The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) held their annual conference Friday, June 21 in San Diego, CA. During the commencement, Dr. Lee Jaffe, president of APsaA issued an apology for classifying homosexuality as a mental illness.
Reuters reports Jaffe began his apology with “We are sorry; it’s hard to admit that one has been so wrong.” However, this isn’t the first time that a U.S. medical association has given an apology to the LGBTQ community.
According to Reuters, Dr. Jack Drescher, who is a leader in APsaA, says that the NYPD’s apology for the 1969 raid of Stonewall Inn that led to the decision of the apology. As historically positive as this apology is for APsaA, it’s also not the first time the medical association has been late to the party.
The American Psychological Association declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973, with APsaA following almost two decades later in 1991. After the declassification, APsaA went on to regretfully support conversion therapy as a “cure” for homosexuality for a time.
For now, APsaA hopes to move forward with better informed direction.
