128 THE SEX-COMPLEX 



Reproductive The woman who takes pleasure in sexual gratifica- 

 on tion but has no maternal instincts is also the result of the 







psychological conditions in which we live. She is an individual who 



and bio- 

 chemical takes no pleasure in anything that interferes with her 



own enjoyment of life ; she is, in fact, a by-product of 

 civilization, and she utilizes her intellect to the detriment 

 of the reproductive functions. Such a woman has the 

 maternal instincts, but she brings her mind to bear upon 

 their suppression, and she is greatly assisted therein 

 by her environment and habits. 



Last, the type of woman who shuns both sexual 

 relations and maternity is on the fringe of femininity : 

 her femininity is almost neutralized by her masculinity. 

 These women are usually flat breasted and plain. Even 

 though they menstruate, their metabolism is often for 

 the most part masculine in character : indications of this 

 are seen in the bones which are heavy, in the skin which 

 is coarse, and in the aggressive character of the mind. 



The sexual and reproductive instincts depend, just 

 as does the accompanying psychology, on the meta- 

 bolism of the body, which is under the influence of the 

 internal secretions. If a woman have well-developed 

 genitalia and secondary characteristics, she usually is 

 normal in her instincts. A feebly menstruating woman 

 with flat breasts and coarse skin cannot be expected to 

 have strong reproductive instincts, since she is largely 

 masculine in type ; indeed, her metabolism and mind 

 are ill adapted to the female role in reproduction. The 

 metabolism required for reproduction in woman is, 

 as we have seen, elastic ; and no doubt in those in 

 whom such conditions obtain the internal secretions 

 which control them produce also the attitude of mind 

 required for reproductive purposes. 



Tendency of The tendency of evolution appears to be towards the 

 towards complete separation of the sexes. This stage has by no 

 f means been* reached in the human race, in which the 

 sexes are to a greater or lesser extent mingled in each 

 individual. If this fact be kept clearly in mind, many 

 paradoxes will disappear, and much that would otherwise 



