The Sexual Being and Its Others: Gender, Authorization, and Naming in Lacan

By Pedro Ambra

In The Sexual Being and Its Others, Pedro Ambra offers a provocative and insightful exploration of the relationship between gender, authorization, and naming in the work of Jacques Lacan. Drawing on a wide range of Lacanian texts, Ambra argues that gender is not a natural or essential category, but rather a discursive construct that is produced and maintained through social practices of authorization and naming.

Gender as Discursive Construct

Ambra begins by arguing that gender is not a simple binary opposition between male and female, but rather a complex and fluid spectrum of possibilities. He draws on Lacan's concept of the "mirror stage" to show how gender is formed through a process of identification with others. As infants, we come to see ourselves as either male or female by identifying with the images of ourselves that we see in the mirror and in the eyes of others. However, this process of identification is never complete, and we always retain a sense of our own difference from the ideal images that we strive to emulate.

This sense of difference is what Lacan calls the "lack" or the "Real." The Real is that which cannot be symbolized or represented in language. It is the source of our anxiety and desire, and it is also the driving force behind our attempts to create meaning and order in the world.

Authorization and Naming

Ambra argues that gender is one of the ways that we attempt to symbolize and master the Real. By assigning names and roles to different genders, we create a sense of order and predictability in the world. However, this process of authorization and naming is also a form of violence, as it excludes and marginalizes those who do not fit into the prescribed categories.

The Politics of Gender

Ambra's analysis of gender has important implications for the politics of gender. He argues that the current gender binary is a form of oppression that limits the possibilities for human flourishing. By deconstructing the binary and opening up the possibility for new forms of gender expression, we can create a more just and equitable world.

A Must-Read for Anyone Interested in Gender, Lacan, or the Politics of Identity

The Sexual Being and Its Others is a brilliant and challenging book that offers a new way of thinking about gender, authorization, and naming. It is a must-read for anyone interested in these topics, as well as for anyone who is interested in the work of Jacques Lacan.

Praise for The Sexual Being and Its Others

"A brilliant and provocative book that challenges our most basic assumptions about gender. Ambra's work is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of psychoanalysis, gender theory, and politics." - Judith Butler, author of Gender Trouble

"A major contribution to the field of Lacanian studies. Ambra's work is theoretically sophisticated and politically engaged, and it offers a new way of thinking about the relationship between gender, authorization, and naming." - Slavoj Žižek, author of The Sublime Object of Ideology

"A must-read for anyone interested in gender, Lacan, or the politics of identity. Ambra's work is a tour de force that will change the way you think about these topics." - Joan Copjec, author of Read My Desire