The Emergence of an International Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Psychiatric Movement

Abstract

SUMMARY Since the 1990s, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) psychiatrists have started to organize internationally. In particular, members of the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP), working collaboratively with the American Psychiatric Association (APA), have expanded their advocacy of LGB affirmative psychiatry outside of North America. Seven percent of AGLP is now comprised of international members. AGLP and APA have participated in efforts to depathologize homosexuality in Japan and China. Some progress has been made in increasing the awareness of LGB issues within the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). A future goal should be the elimination of stigmatising diagnoses like egodystonic sexual orientation from the ICD-10.