2004 Annual Reports for Boards and Committees

COMMITTEE ON LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL CONCERNS (CLGBC)

2004 Members: Sari H. Dworkin, PhD, Chair (2002-2004); Gary W. Harper, PhD, MPH, Chair-Elect (2003-2005); George Ayala, PsyD. (2004); Randy J. Georgemiller, PhD, (2004-2006); Beverly Greene, PhD, ABPP (2003-2005); Christopher R. Martell, PhD, ABPP (2002-2004); Glenda Russell, PhD (2004-2006). NOTE: Dr. Ayala resigned from the committee October 1, 2004 and Dr. Georgemiller was appointed by the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest to complete his term.

New Members to begin their terms of office on January 1, 2005, are Patricia D. Hawkins, PhD, and Nathan Grant Smith, PhD.

Diversity Report. The Committee has two ethnic minority members, 33% of its membership. It has not engaged in diversity training during 2004, because it was not aware of the Council requirement until January 2005.

2004 CLGBC Outstanding Achievement Award presented to Susan D. Cochran, PhD, MS, in recognition of her research and professional leadership. Dr. Cochran's research on HIV, sexual behavior, and relationships, especially among African American lesbians and gay men, has had a stunning scope in addressing both crucial concerns and an underrepresented research population. Her research on health problems among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people has set very high methodological standards while making creative use of national health survey data to draw out non-obvious conclusions about the prevalence of mental and physical health risks within the population. She has been a persistent and effective voice in calling for the involvement of lesbian, gay, and bisexual communities and individuals in the planning and conduct of research on their concerns. Dr. Cochran is a model of the rare scientist and professional leader whose work has led the field into a new era, increased substantially the availability of accurate and useful knowledge, and strengthened the self-determination of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.

Science & Research: The special issue of the journal Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology edited by Dr. Harper and former CLGBC member Maria Cecilia Zea, PhD, was published. Dr. Greene was a member of the Working Group on Same-Sex Families and Relationships that developed the APA Resolutions Sexual Orientation and Marriage and Sexual Orientation, Parents, and Children. Dr. Russell and her student, Marya McCarroll, completed a telephone survey of psychological associations in the states where measures on same-sex marriage were on the ballot in the November 2004 election. Results will be presented at a symposium at the 2005 APA convention, if accepted.

2004 Convention: The Committee co-sponsored three programs with Division 44: “Getting into leadership” where Dr. Martell broadened the focus from leadership within the division to leadership within APA, especially CLGBC. Dr. Harper co-chaired a suite program with former CLGBC member Margaret Schneider, PhD, on Confronting homophobia and heterosexism in academic settings, and I joined Division 44's president in the joint Division 44/CLGBC award program to present the CLGBC Outstanding Achievement Award.

Public Policy Advocacy: During the summer of 2004 Drs. Harper, Greene, Martell, and Russell took part in a coordinated advocacy campaign organized by the APA Public Interest Public Policy Office. The Federal Marriage Amendment was the focus of meetings with members of Congress or their staff in home offices. CLGBC members provided psychological research on same-sex families and relationships and voiced opposition to discrimination against lesbian and gay couples and families.

Virginia Affirmation of Marriage Act: During the October Consolidated Meetings CLGBC met with Diane F. Halpern, PhD, APA President, Norman B. Anderson, PhD, APA CEO, Sandra L. Shullman, PhD, member of the APA Board of Directors, and Henry Tomes, PhD, Executive Director of the Public Interest Directorate, to explore options for APA to respond as a purchaser of products and services to the Virginia Affirmation of Marriage Act. Plans include a conference call with representatives of CLGBC, Virginia Psychological Association (VPA), and APA staff to explore appropriate responses to the law. CLGBC decided on the following actions: Contact members of the VPA to determine what responses the VPA may have already made, to determine what structures, means, and processes VPA may have to make a response, and consider strategies to educate psychologists in VA and APA about the law and its effects.

Updating Lesbian & Gay Parenting: A Resource for Psychologists: CLGBC met with representatives of the Committee on Women in Psychology and the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families to review this resource. Dr. Charlotte Patterson is making some final revisions to the research summary portion of the document. Andrea Solarz, PhD, is updating the annotated bibliography. Once a preface and introduction is written the resource will be ready for dissemination.

Follow-up to the International Meeting, Sexual Orientation and Mental Health: Toward Global Perspectives on Practice and Policy: CLGBC continues its participation in the LGBT International Oversight Group. CLGBC named Dr. Beverly Greene to temporarily take Dr. Ayala's place as CLGBC's representative to the Oversight Group. Dr. Dworkin stood in for Dr. Greene during the Oversight Group's first conference call. A permanent representative from CLGBC will be appointed in March 2005.

CLGBC Relationship to the Gender Identity Working Group: The Committee decided to end the GIWG. Now that APA is developing a task force on this issue the GIWG was no longer needed.

Policy Review: The Committee recommended that the following five APA policy resolutions on lesbian, gay, and bisexual concerns be archived:

• Child Custody and Placement;
• Sodomy Laws and APA Convention;
• Department of Defense Policy on Sexual Orientation and Advertising in APA Publications;
• State Initiatives and Referenda;
• Legal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples.

Continuing Activities for 2005:

1. Lesbian & Gay Parenting: A Resource for Psychologists.
2. International Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns Coalition Participation.
3. Contributing to the public debate regarding federal or state constitutional amendments regarding same-sex marriage.
4. Providing supportive information for psychologists and others to deal with the stress related to the public debate over same-sex marriage and the negative reaction to it.
5. Participating in coordinated advocacy campaigns.
6. Recruitment, retention, and training of LGBT psychologists.
7. Work with State associations.
8. Work on the Poverty initiative.
9. Advocacy Regarding Sexual Orientation-related Diagnoses in the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Follow-up to the Virginia Affirmation of Marriage Act.