Read Kiss of the Spider Woman Online
Authors: Manuel Puig
Tags: #Regional.Latin America, #Fiction.Magical Realism, #Fiction.Literature.Modern, #Acclaimed.Horror 100 Best.Index
Kiss of the Spider Woman (33 page)
Footnotes
Chapter 3
The English researcher D. J. West suggests there are three principal theories with respect to the physical origins of homosexuality, and then proceeds to refute all three.
The first of these theories tries to establish the fact that abnormal sexual behavior stems from an imbalance, proportionally speaking, in male and female hormones, both being present in the bloodstream of either sex. But tests performed directly on homosexuals have not yielded results which would confirm such a theory, that is to say, have not demonstrated a deficiency in hormonal distribution. As Doctor Swyer explains it in his study, “Homosexuality: The Endocrinologic Aspects,” the charting of hormonal levels in homosexuals and heterosexuals has not revealed such differences. Moreover, were homosexuality to presuppose a hormonal origin (the hormones are secreted by the endocrine glands), it could be cured by means of injections to restore the hormonal balance. But this has not been the case, and in his study, “Testosterone in Psychotic Male Homosexuals,” the investigations of Barahal suggest that with such administering of masculine hormones to male homosexuals, the only identifiable result has been a marked increment in the desire which the individual experiences for that form of sexual activity to which he has been accustomed. As for experiments conducted on women, Doctor Foss, in “The Influence of Urinary Androgens on Sexuality in Women,” states that administering large doses of masculine hormones to women has in fact produced a noticeable change, and in the masculine direction, but only concerning the physical aspect: voice noticeably deeper, beard, reduction in the breast size, clitoral expansion, etc. As for sexual appetite, it is in fact stimulated, but normally remains feminine, that is to say that the object of the urge continues to be men, but clearly only if one is not dealing with a woman of lesbian tendencies. In addition, with the male heterosexual, the administering of large quantities of feminine hormones does not awaken homosexual urges, but it does contribute to a lessening of sexual energy. All of which indicates that the furnishing of masculine hormones to women and of feminine hormones to men reveals no necessary relationship between the percentage of masculine and feminine hormones in the bloodstream and corresponding sexual urge. One can therefore assert that sexual preference in a particular subject bears no demonstrable relationship to endocrinal activity, that is to say, to hormonal secretion.
The second important theory on the possible physical origin of homosexuality is, according to D. J. West, one referring to intersexuality. Intersexuals, or hermaphrodites, are those individuals who pertain physically to neither one of the sexes completely, although they still present certain features of both. The sex to which an individual will belong is determined at the moment of conception, and depends upon genetic variety of the corresponding spermatozoid that fertilizes the ovule. The physical causes of intersexuality have still not been properly determined; commonly it is produced by a malfunction of the endocrine system during the fetal state. The degree of intersexuality varies greatly; in some cases the internal sexual glands (ovaries or testicles) and physical appearance are contradictory, in others the internal sexual glands result in a varying mixture of testicle and ovary, and in still others the outer genitals may present all intermediate phases between masculine and feminine, up to and including the presence of penis and uterus simultaneously. The researcher T. Lang in his “Studies in the Genetic Determination of Homosexuality,” for example, adduces that male homosexuals might actually be, genetically speaking, women whose bodies have suffered a complete sexual inversion, in a masculine direction. To demonstrate this hypothesis he conducted several surveys and in the end concluded that male homosexuals are the result of families which contain an excessive number of brothers and an insufficient quantity of sisters, with the resulting male homosexual thus viewed as a form of intermediary product, of unsuccessful compensation. If in fact the data prove to be of interest, the theory thereby formulated by Lang is marred by a failure to account for the normal physical characteristics of a large majority—99 percent—of homosexuals. This last consideration has led to G. M. B. Pare’s researches, presented in “Homosexuality and Chromosomal Sex,” where Lang’s hypothesis is refuted; according to Pare, by resorting to modern microscopical technology, he was able to identify as equally masculine, biologically speaking, every male homosexual examined during the course of his extensive investigations, which included male heterosexual subjects. In addition, Lang’s theory is also rejected by J. Money in his study, “Imprinting and the Establishment of Gender Role,” where Money affirms that intersexuals, despite their apparent bisexuality, do not seem to operate bisexually when selecting the object of their individual sexual preference; the sexual drive of such individuals, Money states, does not follow the direction of their inner sexual glands, whether it be ovaries, testicles, or a glandular mix. The urge of the intersexual is, on the contrary, adapted to that of the sex to which he has been educated, even when the chromosomes and dominant characteristics of his outer and inner sexual organs may be from the other sex. From all of the above, one can surmise that heterosexuality and homosexuality, in all cases, whether the individual has a physically normal constitution or not, are roles acquired through psychological conditioning, and not predetermined by endocrinal factors.
