Caleb, thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment on my comment here! I agree with much of what you wrote. I am a clinical psychologist studying both healthy and unhealthy development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood (my name is even in the back of the DSM-5!). I think that it matters profoundly whether we consider som…
Caleb, thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment on my comment here! I agree with much of what you wrote. I am a clinical psychologist studying both healthy and unhealthy development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood (my name is even in the back of the DSM-5!). I think that it matters profoundly whether we consider something to be a psychological disorder or not. The current criteria in the DSM-5 for what constitutes a mental health disorder are that the condition causes either 1) significant distress and inner suffering, or 2) impairment in daily life (e.g., in relationships, work, school). By this definition, being LGB is not a psychological disorder, whereas gender dysphoria is because it causes distress and impairment (it if did not cause impairment, then why is medical treatment considered necessary?). The movement to classify trans as an identity category rather than a psychological disorder has had all kinds of ripple effects and has helped pave the way for the social contagion of trans identities in young people. And I would argue that this shift has also led to the kinds of public demands that the trans movement has made; it's not the only reason for the public demands, but I think it is one critical cause. By linking the T with LGB as an identity category (rather than a mental illness), trans activists have been able to make the case for many of their demands in the public sphere.
Rebecca, you make a very good argument, so much so that you may have convinced me. My problem is that, as a gay person, it just doesn't sound right (or look good) for me to say "I am normal, but trans people are not". Besides, there came a time in my life when I had to admit to myself that penises evolved to fit into vaginas, so perhaps that really IS the only true normal. I must say, though, that my homosexuality has never made me unhappy in itself. I haven't had a lot of long relationships in my life, but then, that's just me. Most of my gay friends have had great relationships, some of them lasting decades. Those who are now single are single only because their spouses died.
I think I'm going to have a button made for myself that says, "I'm normal. What are you?"
After I figure out what the DSM-5 is, I'll look you up.
I should have explained why the DSM-5 is. It's the diagnostic manual for psychiatric disorders in the U.S., similar to the ICD used everywhere else in the world (except that the DSM only covers psychiatric disorders, unlike the ICD, which covers all medical conditions). I was a consultant to the Personality Disorders chapter of the manual--a topic highly relevant to trans identification, I believe.
Thanks for filling me in on those details. So at the present time, is transgenderism still seen as a psychiatric disorder?
I read that article which described people who want to cut their limbs off. This is a world of obsession that I'm unfamiliar with. Even my belief in reincarnation and karma doesn't explain it.
Again, I'm sorry for switching names on you. Perry James can't be located in any phone book, and I feel more comfortable that way. Although perhaps that makes me a coward.
Caleb, thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment on my comment here! I agree with much of what you wrote. I am a clinical psychologist studying both healthy and unhealthy development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood (my name is even in the back of the DSM-5!). I think that it matters profoundly whether we consider something to be a psychological disorder or not. The current criteria in the DSM-5 for what constitutes a mental health disorder are that the condition causes either 1) significant distress and inner suffering, or 2) impairment in daily life (e.g., in relationships, work, school). By this definition, being LGB is not a psychological disorder, whereas gender dysphoria is because it causes distress and impairment (it if did not cause impairment, then why is medical treatment considered necessary?). The movement to classify trans as an identity category rather than a psychological disorder has had all kinds of ripple effects and has helped pave the way for the social contagion of trans identities in young people. And I would argue that this shift has also led to the kinds of public demands that the trans movement has made; it's not the only reason for the public demands, but I think it is one critical cause. By linking the T with LGB as an identity category (rather than a mental illness), trans activists have been able to make the case for many of their demands in the public sphere.
Here’s a great article written a few decades ago about classifying conditions etc... definitely worth a read
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2000/12/a-new-way-to-be-mad/304671/
Rebecca, you make a very good argument, so much so that you may have convinced me. My problem is that, as a gay person, it just doesn't sound right (or look good) for me to say "I am normal, but trans people are not". Besides, there came a time in my life when I had to admit to myself that penises evolved to fit into vaginas, so perhaps that really IS the only true normal. I must say, though, that my homosexuality has never made me unhappy in itself. I haven't had a lot of long relationships in my life, but then, that's just me. Most of my gay friends have had great relationships, some of them lasting decades. Those who are now single are single only because their spouses died.
I think I'm going to have a button made for myself that says, "I'm normal. What are you?"
After I figure out what the DSM-5 is, I'll look you up.
I hope you do get that button made up! :)
I should have explained why the DSM-5 is. It's the diagnostic manual for psychiatric disorders in the U.S., similar to the ICD used everywhere else in the world (except that the DSM only covers psychiatric disorders, unlike the ICD, which covers all medical conditions). I was a consultant to the Personality Disorders chapter of the manual--a topic highly relevant to trans identification, I believe.
Thanks for filling me in on those details. So at the present time, is transgenderism still seen as a psychiatric disorder?
I read that article which described people who want to cut their limbs off. This is a world of obsession that I'm unfamiliar with. Even my belief in reincarnation and karma doesn't explain it.
Again, I'm sorry for switching names on you. Perry James can't be located in any phone book, and I feel more comfortable that way. Although perhaps that makes me a coward.