Anonymous Sex

When the American Psychiatric Association’s board of trustees met in mid 1986, they voted to remove from the profession’s diagnostic manual the one remaining psychiatric disorder related to homosexuality: “egodystonic homosexuality,” or psychiatric problems experienced by a person who does not accept his homosexual orientation. The Washington (D.C.) Blade, a gay-activist paper, claimed the move was a victory for homosexual activists within the APA.

The Blade had it right: There had been no important new medical evidence introduced; the only moving parts in these machinations were political. So it was also in 1973, when the board of trustees first proclaimed that homosexuality as such was not to be considered a psychiatric disorder. At that time a group of psychiatrists professionally devoted to the study of homosexuality protested. A referendum was held. Over nine thousand psychiatrists, or 58 per cent of the membership, voted. The pro-gay position prevailed by two thousand votes. Shortly before the balloting, the APA’s officers sent a letter to the voting members urging them to support the trustees. The letter was written and financed by the National Gay Task Force, though the APA neglected to mention that.

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Henry Klingeman

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When the American Psychiatric Association’s board of trustees met in mid 1986, they voted to remove from the profession’s diagnostic manual the one remaining psychiatric disorder related to homosexuality: “egodystonic homosexuality,” or psychiatric problems experienced by a person who does not accept his homosexual orientation. The Washington (D.C.) Blade, a gay-activist paper, claimed the move was a victory for homosexual activists within the APA.

The Blade had it right: There had been no important new medical evidence introduced; the only moving parts in these machinations were political. So it was also in 1973, when the board of trustees first proclaimed that homosexuality as such was not to be considered a psychiatric disorder. At that time a group of psychiatrists professionally devoted to the study of homosexuality protested. A referendum was held. Over nine thousand psychiatrists, or 58 per cent of the membership, voted. The pro-gay position prevailed by two thousand votes. Shortly before the balloting, the APA’s officers sent a letter to the voting members urging them to support the trustees. The letter was written and financed by the National Gay Task Force, though the APA neglected to mention that.