Being in Systems

The question of being is a question of relations. - Subcultures emerge as a consequence of emerging patterns of sexual orientation. They represent longed-for offers of belonging to those thus far isolated in loneliness and feelings of non-being.

The emergence of sexual subcultures has not yet fully influenced western societies to acknowledge any sexual orientation as valid as any other. This is partly due to the general anxiety towards sexual varieties, but also to rigid rules of conduct within the subcultures themselves. These rules limit emergencies of "new" nuances of sexual orientations and turn-on patterns, and thus contribute to halt the further emergence and extension of human diversity.

The well-being of anybody is based not only on the inner conviction of being a worthy human being as a man, woman, or both, but also on the surrounding and interactive systems' ability to confirm or disconfirm those inner convictions. This confirmation cannot take place unless society as such is able to recognize and affirm all varieties of human sexual orientation. The individual's goal is the state of belonging with and withing interactive systems in a room of intersubjectivity. The state of belonging is a dynamic state of being perceived by the surrounding systems in the same affirming way as one perceives oneself. This state constitutes the feeling of being in the system, contrary to the feeling of not being. The latter is a state known to many with ununsual gender identities and sexual orientations.

The presentation will widen and deepen the ways of human sexual confirmations with and within surrounding and interactive systems on the route to being or belonging within any human society.

P.S.: The presentation will be conducted by Elsa Amċs and Esben Benestad, the latter in female appearance as "Esther Pirelli" to honour the gay struggle from the perspective of gender identity.

About the Authors:
Esben Benestad ("Esther Pirelli"), M. D. Family therapist. Many years practice in general medicine. Works privately at Grimstad MPAT-Institute (Medical-Psychological-General/Algemeine-Therapeutic Institute). He has a long experience in general and specific sexological issues, in written sex education (Mail Box), and has in print "Sexology in Practice" (as co-author with Elsa Almċs to whom he is also married). He is presently exploring and elaborating issues of gender and "gender cruising". Esben Benestad is trans-gendered and appears both as man and woman. He/she is known to the Norwegian public as both-end gendered. - Address: Grimstad MPAT Institutt, Storgaten 40/42, N-4890 Grimstad. Tel. +47 / 37 25 81 10; Fax +47/ 37 25 91 07; eMail eaeb@sn.no

Elsa Almċs. Clinical psychologist, family therapist. Many years practice in general clinical psychology. Works privately at Grimstad MPAT-Institute (Medical-Psychological-General/ Algemeine-Therapeutic Institute). She has a long experience in general and specific sexological issues, in written sex education (Mail Box), and has published "The Hidden Lust" and in print "Sexology in Practice" (as co-author with Esben Benestad to whom she is also married). She is presently exploring and elaborating issues of gender and "gender cruising". - Address as above.