The third and last theory on the physical origin of homosexuality with which West occupies himself is one that proposes a hereditary determinant. West points out that in spite of the seriousness of the studies carried out, among which he cites “Comparative Twin Study of the Genetic Aspects of Male Homosexuality,” by F.J. Kallman, the vagueness of the data available still does not allow us to determine that homosexuality is a constitutional characteristic of the hereditary type.
Chapter 4
Press-book from Tobis-Berlin Studios, for their international distributors of Tobis-Berlin releases, regarding the superproduction entitled
Her Real Glory
(middle pages):
The unexpected arrival of the foreign vedette had not been announced with the usual fanfare; on the contrary, it was decided for Leni Lamaison to arrive incognito at the capital city of the Reich. Only after makeup and wardrobe tests were the press summoned. The foremost diva of French song was to be introduced, that afternoon, finally, to prominent representatives of the free press, there at Berlin’s Grand Hotel. Soft echoings of the orchestra in the tea garden reached the Imperial Room, located on the mezzanine floor and reserved for the occasion. Leni had already been identified with the latest rages in Parisian fashion, her beauty having so often served to embody the same. Everyone therefore expected to see a mechanical doll adorned with the tightest of permanent waves, her two cheekbones heavily rouged over a foundation of white lacquer. It was likewise taken for granted that she would scarcely be able to keep her eyes open, given the thick layering of black mascara and the imposing set of false eyelashes. But the greatest curiosity was centered on her attire, inasmuch as it could be assumed to include, inevitably, the useless profusion of draperies dictated by the decadent couturiers of the Ultra-Rhine, aspiring as they do to a distortion of the female figure. But when one eventually caught the sudden murmurings of profounded admiration voiced among the gathering, it was an altogether different woman who in fact emerged among all those who now so rapidly made way for her. No, her tiny waist and rounded hips were not buried beneath any sort of superfluous trappings, her firm bust was not flattened by some extravagant design: on the contrary the girl—right out of Sparta, one might well have imagined—stepped forth girded in the simplest sort of white tunic which amply expressed the perfect fullness of her figure, and the bright, clean face could have belonged to a healthy shepherdess. Her hair, in turn, was parted in the middle and fixed into a long braid completely encircling the crown of her erect head. And the gymnast’s arms were unencumbered by sleeves, just a short cape of the same white fabric to cover her shoulders. “Our ideal of beauty must forever be one of healthy fitness,” so our Leader has stated, and more specifically as applied to women, “Her single mission is to be beautiful and bear the sons of the world. A woman who bequeaths five sons to the
Volk
has made a greater contribution than that of the finest woman jurist in the world. Because there is no place for women in politics within the ideological context of National Socialism, inasmuch as to drag women into the parliamentary sphere, where they pale, is to rob them of their dignity. The German renaissance is a masculine undertaking, but the Third Reich, which presently numbers upwards of 80 million subjects, within a century—in the glorious year of 2040—will have need of 250 million patriots to govern the destinies of the entire world, from the Fatherland itself and from our countless colonies. And that will be a feminine undertaking, after having learned the lesson of so many other peoples, concerning the grave problem of racial degeneration, which can and will be halted by means of concerted nationalism on the part of the populace itself, synthesis of State and People.” These same words are repeated to the lovely foreigner, there in the so-called Imperial Room, by the representative of the Berlin studios—words which make a lasting impression upon Leni, just as her pure beauty makes its own impression upon the many members of the international press gathered together there.
Volk
has made a greater contribution than that of the finest woman jurist in the world. Because there is no place for women in politics within the ideological context of National Socialism, inasmuch as to drag women into the parliamentary sphere, where they pale, is to rob them of their dignity. The German renaissance is a masculine undertaking, but the Third Reich, which presently numbers upwards of 80 million subjects, within a century—in the glorious year of 2040—will have need of 250 million patriots to govern the destinies of the entire world, from the Fatherland itself and from our countless colonies. And that will be a feminine undertaking, after having learned the lesson of so many other peoples, concerning the grave problem of racial degeneration, which can and will be halted by means of concerted nationalism on the part of the populace itself, synthesis of State and People.” These same words are repeated to the lovely foreigner, there in the so-called Imperial Room, by the representative of the Berlin studios—words which make a lasting impression upon Leni, just as her pure beauty makes its own impression upon the many members of the international press gathered together there.
