TRANSACTIVE EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
NEWSFLASH
Supporting Youth Of All Genders
1631 NE Broadway
Suite 355-T
Portland, OR 97232
For information contact:
Jenn Burleton - 503-927-7052
transeducate@ ...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TransActive Education & Advocacy strongly opposes the appointment of
Dr. Kenneth Zucker to Chair the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders
work group that will revise and develop the fifth edition of the
American Psychiatric Association' s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). This position is based upon his
approach to clinical treatment of transgender and gender
non-conforming identity in children & youth.
Portland, OR. (May 9, 2008) - On May 1, 2008 the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) released the names of those appointed to the work
groups that will revise and develop the fifth edition of the APA's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). Dr.
Kenneth Zucker, who heads up the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada has been selected to Chair the
Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders work group.
TransActive strongly opposes the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Zucker to
Chair the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders work group that will
revise and develop the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric
Association' s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-V). This position is based upon his approach to
clinical treatment of transgender and gender non-conforming identity
in children & youth.
Dr. Zucker, along with colleagues Dr. Ray Blanchard (also appointed to
the DSM-V workgroup) and Dr. J. Michael Bailey are proponents of the
theory that, in the vast majority of cases, gender non-conforming
identity in children and youth is merely an indicator of an eventual
homosexual identity in adulthood.
In a recent interview broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR), Dr.
Zucker said:
"Suppose you were a clinician and a 4-year-old black kid came into
your office and said he wanted to be white. Would you go with that?
... I don't think we would."
This cavalier equating of racial identity to gender identity clearly
illustrates his belief that transgender identity in children & youth
is nothing more than a delusional and unrealistic fantasy.
Zucker says: "It is legitimate for parents to establish limits for
their children on cross-gender behaviors. If not, the behavior is, in
effect, being reinforced."
Dr. Zucker chooses to see parental support for their child's innate
sense of their own gender identity as a "reinforcement of cross-gender
behaviors." Again his distinctly cissexist consideration of
transgender identity in children and youth as a 'behavior-centric"
issue rather than an core identity issue is deeply troubling.
Zucker further believes that transgender children and youth should
only be considered for puberty delaying or cross-gender hormonal
treatment if they prove resistant to psychosexual treatment. This is
another clear indication that Dr. Zucker does not recognize the
inherent difference between gender identity and sexual orientation.
Note: A psychosexual disorder refers to a sexual problem that is
psychological rather than physiological.
Zucker has stated that a secure gender identity possibly prevents the
development of later homosexuality. This raised several red flags for
those of us who work with gender non-conforming children, youth and
their families. TransActive' s position is that "prevention of
homosexuality" should not be the concern of childhood gender identity
specialists.
The second and perhaps most troubling red flag is the assumption that
transgender children and youth are insecure in their gender identity.
This is a cissexist notion that has historically done much damage to
our gender non-conforming children and is particularly of concern when
expressed by the currently appointed Chair of the work group that will
be developing the DSM-V.
All of the children and youth that TransActive has worked directly
with are not the least bit insecure about their own gender identity.
The insecurity, if any exists, comes not from within, but from their
fear of how those who fail to understand them will react. We believe
that Dr. Kenneth Zucker and colleagues of his such as Blanchard,
Bailey, George Rekers, Warren Throckmorton and Joseph Nicolosi are
some of the people these children and their families have reason to fear.
On behalf of the children, youth and families we serve, and
transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth everywhere,
TransActive Education & Advocacy stands opposed to the appointment of
Dr. Kenneth Zucker as Chair and Dr. Ray Blanchard as a member of the
Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders work group.
Jenn Burleton
Executive Director
TransActive Education & Advocacy
West Coast Sector Leader
Board Member
PFLAG-Transgender Network
