Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed the diagnosis of “homosexuality” from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). This resulted after comparing competing theories, those that pathologized homosexuality and those that viewed it as normal. In an effor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-12-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/5/4/565 |
| _version_ | 1811327339144937472 |
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| author | Jack Drescher |
| author_facet | Jack Drescher |
| author_sort | Jack Drescher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed the diagnosis of “homosexuality” from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). This resulted after comparing competing theories, those that pathologized homosexuality and those that viewed it as normal. In an effort to explain how that decision came about, this paper reviews some historical scientific theories and arguments that first led to the placement of homosexuality in DSM-I and DSM-II as well as alternative theories that eventually led to its removal from DSM III and subsequent editions of the manual. The paper concludes with a discussion of the sociocultural aftermath of that 1973 decision. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:06:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9f0292d4d0c4004a5570833592103e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:06:06Z |
| publishDate | 2015-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9f0292d4d0c4004a5570833592103e22022-12-22T02:42:10ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2015-12-015456557510.3390/bs5040565bs5040565Out of DSM: Depathologizing HomosexualityJack Drescher0440 West 24 Street, #1A, New York, NY 10011, USAIn 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed the diagnosis of “homosexuality” from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). This resulted after comparing competing theories, those that pathologized homosexuality and those that viewed it as normal. In an effort to explain how that decision came about, this paper reviews some historical scientific theories and arguments that first led to the placement of homosexuality in DSM-I and DSM-II as well as alternative theories that eventually led to its removal from DSM III and subsequent editions of the manual. The paper concludes with a discussion of the sociocultural aftermath of that 1973 decision.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/5/4/565American Psychiatric Association (APA)diagnosisDiagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)gender beliefsgender binarieshomosexualitypsychiatry |
| spellingShingle | Jack Drescher Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality Behavioral Sciences American Psychiatric Association (APA) diagnosis Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) gender beliefs gender binaries homosexuality psychiatry |
| title | Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality |
| title_full | Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality |
| title_fullStr | Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality |
| title_short | Out of DSM: Depathologizing Homosexuality |
| title_sort | out of dsm depathologizing homosexuality |
| topic | American Psychiatric Association (APA) diagnosis Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) gender beliefs gender binaries homosexuality psychiatry |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/5/4/565 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jackdrescher outofdsmdepathologizinghomosexuality |