Discussion by Irving Bieber and Robert Spitzer
15 December 1973 The Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association, yielding to the continued pressure of militant homosexual groups, approved a change in the official guidelines for psychiatric disorders. “Homosexuality as such,” the trustees voted, should no longer be seen as a “mental disorder”; instead, it should be defined as “violation of sexual orientation”.
Robert Spitzer, M.D., assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and a member of the APA nomenclature committee, and Irving Bieber, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at New York College of Medicine and chairman of the study committee on male homosexuality, discussed the APA's decision. What follows is an abridged version of their discussion.
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Are all homosexuals gay?
“Gay” is the identity that a person chooses for yourself. Not all homosexual people identify as “gay.” People who do not identify as gay believe that they are essentially heterosexual and seek help in identifying the specific reasons why they experience an undesirable same-sex attraction. During therapy, counselors and psychologists use ethical methods to help clients establish the reasons for their same-sex attraction and sensitively help them resolve the underlying factors leading to homosexual feelings. These people, who are an integral part of our society, strive to protect their right to receive help and support to get rid of unwanted same-sex attraction, change their sexual orientation and / or preserve celibacy. This is achieved through gender mainstreaming programs, including counseling and heterosexuality treatment, also known as “Sexual Orientation Intervention” (SOCE) or Reorientation Therapy.
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