JISCMail - COMMUNITYPSYCHUK Archives

Dear Gavi and all,

Thank you again for all your wonderful work.

I am a member of the interim committee of the CP Section.. Jacqui has been consulting members. I wont divulge what is being suggested and I expect that Jacqui A, as Chair of the interim committee, will update us re CP Section actions but for now I think we can assume the Section interim committee will write its own letter rather than one on behalf of the Committee and List.

(Some) list members may wish for a response by ’the list.’ I don't think we technically have a resolution but we could issue a statement of concern? However the List has no satisfactory mechanism for generating collective statements. One alternative is that a letter is written and people who want to do so sign up (as Gavi has done and people are doing). However speaking out on these matters can expose signatories to unwelcome attention and attacks. I think we should not be collectively silenced by this but I do think we should not underestimate the costs on individuals of speaking out. It is safer for those of us with more privileges (like me) to speak out than it is for those with fewer. An alternative to a letter signed by people openly would be a letter sent by the List moderators (Grant and m/ or me) on behalf of ‘X’ list members.

Regarding invoking the American Psychological Association Resolution on Transgender, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Non-Discrimination<http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/chapter-12b.aspx#transgender> (APA, 2008): I think that this would work better in a transatlantic context than for us now here. For members of a BPS Section addressing members of a BPS Division or members of the BPS itself via the Psychologist by reference to an APA resolution would, I think, read oddly and be less than desirable. Besides the APA is so problematic in relation to so many issues (e.g. torture) that to position the APA as progressive seems problematic to me. Moreover I don’t think we need to invoke the authority of the APA to oppose discrimination and support legal and social recognition in relation to diversity. The first part and bullet points could be omitted and the next section rewritten along those lines?

I also would prefer to try to avoid focusing on an individual such as Zucker and focus more on the oppressive discourses and practices which giving platforms for his work promotes

A version of Gavi's message edited and amended in line with the above suggestions and with some changes suggested by others posting on the list could look like what follows. But this is very rough and just at this stage suggestive as an alternative:

Statement of concern regarding Dr Kenneth Zucker’s invited keynote lecture at the British Psychological Society Division of Clinical Psychology Conference 2010
The work of Dr Kenneth Zucker, which functions to undermine support for children’s own gender and gender-associated expression, is discriminatory against people whose own gender differs from their gender assignment (e.g., those often labelled ‘trans’ or ‘gender variant’) and inhibits the legal and social recognition of transgender individuals consistent with their gender identity and expression. promotion of discourses which position children who self-identify as boys as ‘girls with gender identity disorder’ or self-identified girls as ‘boys with GID’, we believe, violates professional ethics that mandate psychological professionals to avoid causing harm.

In addition to problematic discriminatory discourse, problematic practices, including behavioural reorientation work with children, violates international human rights policies, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by interfering with children’s freedom of play and expression, and by failing to provide children the opportunity to be heard and their views to be given due weight, in relation to their experiences of their own gender and gender-associated expression. Deterring children from wearing clothes associated with any gender, from playing with friends of any gender, or from engaging in play stereotypically associated with any gender is oppressive.

Members of the UK Community Psychology discussion list are concerned that the problematic discourses and practices, promoted by Dr Zucker's work, continue to receive support from within British psychology and that they are proactively promoted through Dr Zucker being afforded leadership positions on the American Psychological Association Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions, the American Psychiatric Association Workgroup on Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders preparing the 2012 edition of the DSM-V and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH, formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association) Standards of Care (SOC) Workgroup Committee.
We urge the British Psychological Society Division of Clinical Psychology and all psychological professionals to:

* support legal and social recognition of people of all ages in a manner consistent with their self-designated gender
* protect the freedom of all children to play, dress, friendship, and expression associated with any gender

* condemn behavioural reorientation work with children
* boycott and protest psychological environments that support discriminatory and oppressive discourses and practices which functions to undermine support for children’s own gender and gender-associated expression, are discriminatory against people whose own gender differs from their gender assignment and inhibit the legal and social recognition of transgender individuals consistent with their gender identity and expression

names or

On behalf of X Members of the UK Community Psychology Discussion list
November, 2010

David Fryer
Professor of Community Critical Psychology, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Professor Extraordinarius, University of South Africa
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Stirling, Scotland
President: European Community Psychology Association

________________________________
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gavriel Ansara [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 November 2010 18:29

To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Rough draft of brief statement on behalf of CommPsy Section and/or CommPsy list?

