Gender-Variant Children And Transsexuals Will Likely Still Be Disordered In DSM-V
In 1973, Homosexuality was was removed as a disorder from the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Second Edition (DSM-II). It was the step that recognized that individuals whose sexual interests are directed primarily toward people of the same sex weren’t afflicted with a psychiatric disorder.
When we flash forward to 2008, we find Gender Identity Disorder — the diagnosis for transsexuals and gender-variant children — is found in DSM-IV TR. When the DSM is revised in a couple of years for DSM-V, Gender Identity Disorder will likely still be there. And, with the Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis for children will further the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) approval of conversion therapy for children, used in an attempt to gender norm gender-variant/LGBT children (Think Zach).
The reason for concern is found some of the names in the work group committee — the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group. The press release identifies Kenneth Zucker and Ray Blanchard as members of the group.
Kenneth J. Zucker, Ph.D., is a name that every gay man and lesbian woman should know, especially if they were treated to become “straight” at a camp or a ex-gay affirming psychologist’s office. Sadly, almost no one in the LGBT community knows about the papers on gender identity by Zucker and Bradley, and the broader impact of these papers on LGBT community — especially on LGBT youth.
For those who aren’t aware, Gender Identity Disorder of Children is considered a pre-homosexual condition.
Without reinventing the wheel on the problems with Dr. Kenneth Zucker’s participation in the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group, let me recommend reading Donna Rose’s blog entry Zucker revisited: The lunatics rule the asylum.
In her piece, Donna refers to National Public Radio’s Two Families Grapple with Sons’ Gender Preferences; Psychologists Take Radically Different Approaches in Therapy. One of the two stories in the article and podcast is about a child having conversion therapy — at the recommendation of Dr. Zucker.
Another of the key players identified in the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group is Ray Blanchard, famous for his transsexual diagnosis of autogynephilia. As Madeline Wyndzen, Ph.D., writes,
Blanchard’s model categorizes transsexuals into two types based on sexual orientation: “homosexual” (those attracted to their biological sex) and “non-homosexual.” A mis-directed sex drive causes transsexuality. The mis-directed sex-drive among “non-homosexual” transsexuals is called “autogynephilia.”
In other words, Blanchard believes it’s the mis-directed sexual orientation of men that causes transsexuality…
Several researchers and therapists have been surprised when I mention that Blanchard makes a causal argument: a mis-directed sex-drive (e.g., autogynephilia) causes gender dysphoria. His causal claims are what allows him to form categories of transsexuals based on sexual orientation. This is also the basis of his ability to explain cross-dressing and transsexuality within the same theory even in cases where transsexuals have no history of cross-dressing. That is a very impressive feat. Blanchard’s theory would not be able to account for this if, for example, he meant autogynephilia as a type of fantasy many non-homosexual transsexuals have to compensate for not being able to be their target sex (i.e. a reverse of the causal direction). The following quotations illustrate Blanchard’s causal claims as well as showing how this causal claim is an organizing principle for his entire theory.
For a other takes on the make-up of the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group and what’s at state from an transgender/intersexual perspective, I’d recommend Donna Rose’s GID, DSM, HRC, and more: A cornucopia of TLA’s, and Zoe Brain’s Transsexual Causation, the American Psychiatric Association, and Interpol.
Needless to say, gender-variant LGBT and straight youth, as well as transsexual adults, will likely have to deal with another decade plus of being considered seriously disordered — with its conversion therapy implication for children. Reform models for, or different takes on Gender Identity Disorder in DSM-V aren’t likely to be seriously considered with Zucker and Blanchard on the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group.
Original post by Autumn Sandeen