Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 19:13:50 -0800 (PST) From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: APA Pathologizes Lesbian and Gay Youth in the U.S.A. APA Pathologizes Lesbian and Gay Youth in the U.S.A. [from an Action Alert put out by IGLHRC, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, , 1360 Mission St. #200, San Francisco CA 94103; phone 415-255-8680, fax 415-255-8662] "In 1974, the American Psychiatric Association ceased to classify homosexuality as an illness, yet every year, hundreds of LGBT youth are confined to psychiatric institutions and subjected to 'treatment' to change their sexual orientation. "One diagnosis which doctors use to justify this 'treatment' is 'Gender Identity Disorder.' According to the current American Psychiatric Association's Diagnosic and Statistical Manual, symptoms of 'Gender Identity Disorder' in girls include 'Intense negative reactions to parental expectations or attempts to have them wear dresses or other feminine attire,' preference for 'boy's [sic] clothing and short hair,' and identification with 'powerful male figures such as Batman or Superman.' [The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project notes: Professional homophobes such as fundamentalist Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition (the prime mover behind the recent Congressional hearings) use the label Gender Identity Disorder' to portray our young people as sick and needing of conversion or aversion therapies. The practical, political implications of the APA's labeling are to wreak psychological and emotional damage on young people around the country EVERY day!] "The American Academy of Peditrics, the American Medical Association, and the Child Welfare League of America have all taken clear positions against pathologizing lesbian and gay youth. However, the erican Psychiatric Association continues to stigmatize young people who do not conform to socially imposed gender roles or heterosexual norms. The National Center for Lesbian Rights, the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy, IGLHRC, and several other organizations have launched a campaign to pressure the APA to change its position on this issue. "Letters should be sent to the APA outlining the following points; "1. The classification of 'Gender Identity Disorder' as a disease presents a major obstacle to accessing health care. Youth who fear being labeled or incarcerated avoid seeking the care they may need to cope with the isolation, rejection and hostility that they confront in their daily lives. "2. As the leading organization of mental health professionals in the U.S., the APA has a special responsibility to ensure that practitioners provide competent and non-judgmental care to all clients, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. The APA should follow the lead of American Academy of Peditrics, the American Medical Association, and the Child Welfare League of America in taking a stand against pathologizing sexual minority youth. Homosexuality in the adult population is not pathologized, and it should likewise NOT be pathologized in youth. "3. The APA should affirm the right of all people to receive competent health care on demand to achieve and maintain their self-defined gender identities. "SEND LETTERS TO: Dr. Mary Jane England, President, American Psychiatric Association, 1400 K Street NW, Washington DC, USA, 20005 Dr. Chester W. Schmidt, Chair, Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Working Group, APA, Johns Hopkins Bay View Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue, B3 South, Baltimore MD, USA 21224." *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST. Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project*; ph/fax: 510-601-8883, 586 62nd St. Oakland, CA 94609-1245 Gopher to "gopher.outright.com" Web sites: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/glb/person.html/ http://www.pride.net/pridenet/person The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project is *always* looking for volunteer organizers. Please cc us (for our files) on correspondence you send or receive re our action alerts. *Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally.