US - Outrage over trans-phobic Doctor's appointment to edit DSM

        

Outrage over trans-phobic doctor        

                

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Rachel Cook

Trans activists have expressed concern over appointments to a task 

force which will oversee revisions of the American Psychiatric 

Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Diagnosis of 

Mental Disorders (DSM-V).

The manual lists different categories of mental disorders and the 

criteria for diagnosing them. It is used worldwide by clinicians and 

researchers, as well as insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies 

and policy makers.

There is particular concern is over the appointment of Dr Kenneth 

Zucker to the task force.

Zucker, who has been selected to chair the Sexual and Gender Identity 

Disorders working group, is an advocate of reparative ‘ex-gay’ therapy 

to ‘cure’ gender-variant children.

TransActive Education & Advocacy, a US group which supports 

transgender and gender variant youth, has released a media statement 

opposing Zucker’s selection.

“[Our] position is based upon his approach to clinical treatment of 

transgender and gender non-conforming identity in children and youth,” 

the release states.

The group also cites a statement made by Zucker on US National Public 

Radio, in which he said, “It is legitimate for parents to establish 

limits for their children on cross-gender behaviours. If not, the 

behaviour is, in effect, being reinforced.”

A spokesperson from TransGender Victoria told MCV that Zucker believes 

gender variant children should be classed as homosexual and therefore 

could ‘benefit’ from reparative ‘ex-gay’ therapy.

“His aim is that they display what he believes is hetero-normative 

gender conforming behaviour. His appointment is essentially negative 

for trans people based on the queer phobic views he has exhibited.”

END