Finally A Campaign To Depathologize Transsexuals

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Ever since the world was created, transsexuals have always existed and history cites many examples, such as the Great Queen Tenhinane. Tenhinane has left her marks in the touareg civilization of Algeria, and yet, the last analyses done on some of her skeleton sample has certified she was a biological man. More recently, under the less merciful reign of the Roman Church in the Middle Ages, Joan of Arc, a transsexual FTM warrior, led many battles like the man she was and ended up condemned and burned alive for being different.

Modern medicine is influenced by the normative system of a binary patriarchal society where only two poles can exist: the man and the woman. Indeed, it classifies transsexualism as being a mental disorder and defines it as a gender dysphasia. This exact definition was and still is bringing harm for transsexuals. Thus, they find themselves discriminated, pathologized, and dealt with as mentally ill persons that are unable to decide what is good for them. That leaves them to the hand of psychiatry that should determine their future in the society. It is that very same society that mistreats them and condemns them to a visceral marginalization and a primitive transphobia. In fact, suicidal rates among transsexuals are three times higher the rates in other social branches.

This is what the campaign “Stop TRANS pathologization – 2012” wants to change. Started in Spain in 2007 by trans activists, it is now supported by an international network that includes many countries throughout the world. The claims of this campaign are the following:

1. The removal of “sexual identity disorder” from international diagnosis manuals (DSM IV and CIM 10)
2. The removal of gender mention in official documents (ID cards, social security card, etc…)
3. The abolition of binary normalization treatments imposed to transgender and intersexuals (known as “protocols”)
4. A free access to hormonal surgical treatment without psychiatric supervision.
5. The onset of actions against transphobia in the educational formation and the social insertion, in order to afford working opportunities for transsexuals.

The revision of mental disorder classification has started two years ago. However, leading the work of gender identity disorder is Dr. Zucker (director) and Dr. Blanchard, both known for their conversion therapies conducted on homosexuals and transsexuals. As a result, the trans movement of North America has requested the exclusion of these two psychiatrists from the DSM revision of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Its updated version will be pubished in 2012.

The main action of the campaign “Stop Trans Pathologization – 2012” is the walk that simultaneously takes place every October in different cities in the world, and that ever since 2007. The next walk will take place on October the 19th, 2009 in more than 20 cities.

Tags: advocacy, campaign, transsexual