A Psychoanalytic Approach to the Feminine sees Houari Maïdi dissect the concepts and characteristics of the feminine in both males and females, separating them from womanhood and femininity, and equipping readers with the tools to better understand pathologies such as masochism, narcissism, depression, and paranoia. Starting from Freud’s binary depiction of gender identity through the lens of bisexuality, Maïdi seeks to redress the way in which traditional psychoanalysis considers sexual characteristics. He separates the feminine from gender, showing how historically misogynistic theories in psychoanalysis have potentially damaged the progress of the field, as well as female and male analysands alike.

Depictions of the feminine are considered through their relationship with traumatic seduction, mourning and melancholy to address questions related to different clinical and psychopathological representations. Using clinical vignettes throughout, this book is essential reading for psychoanalysts and those interested in the intersection between gender and analysis.