GenderLife Forum: The Information Exchange

...according to Zucker and Blanchard, That's why I'm sending this email and attachment to everyone I know, and urge you to do the same:
Please forgive me for sending this e-mail out to a list of people, but it’s an issue the is of great importance to me, and I hope to everyone in any way connected to the TG community.
The most important tool that therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists have is the DSM, the “Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” It is currently under review and revision. The current version is the DSM IV-TR. In 2010, the DSM V is scheduled to be released. The reason that I am sending this e-mail, and the issue that has raised my ire, is that a member of the American Psychiatric Association DSM-V Task Force and the Chair of the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group is Kenneth J. Zucker, Ph.D. Head, Gender Identity Service Clinic, Child, Youth, and Family Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His position is basically that being transsexual is a mental disease and CAN BE CURED! Here is a link to a wonderful piece on NPR. It contrasts his approach with an approach I think most people would find much more reasonable: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90247842
He calls his approach Reparative Therapy. It is the same approach used to “cure” homosexuality. Unless you feel transgendered people are mentally ill and can be cured of their condition, I highly urge you to write to the American Psychiatric Association and ask them to remove Dr. Zucker from their committees. In addition, you can ask for the removal of Ray Blanchard PhD., who works at CAMH with Dr. Zucker.
We can join together and write letters to APA stating our concerns and disputes with having a biased staffing of a committee to determine the criteria for GID. Here is the address to send letters:

APA
1000 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1825
Arlington, Virginia 22209

Thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail. Please join me in taking action. I have attached a letter that you can edit, print, sign and send if you’d like.

Thank you,
Hope


Here is the letter:
APA
1000 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1825
Arlington, Virginia 22209
May 8, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:
As a transsexual individual, I am highly concerned about your choice of Kenneth J. Zucker to chair the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Work Group and by extension, to be a member of the American Psychiatric Association DSM-V Task Force. His long standing advocacy of Reparative Therapy for transsexuals is disconcerting, and I am surprised that an organization that has discredited the use of Reparative Therapy for homosexuality would include Dr. Zucker in any aspect of revising the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. I would urge you to reconsider your choice, because allowing his bias to influence the creation of the DSM V would be a grave disservice to not only the transgender community, but the integrity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Sincerely,
Hope Wa

As "homosexuality" was removed from the DSM many years ago, so should the so called "gender identity disorder" and "fetishistic 'transvestism'" diagnoses be removed from the DSM. If anything, there should instead be relevant physical medical diagnoses under congenital anomalies to associate with the relevant surgeries. It was a physical thing. There was nothing wrong with my brain before surgery fixed me.

Also, I consider it significant that none of the relevant professions or organizations has ever stood up, on an official basis, for insurance inclusion regarding surgery, or appropriate legal recognitions. Even though I have long since been fixed and finished, these topics make my blood boil.

p.s. Zucker, Blanchard, Bailey, and Lawrence are the scourge or our population's earth.

Quality !!!

Whats the next label that fits ?

Damn, I was hoping this was gonna be some troll attacking the forums.
Although Zucker is close enough.

I liked Zucker in Grease, he was the word.

Since I am strongly opposed to reparative therapy, I have to write a letter. I'm stuffing it into the envelope and I decided to check on the address...

Hope, where did you get that address? I see it's at the top of the press release, is that their public affairs office? Is that really where we want to send the letters?

Why not their main address? American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242

Perhaps we should send a letter to both?

lol, I used to work in the Wilson street building. I think that the Arlington address is headquarters.

Thanks xkcd.

Ya know I don't personally care what those jack arses think any more than I do what the monkeys in the Congo think.

I realize they influence some other folks and that is regrettable but not everyone buys their pablum.

I agree with Jenny for once