What's The 4-1-1 With The DSM-V And Trans People?

Ever since the announcement was made Saturday that the APA Board of Trustees approved the changes made to the DSM-V, confusion has reigned over whether the trans community was depathologized or what exactly happened to the Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis.

Was it a watershed event similar to what happened when homosexuality started in 1973 on the road to being depathologized across several DSM's?  Is it as some people are arguing a status quo event?  Or is it as some people are contending we didn't get depathologized and in fact the trans community is in an even worse position than we were in previously?

From Naomi Fontanos, executive director of Ganda Filipinas who also sits on the board of WPATH:

To my friends who are asking about the confusing reports about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) V of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Here are the facts:

1. Gender Identity Disorder (GID) will only be replaced with a new name, Gender Dysphoria (GD), which is still classified as a sexual disorder in the DSM. GD will still be used to psychopathologize transgender and gender diverse people of all ages including children.

2. GID was not delisted from the DSM like homosexuality was delisted in 1973.

3. The DSM V will also include Transvestic Disorder that will replace Transvestic Fetishisim. Transvestic Disorder will include anyone who engages in sexual activity and wears the clothing of the gender that one was NOT ASSIGNED to him or her at birth. This diagnosis affects a large portion of transcommunities around the world.

Until GD is removed from the DSM, the fight to depsychopathologize the humanity of transgender people continues!

Kelley Winters, who has been fighting the GID reform battle for years, had this to say: in her post breaking down the gender diagnoses

"Despite retention of the unconscionable Transvestic Disorder category, I believe that the Gender Dysphoria category revisions in the DSM-5 will bring some long-awaited forward progress to trans and transsexual people facing barriers to social and medical transition. I hope that much more progress will follow."

Julia Serano also commented on the DSM-5 controversy.

In case you're wondering what the TransGriot's postion is on this DSM-V revision hereit is.:I'm in favor of trans being depathologized and removed from both the DSM and the ICD, but have a medical protocol in place so that trans related healthcare can be covered by insurance.
So stay tuned, the debate is still raging over what exactly did happen concerning the trans community and the DSM-V. 

But what it does do is heighten the importance that the international trans community gets busy collectively making sure the job of trans depathologization is done properly as the World Health Organization takes up the task of revising their ICD-11 manual.  

DSM-V Approved By APA Board Of Trustees

One of the things the trans community has been vocal about and closely watching is the revision process for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also known as the DSM-V.

Since the 1980 publication of the DSM-III gender identity disorder has been part of the diagnostic manual along with the negative connotations and baggage that go along with it.   But when the DSM-V is published in May 2013, the term Gender Identity Disorder will be replaced with “Gender Dysphoria.”

On Saturday the changes were approved by the American Psychiatric Associations Board of Trustees and it includes one groundbreaking change that I talked about in a post back in August in terms of the depathologization of being transgender. 

Many people in the trans community are hailing it as a watershed event similar to what happened when homosexuality was removed from the DSM in 1973 and the corresponding progress of the gay rights movement as a result.

There are others sounding cautionary notes about this development, openly stating nothing changed or are focused on the ICD-11 revisions currently underway.  .

When May 2013 gets here, the DSM-V will be published and the changes made to the diagnosis for trans people will be etched in that manual until the next revision happens. 

What effect the DSM-V will have on our trans lives is yet to be determined. 

Being Trans Is No Longer Considered A Mental Illness

2012 for the trans community is going to be celebrated as fondly as 1973 is for the gay and lesbian community.   When the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM V for short is published in May 2013, the term Gender Identity Disorder will be replaced with “Gender Dysphoria.”

What that means is that being trans is no longer considered a mental illness. 

We already knew that, but it took years of lobbying the American Psychiatric Association to change or completely remove the “mentally ill” characterization given to all trans people. Individuals may now be diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria, “a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender.”


“All psychiatric diagnoses occur within a cultural context,” Jack Drescher, a New York psychiatrist and member of the APA subcommittee said. “We know there is a whole community of people out there who are not seeking medical attention and live between the two binary categories. We wanted to send the message that the therapist’s job isn’t to pathologize.”

“The label of mental defectiveness really places a burden on trans people to continually prove our competence in our affirmed roles,” said Colorado scholar and advocate Kelley Winters in an Associated Press interview

The new designation will have profound effects on our community both positive and negative, but one of the immediate benefits is that it takes away a right wing talking point they used to oppose trans human rights laws.  It will also affect us in the legal realm both positively and negatively, but there are arguments pro an con from trans legal scholars as to how it will play out.

But one thing we can all agree on is that it's a good thing to depathologize being trans.

DSM-5 Comment Period Until June 15

While the jury is still in deliberation as to whether the removal of transpeople from the DSM-5 manual will benefit or have unintended consequences for the entire trans community,  the APA is taking comments until June 15 on its revisions to the DSM- 5 manual.

The one of concern is the U 06 Transvestic Disorder one.

Dr. Kelley Winters has been pushing this issue along with other trans people and I'll post a link to a GID Reform Advocates blogpost of hers that makes the case.  

If you feel strongly about this issue, you can also sign up on their website and make comments on this issue using Kelly's arguments as talking points for it.

WPATH Response To DSM V Revisions

Transpeople around the world have rightfully been concerned about the ongoing DSM V revisions.

The concern has been heightened about what shape those revisions would take thanks to two enemies of the trans community with specious theories about us being placed on that panel.

WPATH, The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, formerly known as HBIGDA, put together a committee to review some of the stuff the DSM V working group came up with.

You can check it out by following this link.


WPATH Press Statement issued May 26.

The WPATH Board of Directors strongly urges the de-psychopathologization of gender variance worldwide. The expression of gender characteristics, including identities, that are not stereotypically associated with one’s assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally-diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative.

The psychopathologlization of gender characteristics and identities reinforces or can prompt stigma, making prejudice and discrimination more likely, rendering transgender and transsexual people more vulnerable to social and legal marginalization and exclusion, and increasing risks to mental and physical well-being. WPATH urges governmental and medical professional organizations to review their policies and practices to eliminate stigma toward gender-variant people.”