[Blog/Commentary] [USA] The psychological basis of “Die cis scum”

[Stephanie Stevens]

Pretendbians, USA


The psychological basis of “Die cis scum”

Posted on July 24, 2012 by bugbrennan


“The grandiose, unrealistic sense of self that is characteristic of
many persons with narcissistic disorders can be understood as a
defense against what would otherwise be overwhelming feelings of
inadequacy or shame (Kohut, 1971). In the case of nonhomosexual MtF
transsexuals, this unrealistic sense of self might include the belief
that one passes undetectably as a woman, despite having unmistakably
masculine physical characteristics; that one has a ‘female brain’ in
one’s male body, despite having male-typical interests and attitudes;
that eroticism had nothing to do with one’s gender transition, despite
an extensive history of cross-gender fetishism; and that one is
exclusively sexually attracted to men, despite a past history of
attraction to, and sexual activity with, women…

An action that threatens to disrupt the grandiose, unrealistic sense
of self that many narcissistic persons maintain is experienced as a
narcissistic injury. Kohut (1972) noted that narcissistic rage—the
disproportionate, compulsive pursuit of revenge that seeks to
obliterate both the offense and the offender— is one of two possible
responses to narcissistic injury:

‘It is easily observed that the narcissistically
vulnerable individual responds to actual (or
anticipated) narcissistic injury either with
shamefaced withdrawal (flight) or with
narcissistic rage (fight)’ (p. 379).

Tangney and Dearing (2002) pointed out, however, that rage is by far
the more effective response for reconstituting a damaged sense of
self:

‘Feelings of self-righteous anger can help the
shamed person regain some sense of agency
and control. Anger is an emotion of potency and
authority. In contrast, shame is an emotion of
the worthless, the paralyzed, the ineffective….
[B]y turning their anger outward, shamed
individuals become angry instead, reactivating
and bolstering the self (p. 93)’

So, narcissistic rage, although very unpleasant to experience, is
nevertheless an understandable response to perceived narcissistic
injury.”

Source: Lawrence AA. Shame and narcissistic rage in autogynephilic
transsexualism. Arch Sex Behav 2008;37:457–461.
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