“Penis envy” was first introduced to the lexicon by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, who became known as the founding father of psychoanalysis. In Freudian psychoanalysis, penis envy refers specifically to a theorized reaction of a girl during her psychosexual development to the realization that she does not have a penis. For Freud, this was a major moment in the development of gender and sexual identity for women. However, it is completely different conceptually from “small penis syndrome,” which is the anxiety of thinking one’s penis is too small.
Regardless of this misunderstanding, it did not stop an African American Milwaukee County Sheriff from using the term to describe a county official.
While on a local radio show, Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. accused a county official of “penis envy” regarding an openly public dispute he is having with another political figure. Hinting at the suggestion that racism may be behind the political attacks he has been enduring, Clarke wrote to conservative radio host Charlie Sykes complaining about an email Bice received, written by a spokesperson for Wisconsin County executive Chris Abele.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice reported that Clarke stated “Sounds like a bit of penis envy by Abele in responding to Bice.”
Continuing, Clarke also wrote in his letter that “Abele is not used to taking a back seat to anyone, especially some black conservative sheriff.”
The email referred to by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist dealt in part with Clarke’s hesitancy to comment on a county bill that would cut salaries for county board members by 50 percent.
