Noticias

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM II, was first published in 1968, in the context of a relatively new science such as psychiatry which was still undertaking its first modern steps. Today, decades later, the list has been, and is permanently modified with additions, subtractions and unions, as knowledge advances thanks to further research. We must remember the paradigmatic case of "female hysteria", a supposed disease of common diagnosis until the nineteenth century, and the "drapetomania", a false mental illness, also from the nineteenth century, supposedly afflicting black slaves who wanted to be free.

 

As hysteria and drapetomania, we see that the initial consensus as to what was a "normal" behavior was based more on power and dogma rather than a disinterested and impartial search of knowledge for the benefit of the mankind.
 
The scientific approach to human sexuality is also quite recent in the history of humankind (19th century) and it had to slowly cut ties with dogmas of mainstream religions. In the beginnings, a vision of taboo and sin permeated the first steps towards understanding mental and sexual health. Stigma acquired different names throughout history: from sin to illness, but it was the courage of the first researchers who managed to deconstruct dogmas that allowed to study reality. The French philosopher Michel Foucault coined the term biopower, control of the bodies of a population; births, deaths, reproduction and disease. "Sex was a means of access both to the life of the body and the life of the species. It was employed as a standard for the disciplines and as a basis for regulations" the thinker of the nineteenth century said.
 
One of the first most famous studies affirming that homosexuality is not a pathology was the famous research by American psychologist Evelyn Hooker (1956) where gay and heterosexual men were studied in their psychological adjustment. The novelty of this study at the time was that different experts agreed on data analysis without knowing in advance the sexuality of individuals. The conclusion was devastating: the psychologists could not distinguish the heterosexual group from the gay one based on the results. Countless studies continue later, again refuting the myth of homosexuality as a disease.
 
On the other hand, "Patterns of Sexual Behavior" (1951), a pioneering scientific text considered a classic that explores 191 different cultures as well as other animal species, showed that homosexual orientation is quite common and frequent in many cultures throughout the world and in animals.
   
Today, empirical evidence and professional standards do not consider homosexuality as a disease and the American Psychological Association shows concern about the supposed conversion therapies and their opposition to them. Electrical shocks, among other brutal methods without scientific support and contrary to human rights are the proposals of these therapies involving alleged threats to physical and mental health in addition to risk of death. Respected worldwide organizations as the Pan American Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association and others say that these "treatments" do not have any medical support besides constituting a serious threat to the health and lives of people.
 
Homophobia costs lives and families. The heterosexism -an attitude that preaches heterosexuality as the only valid sexual orientation and acceptably- is rooted in hatred and bigotry and promote destructive behaviors that deny rights.