman], as he looks out of her body from his position inside.” Page 11 and note xxv.
Contrary to the wording of this statement, transgenderism and pedophilia are in no way inherently related to one another. The author is simply completing the visual analysis of the piece by discussing two of the influences on the piece in tandem, not intending to link them independently, but rather through Bellmer’s psychological profile.
Furthermore, this article would like to clarify that the author based their research within the time period the artist produced work for the public (1930-1971). As such, some of the original language in these documents is used in the essay itself. We provide this document to explain and correct the use of these terms in the essay to clarify the author’s argument. In no way does the author, or any of the members of the CMSMC team, believe that transgenderism is a mental illness. Simply put, the article seeks to analyze Bellmer’s struggles with his identity and how that affected his artwork. It does not intentionally malign or degrade any struggles that any reader may have with their own gender identities.
The Coalition of Master’s Scholars on Material Culture recognizes the significant lack of diversity in academia and specifically in the field of Material Culture. As a Coalition that seeks to amplify the voices of emerging scholars, we dedicate our work to doing so in a manner that does not discriminate based on Race, Gender, or Sexual Orientation. We seek to create a space where diversity is welcomed and celebrated as a means of developing new and thought-provoking ideas in the field of Material Culture. Drawing from the fields of Art History, Archaeology, History and Museum Studies, CMSMC intends to foster interdisciplinary discussions centered around a diverse pool of topics. Furthermore, the Coalition is dedicated to disseminating information that is publicly accessible while maintaining rigorous academic standards. We hold a responsibility to our readers, editors, authors, and wider community to stay informed and sensitive to all topics that handle issues of race, gender, sexuality, and mental illness.
Endnotes
[1] See: Samantha Wahlen, “Her Perfection Is My Wound: A Look at Hans Bellmer’s La Demie Poupée,” The Coalition of Master’s Scholars on Material Culture, August 6, 2021, 8.
[2] Brown, George R. “Overview of Paraphilic Disorders (Paraphilias).” Merck Manual: Professional Version, last modified April, 2021, https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/paraphilic-disorders/overview-of-paraphilic-disorders.
[3] Serano, Julia M. “The Case Against Autogynephilia.” International Journal of Transgenderism 12, No. 3 (2010): 176-187; Serano, Juli M. ‘Making Sense of Autogynephilia Debates.’ Medium, 15 October, 2019, https://juliaserano.medium.com/making-sense-of-autogynephilia-debates-73d9051e88d3.
[4] ‘Transgender no longer recognised as “disorder” by WHO.’ BBC, 29 May, 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48448804.
Bibliography
Brown, George R. “Overview of Paraphilic Disorders - Psychiatric Disorders.” Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Merck Manuals, April 2021. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/paraphilic-disorders/overview-of-paraphilic-disorders.
Serrano, Julia M. “Making Sense of Autogynephilia.” Medium , October 15, 2019. https://juliaserano.medium.com/making-sense-of-autogynephilia-debates-73d9051e88d3.
Serrano, Julia M. “The Case Against Autogynephilia.” International Journal of Transgenderism 12, no. 3 (2010): 176–87.
“Transgender No Longer Recognized as ‘Disorder’ by WHO .” BBC, May 29, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48448804.