Freud & Lacan: Penis envy, the Phallus and Desire of the Other.

It was proposed during the nineteeth century, that during a girls psycosexual development years, girls develop a strong envy towards the males Penis, This jealousy combined with the desire to posses one is so strong that they are driven from being homosexual to heterosexual in most cases. 

The Phallic Stage

This is one of Freud's many theories, he believes that during the Psycodevelopment stages in life. from the age of three and a half years up until the age of six, at this point in life the focus of attention for both male and female is the male penis, From this point different psychological mechanisms occur in boys and girls. During this time it becomes apparent that the  boys love for the mother is jeopardised by the stronger male father, so attention quickly goes onto other females, however freud stated that this is different for the females as shown here.   

"As for the girls, they are initially homosexuals and develop sexual desire toward their mothers. But they realize by the age of 3.5 years that without a penis, they cannot establish sexual relations with her. So they crave for penises and develop envy towards the male genitals. It is then that their sexual attention shifts from their mothers toward their fathers and they move from being homosexuals to heterosexuals. But they also fear their mothers’ wrath (which would strike if they establish sexual relations with the father) and hence begin to focus on other males." 

It is believed that as a result of this realisation it becomes a defining moment for the gender and the sexual identity of the woman.

Now that the penis envy theory is explained it is now time to move onto what the Phallus itself represents and signifies. The phallus itself as a symbol is meant to represent "Male generative powers." Freud is know for stating that, while the males posses a penis, no one can possess the symbolic phallus. Lacan went onto explain the phallus in his Ecrits: The significance of the phallus. within this writing he articulates the difference between "being" and "having" the phallus. The male figure is positioned as the one in possession of the phallus. Women on the other hand, seen to not posses the phallus but "be" the phallus.  

Males desire it to possess the phallus.

Females desire to be the phallus to become the desirable element. 

Desire of the other

Lacan stook by the belief that desire is the desire of others. this formula isn't the triviality that humans desire others, when they sexually desire because this is not necessarily true. By developing Freuds's theories of sexuality, Lacan's disagreement is more about what psychoanalysis shows us about the human beings need to discover how and what to desire. It is Lacanian theory that does not deny that young children are always born into the world with the basic needs that need constant satisfaction. Lacan goes onto argue that it belongs to humans to desire directly as or through another or others. We all relate to this when we think about fashion for example squabbling of children testifies, that it is possible for a specific object to gain desirability to an individual becasue they see that others desire it, such that others' desire is withdrawn, the object also loses its allure.