ABSTRACT
how do patterns of parental identification facilitate or hinder the development of agency and sexual subjectivity at adolescence? Psychoanalytic theory 159 suggests that identifications with parents strongly affect the self, agency, and sexual subjectivity of children. In particular, Benjamin suggests that in early childhood identification with the father allows sexual subjectivity, but only for boys, for fathers do not recognize girls. 160 She also suggests that the lack of a subjective mother makes it doubly difficult for girls to achieve subjectivity and desire. I propose that although early childhood is an important stage, development does not end there. 161 In particular, adolescence is a key moment for the establishment of agency and sexual subjectivity.
