About the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Office

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Office (LGBTCO) works to advance psychology as a means of improving the health and well-being of LGBT people, as a means of increasing understanding of gender identity and sexual orientation as aspects of human diversity, and as a means of reducing stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and violence toward LGBT people. The office provides support and guidance to all aspects of APA governance on issues related to its mission and products and services to the APA membership and others seeking psychological resources to promote beneficial change in society for LGBT people.

The LGBTCO staff includes Clinton W. Anderson, PhD, Director, and Ron Schlittler, MIPP, Program Coordinator. The office includes the Healthy, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Project, a $1.6 million cooperative agreement with the CDC Division of Adolescent School Health. The project staff includes James F. Bogden, MPH, Director, and Jo-Anne Fournier, Administrative Coordinator. The office had one intern in the past year, Lakisha S. Smith, a student in the Bowie State University program counseling psychology master's program. For more information about the activities of the LGBTCO, please see the office website, contact the office via email, or telephone at (202) 336-6041.

Amicus Briefs

In September, a court's ruling that the Florida statute prohibiting lesbian and gay people from adopting children was unconstitutional was upheld by an intermediate appellate court. The decision quoted the brief that APA filed in the case in June 2009.

The office worked with the Office of the General Counsel on an APA brief filed in October with the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in October in the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The case appeals a lower court decision that overturned California's Proposition 8 that placed a ban on same-sex marriage in the state's constitution.

Policy Advocacy

In November and December, 2010, the office worked with the Public Interest Government Relations Office to distribute action alerts to APA members, divisions, and affiliated psychological associations about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and the repeal of the U.S. policy on homosexuality and military service, known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Media Relations, Publications and Communications

In November, Dr. Anderson gave an interview to the Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane show on Philadelphia's NPR affiliate WHYY on the topic of "reparative therapy." In January, the office assisted a reporter on a story in development for the New York Times Magazine on the struggle to resolve personal conflicts between sexuality and religion.

In December, the office released "Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel" translated into Spanish, making this booklet available to a new audience of educators and parents.

In February a new page was added to the LGBTCO website titled Promoting Good Practices for Mental Health Facilities in Working with LGBT Clients with Serious Mental Illness.

Healthy Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Project

APA's Healthy LGB Students Project is funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent HIV infection among youth, particularly young African-American and Latino men who are attracted to men. The centerpiece of the project is a day-long professional development workshop for school counselors, nurses, social workers and psychologists to improve school climates and provide effective HIV prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) students. The workshop curriculum has been newly updated and revised to reflect current data, research, and professional development theories and practices; and features skills-building on motivational interviewing strategies and methods.

To learn more about the Healthy LGB Students Project and access many relevant resources, visit the new website.

AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition

The LGBTCO, on behalf of the Public Interest Directorate, along with Sangeeta Panicker, on behalf of the Science Directorate, represents APA in the American Association for the Advancement of Science Science and Human Rights Coalition, which is a network of scientific organizations that recognizes a role for science and scientists in efforts to realize human rights. Composed of scientific associations, professional societies, and science academies, as well as individual scientists, the Coalition aims to facilitate communication and partnerships on human rights within and across scientific communities, and between these and human rights communities.

International Network for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns and Transgender Issues in Psychology

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Office serves as the secretariat for the International Network for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns and Transgender Issues in Psychology. The Network currently has had two major foci: increasing programming in international psychological congresses and health and human rights policy development and advocacy. The Network is currently working to promote programming during the 2012 International Congress of Psychology in Capetown and to disseminate the recently adopted nondiscrimination policy of the International Union for Psychological Science (IUPSYS) to national psychological associations around the world.

The office provided technical assistance to the Psychological Society of South Africa in producing a statement opposing their government's vote in a committee of the United Nations General Assembly that removed the term "sexual orientation" from a resolution condemning extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions and other killings. When the resolution came to a vote of the full General Assembly, the South African government reversed itself and supported an amendment to reinstate the term.

A program proposal on the international lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns in psychology was submitted to Division 52 for the 2011 APA convention.

Opposing Discriminatory Legislation and Initiatives Aimed at Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Persons

The Office worked with the Division 44 Policy Committee to develop and submit a 2011 convention proposal to Division 31 for a skill-building workshop for members of APA-affiliated psychological associations.

Governance Support: Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns and Other Groups

The office has also provided support for the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns. The LGBTCO also maintained liaison relationships with APA divisions and affiliated state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations that have an interest in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Learn more about the Committee.