2018 Annual Report of the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

• Chair: Arlene Noriega, PhD (2016-18)
• Chair-elect: Sarah E. Burgamy, PsyD, (2017-19)
• David Rivera, PhD (2016-18)
• Nadine Nakamura, PhD, (2017-19)
• Konjit Page, PhD (2018-20)
• Matthew Skinta, PhD, ABPP (2018-20)

The 2018 committee included one member who identifies as gender queer/nonconforming, three who identify as cisgender women, and two who identify as cisgender men. With regard to sexual orientation, two identify as gay men, three who identify as lesbian and one identifies as queer. In terms of race/ethnicity, two members identify as Latinx, one as Asian-American, one as of Color, and two as Caucasian. