232 TABOO AND GENETICS 



long struggle for the privilege of participating 

 in activities and sharing prerogatives formerly 

 limited to men, which acts as an inhibitory 

 force to prevent the transference of the sexual 

 emotion to its normal object in the opposite sex. 

 Moreover, the entrance of woman into a manner 

 of living and lines of activity which have here- 

 tofore been exclusively masculine, has brought 

 out certain character traits which in other times 

 would have been repressed as incompatible with 

 the social standards of feminine conduct, but 

 which are conducive to the formation of homo- 

 sexual attachments, since the qualities admired 

 in men can now be found also in women. 



In this connection the term homosexuality is 

 used very loosely to denote any type of emotional 

 fixation upon members of the same sex which 

 is strong enough to prevent a normal love life 

 with some individual of the opposite sex. Among 

 American women, at least, this tendencj^ is 

 seldom expressed by any gross physical mani- 

 festations, but often becomes an idealized and 

 lofty sentiment of friendship. It is abnormal, 

 however, when it becomes so strong as to prevent 

 a happy married life. 



The tendency of emotions to seek a vicarious 

 outlet must also be considered in any inclusive 

 attempt to explain the homosexual attachment 

 of women. The woman who, on account of 

 lack of attraction for men or for any other 



