The author quotes by way of illustration the cases of two patients, who could only obtain genital gratification under conditions which successfully concealed the feminine identification accompanying and underlying this. The first case, a 'masochist', was potent with prostitutes, but avoided intercourse with girls of his own sort. The lowly and degraded position of the former protected him against this passive-feminine identification. The second case, an 'ambivalent character', showed a tendency to depreciate women similarly designed to prevent identification with them. In both cases, there was a relatively successful relationship with an older woman, who proved to be a father -substitute. Here intercourse was at the same time a gratification of the patient's feminine wishes and (since in reality the patient took the masculine rôle and his object was a woman) a defence against them.