Dear David and Section/list folk,

Below is a rough draft that I can edit and complete this evening, but I wanted to share the basic scaffold for your input and feedback.
I can add citations tonight, too, so I am aware that these need to be added.
I've signed and perhaps we could combine individual signatures with organisational/institutional/list/section affiliations in the final version.

Gavi
--

November, 2010 Resolution against Dr Kenneth Zucker’s invited keynote at the Department of Clinical Psychology at Manchester

As community and critical psychologists, we invoke the American Psychological Association Resolution on Transgender, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Non-Discrimination<http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/chapter-12b.aspx#transgender> (APA, 2008) that calls on psychologists to play a leadership role in:

*
ending discrimination against people whose own gender differs from their gender assignment (e.g., those often labelled ‘trans’ or ‘gender variant’)
*
'support(ing) legal and social recognition of transgender individuals consistent with their gender identity and expression’.

The work of Dr Kenneth Zucker is in clear violation of this policy due to his refusal to support children’s own gender and gender-associated expression. We are concerned by discriminatory nature of his pathologizing treatment of children. Referring to children who self-identify as boys as ‘girls with gender identity disorder’ or self-identified girls as ‘boys with GID’ contravenes the spirit of APA’s resolution and, we believe, constitutes a violation of professional ethics that mandate psychological professionals to avoid causing harm. (should I add more here about the results of his 'treatment' or not?)
In addition to violating APA policy on recognising people’s own gender, Dr Zucker’s behavioural reorientation work with children violates international human rights policies, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by interfering with children’s freedom of play and expression. Deterring children from wearing clothes associated with any gender, from playing with friends of any gender, or from engaging in play stereotypically associated with any gender constitutes harmful discrimination.
We are alarmed that Dr Zucker continues to receive support from within psychology and that he continues to hold leadership positions on the American Psychological Association Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions, the American Psychiatric Association Workgroup on Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders preparing the 2012 edition of the DSM-V and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH, formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association) Standards of Care (SOC) Workgroup Committee. The influence of Dr Zucker’s discriminatory approach on these three key policy-making organisations that address treatment of people with self-designated, non-assigned gender inhibits their ability to achieve the goals of APA’s resolution. Rather than take a leadership role in ending discrimination, psychological institutions and committees that give Dr Zucker a platform to spread his bigoted ideas in some cases violate their own resolutions and directives.
We urge the Department of Clinical Psychology and other professional environments to consider the non-pathologizing and supportive approaches offered by Diane Ehrensaft, Edgardo Menvielle, Herb Schreier, and other professionals who have successfully assisted these young people in actualising their own gender and gender-associated expression.
We urge psychological professionals to :

* support legal and social recognition of people of all ages in a manner consistent with their self-designated gender
* protect the freedom of all children to play, dress, friendship, and expression associated with any gender
* condemn Dr Zucker’s behavioural reorientation work with children
* boycott and protest psychological environments that support Dr Zucker’s work
In conscience and community,
Y. Gavriel Ansara, MSc, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey
(add your signatures here)

--
Mr Y. Gavriel Ansara, MSc
席嘉力 آتش جاوید גבריאל‏ יוסף

'Zoos are full, prisons are overflowing... my, how the world still dearly loves a cage.' -Maude

٠•●♥Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ♥●•٠·˙

PhD Candidate & Academic Tutor
University of Surrey, Department of Psychology
http://www.psy.surrey.ac.uk/index.htm

Founder & Co-Coordinator, Critical Psychology at Surrey
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=373193592940&ref=ts

Teaching Faculty, The Kerulos Ctr
http://kerulos.org/

Contributing Author, Counselling Ideologies: Queer Challenges to Heteronormativity
http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9780754676836

Member & Co-Author, Professionals Concerned with Gender Diagnoses in the DSM
http://www.professionals.gidreform.org/

Former Founding Director & Former Founding Advocates Programme Co-Supervisor, Lifelines Rhode Island/Cuerdas de Salvamento
http://lifelinesri.org/

Speaker on Multicultural Issues, Organisation Intersex International (OII)
http://intersexualite.org/Gavi.html

___________________________________ The Community Psychology List has a new website/blog at: http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/ There is a threaded discussion forum: http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK To post on the website blog, forum or twitter feed, contact Grant or David at the email addresses below. David Fryer ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK

___________________________________

The Community Psychology List has a new website/blog at:
http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/
There is a threaded discussion forum:
http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi
There is a twitter feed:
http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK
To post on the website blog, forum or twitter feed, contact Grant or David at the email addresses below.
David Fryer ([log in to unmask]) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask])
To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK

'Zoos are full, prisons are overflowing... my, how the world still dearly loves a cage.' -Maude

٠•●♥Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ♥●•٠·˙