The following day, her new image adorns the front pages of all the newspapers of the free world, but Leni wastes no time reading hymns of praise to her loveliness; instead, she picks up the telephone and—overcoming her strong mistrust—calls up Werner. She asks him if, during those few days he plans to spend in the capital before returning to Paris, he would perhaps help her to discover some of the marvels of the new German world. Werner begins by driving her to a gigantic assembly of German youth, taking place in an enormous stadium. However, he prefers to disregard the usual amenities of an official limousine, and instead to take Leni there in his dashing white coupe; his intention being that she might thus experience herself as only one of thousands among that zealous multitude—and what is more, he succeeds. All those who pass close by to Leni of course admire her, but not for the eccentricities of some diva precieuse, but rather because of her majestic poise, her example of healthy womanhood, undefiled by cosmetics. In short, Leni makes her appearance in a simple two-piece outfit, reminiscent of our stark military uniforms. The fabric, a typical cloth of the Alpine region, reflects something of the ruggedness of all mountain folk, but nevertheless highlights her comely feminine shape, and only the square shoulder padding departs from the contours of her lovely silhouette, and then only to strengthen them. Werner is contemplating her ecstatically, because he has of course anticipated Leni’s astonishment at the monumental façade of the stadium, and in fact she has not escaped its impact. Leni then asks Werner why his nation proves capable of creating something so purely inspired, while in the rest of Europe an art all too frivolous and ephemeral has been imposed, as much in painting and sculpture as in architecture, a merely decorative and abstract art destined to perish as quickly as any expendable haute couture concocted in the capital of the Ultra-Rhine. He knows very well what to answer her, but chooses not to do so immediately, and asks her to wait one more instant. And now the two find themselves before the unforgettable spectacle that the flower of German youth offers them: across the green field spread rows of straight lines which then dissolve and suddenly recompose, to give way to curves which undulate momentarily and in their turn reassert the virility of rectilinear composition. These are the young gymnasts of both sexes, dressed in black and white for their gymnastic exhibition. And then Werner says, as if to comment upon this truly olympic vision at which Leni cannot help but stare in awe: “Yes, heroism emerges as the only future model for all political destinies, and it is up to art to lend expression to this, the spirit of our age. Communist futuristic art is retrograde, anarchical. Ours is Nordic culture in opposition to the fool-hardiness of just so many Mongolian communists, and to the Catholic farce, a product of Assyrian corruption. Love must be replaced by Honor. And Christ will become the Athlete who with a proud fist forcibly ejects the merchants from the Temple.” And as if to echo his very words the youth—veritable torch of National Socialism—now together intone their martial chorale, vibrant with patriotism: “. . . wave on high, O majestic banner of yore, the young revolutionary must spew forth volcanic passions, incite all wrath, directing all suspicion and righteous anger with a cold and steady hand, and thus do we enlist the mass of humanity,” paraphrasing the motto of our Supreme Commandant for Propaganda, Field Marshal Goebbels. And Leni, in spite of the conflict which her mind has fed upon since that day when she heard Werner pronounce the death sentence, she feels suddenly transported with jubilation. Werner grasps her hand, drawing her closer to him, but not daring to kiss her, afraid that her lips might still be cold. That same evening they dine together in complete silence. Werner, unable to further divine the truth, senses only how distant she has in effect become, lost in her own secret thoughts. Neither of the two so much as tastes their food. Leni just drains her fine goblet of sweet Moselle wine and hurls the crystal into the blazing fireplace with all her might; it shatters to bits. Without further preamble Leni finally poses the question burning inside of her for so long: “How is it possible that you, a superior being, can have allowed yourself to order a human being to be put to death?” Werner, realizing at once, replies in astonishment: “Is this what has kept you so aloof from me?” When Leni responds in the affirmative, Werner without more ado orders her to proceed with him to the Ministry of Political Affairs. Leni obeys. In spite of that late hour, the government offices are still bustling with activity, because the new Germany will not rest, neither day nor night. At the mere sight of his arrogant uniform, all doors open to make way for Werner. A few minutes later access is given to a basement corner which serves as a screening room. Werner orders an immediate projection. The screen lights up . . . with atrocities—actually, a long documentary on famine, world famine. Hunger in North Africa, hunger in Spain, hunger in Dalmatia, in the Yang-Tse-Kiang Valley, in Anatolia. And just prior to each of these agonies, the punctual appearance in these same areas of two or three implacable beings, always the same ones, wandering Jews bearing death’s fateful tiding. All of it accurately registered by the unmistakable camera eye. Yes, funereal merchants, vultures, visiting their feast upon droughts, floods, every type of propitious catastrophe, in order to assemble their satanic banquet: the hoarding of goods, usury itself. And behind them, their retinue, all of them cursed children of Abraham, repeating with mathematical precision the very same operations: first the wheat crops disappear, then step by step the other grains, down to the coarsest of cereals, fit only to feed the cattle. And then the meats, and the sugar, together with the many oleaginous by-products, and fruits and vegetables, fresh and canned. Thus famine runs its dreadful course throughout the cities, and inhabitants flee to the countryside, only to find there as well the vandalistic spectacle which these locusts of Jehovah have left in their wake. And the faces of peoples begin to shrivel up, now no one manages to stand erect, along the horizons of holocaust are etched the vanished silhouettes of the hungry who take a few last steps toward the mirage of a stale piece of bread . . . that they will not manage to grasp, ever.
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