Desexualization

...For example, when a person directs their longing for their unrequited first love towards another person who resembles that person, the defense mechanism known as "displacement" directs repressed impulses towards another object. Sublimation is a special case of "displacement," and refers to directing sexual impulses, especially pre-genital perversion impulses, towards socially valuable things such as artistic or intellectual activities. Since it changes something sexual into something non-sexual, sublimation is also called "desexualization." For example, when a childish sexual urge to play with feces is sublimated, it becomes artistic activities such as painting or sculpture, and when the urge to see one's mother's genitals is sublimated, it becomes intellectual curiosity and academic research.

*Some terminology explanations that mention "desexualization" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…たとえば失恋におわった初恋の人への慕情をその人とどこか似ている別の人に向ける場合のように，抑圧された衝動を別の対象に向けるのが〈置換え(転位)displacement〉という防衛機制であるが，昇華は〈置換え〉の特殊な例であって，性的衝動とくに前性器的倒錯的衝動を芸術活動や知的活動など社会的に価値のあるものに向けることをいう。性的なものを性的でないものに変えるわけだから，昇華は〈脱(非)性化desexualization〉とも呼ばれる。たとえば糞便をもてあそびたい小児的性衝動が昇華されると絵画や彫刻などの芸術活動となり，母親の性器を見たい衝動が昇華されると知的好奇心，学問研究となる。…

※「desexualization」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報