The American Psychiatric Association is currently in the process of putting out their new Diagnostic Statistical Manual which deals with all aspects of psychiatric disorders and issues. Currently transgender people are unfairly labeled as having "Gender Identity Disorder" even though the research goes to show that this is not a disorder but yet a variation of the human condition. People on the task force such as Dr. Kenneth Zucker are advocates of "reparative therapy" and are promoting the notion that gender variance is a mental illness.
Please contact the APA about this and demand trans-friendly and LGBT friendly individuals be put on the panel discussing Gender Identity.
Call Toll-Free: 1-888-35-PSYCH
Click here to email officials at the APA
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Keep Up Pressure on APA Over the Gender Identity Task Force
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11 comments:
Clearly people with rigid views of gender and a belief in "reparative therapy" won't have good intentions for Ls, Gs, or Bs, either. We're next. I've called and e-mailed, but I'll do it again. Thank you for the reminder.
Thanks you rock, I haven't called yet but it is Saturday, I guess I'll hit them up Mon morning =)
thanks for the info
Thanks for that. Oh and shout out to you for the comment on my blog! :)
Wait. Confused. What is this taskforce doing? They are for GID being taken out of the books? I doubt it will be. I am not sure I understand.
Sony we are demanding that reforms are made in the DSM regarding trans people and GID. Reforms won't be made with the current people such as Zucker. There is controversy within the trans community, but consensus that gender identity variance should not be labeled a disorder. There needs to be some reasoning though for insurance companies to fund sex-change operations, so the language would be up to the task force and trans advocates.
I doubt it because it's not going to happen and that they are going to be in that book for the foresee able future.
I agree there should be no stigma, but it is a disorder. Any situation that requires surgery to correct is a medical disorder- thus the surgery makes it from "disordered" to "ordered".
If it was just a variation of the human condition, then it would not require a physical transformation.
This is kind of like those deaf people who want deafness to be considered just a variation. Deaf people are people who's ears don't work- a physical problem. Transgenders are people who's genitals are wrong- a physical problem.
While there are deaf people who are comfortable with who they are and don't want to change, that does not change the fact that their ears don't work.
Maybe instead of labeling being transgendered a mental disorder it should be classified as a physical illness; a birth defect.
Nope, It's still going to be put in the DSM V books no matter what.
Anonymous, you said:
"Any situation that requires surgery to correct is a medical disorder- thus the surgery makes it from "disordered" to "ordered"."
There are several things that are just wrong about your argument. Firstly, by your logic, anyone who gets a nose job or a breast augmentation or goes through any medical procedure must also have a mental illness. This is obviously false.
Comparing transgender to "deafness" is illogical also since the vast majority of trans-people do not have anything physical wrong with that (that is connected to them being trans.) So I have no idea what your point is there.
And finally, your incorrect assumption that all transgendered people must want surgery or that they go through surgery. This is not true. The vast majority--the overwhelming majority if you look at globally--absolutely do not.
Statements like yours simply reinforce for me that people don't know a whole lot about the trans community. And the medical systme has an obligation to correct these and many other huge misconceptions.
Thank you for caring, understanding and acting on this travesty. Your article is referenced at
Transhouston. I linked it. You rock!
http://transhouston.com/tgnews/?p=198
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