Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/90



An Uranian, or Urning, a member of the Intersex previously set apart from the major sexes, may be defined as a human being that is more or less perfectly, even distinctively, masculine in physique; often a virile type of fine intellectual, moral and aesthetic sensibilities; but who, through an inborn or later-developed preference feels sexual passion for the male human species. His vita sexualis reverts, now vaguely, now with vigourous definiteness to the sex to which he seems naturally to belong but does not fully belong, by strict psychological classification. His sexual preference may quite exclude any desire for the female sex; or may exist concurrently with that instinct.

The term "Uranian" or "Urning" has been explained as to its classical derivation. It is not a new terminology, at least the use of the word "Urning" is not. "Urning" came into definite psychologic use in the middle of the nineteenth century, through the pamphlets on the topic of similisexualism, by Karl Emil Ulrichs, a homosexual German advocate. Ulrichs's studies of the sexual problem attracted much attention. Though lacking literary method and adequate self-poise, they have been of pionering importance in the topic. Ulrichs reaffirmed and demanded recognition and freedom for the platonic,