Reflections on the Proposed DSM5 Revisions and the Role of Community Consultation
11Feb10
Dented Blue Mercedes
http://dentedbluemercedes.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/reflections-on-the-proposed-dsm5-revisions-and-the-role-of-community-consultation/The proposed revisions for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual edition 5 (DSM-5) — which governs mental health diagnoses — have been released. The DSM-5 includes diagnoses relevant to the trans community and potentially relevant to other sex and gender minorities as well.
Where The Wild Things Are
First, dispensing with non-trans categorizations. The "Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders" categorization is divided into three sub-groups: Sexual Dysfunctions, Paraphilias, and Gender Identity Disorders. Earlier indications from a presentation by Dr. Ray Blanchard (who oversees the Paraphilias work group) and another by the Sexual Dysfunctions work group were that there was consideration being given to dropping "distress" as a requirement for diagnosis. A number of people raised this concern with me, as it would result in a number of communities being faced with the potential for enforced diagnosis and aversion therapy in people whose identities are experienced without distress, without adverse effects on others, and practiced responsibly and consensually — such as asexuality, consensual BDSM and more. The first thing I've noticed is that distress does indeed remain as an important requirement. It's still not clearly defined, but it's still a requirement.
