Reflecting on Sexual Addiction in Shainberg’s Film Secretary (

882 Words2 Pages

Shainberg’s film Secretary (2002) depicts Lee Holloway who is taken to a mental hospital for self-harming, she is then released back into the real world. Here, she finds a job posting for a secretary where she meets Mr. Grey, the head lawyer of the firm. Throughout her stay in the office, Lee submits herself to many tasks for Mr. Grey, including sexual acts. Schneider (1991), , Buss, Larsen & Semmelroth (1992) and Hyde, DeLamater & Byers (2012), reflect upon how jealousy, sexual addictions and the four step-cycle play a role in proving that Lee Holloway is a sexual addict.

Schneider (1991), had five case studies in which she viewed many aspects of sexual addiction through family history, child abuse, age, other addictions and co-addicts. As well as treatment options for those who are sexual addicts. She found that many addicts responded well to treatment options and could continue a healthy lifestyle. Buss et al. (1992), studied jealousy in males and females, and found that females respond to emotional infidelity, where as males are jealous towards sexual infidelity. In conclusion, both genders were jealous which had a negative impact on their mental states.

Lee Holloway is a paralegal, which has been gendered into a female occupation. In Lee’s case, it is a subordinate position in the office, as Mr. Grey provides her with tedious tasks. A clear example of a menial task, results in Lee scavenging through the dumpster.

Mr. Grey: I think I accidentally threw out my notes on the Feldman case. Maybe you could...

Lee Holloway: Go through the garbage?

As she retrieves the paper, Mr. Grey quickly announces that he had already found another copy of the case, and quickly sends her back to work. This shows the beginni...

... middle of paper ...

...she immediately knees him in the testicles, and sits back down. Three days later Mr. Grey comes in and takes her away, where they later become married and continue on with their submissive/dominant rolls as husband and wife. Schneider states that a sexual addict has an “obsession with the activity” (Schneider., 1991, p.1). It is clear that Lee still continues to do things incorrectly to be punished, as the last scene shows her placing a beetle on the bed that they made together. She has an obsession with being corrected for her wrong doings, which result in sexual gratification.

It is evident that Lee seeks satisfaction from Mr. Grey, as she attempts to be pleased by Peter and fails, consequently allowing her to leave him for Mr. Grey. With her devious tricks and sexual thoughts, it is her compulsive behavior that attributes her to have a sexual addiction.

Open Document