The International Psychoanalytical Association and Homosexuality

Abstract

SUMMARY With more than 10,000 members in 30 countries, the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA) considers itself the world's primary psychoanalytic accrediting and regulatory body. Until 1998, however, the IPA had never addressed the problem of antihomosexual discrimination, even though gay people were excluded from most of its institutes and societies. Rationalizations for discrimination included: (1) “homosexuality is pathological and therefore disqualifying,” (2) “as a scientific organization the IPA should avoid political issues,” and (3) “because there is no written policy excluding homosexuals, there is no problem.” Nevertheless, recent progress was finally made when an official nondiscrimination policy was adopted by the IPA. Homosexuality has become a topic for scientific programs and newsletter dialogue, but full implementation of the policy will require an ongoing process. This article presents the history of that process to date.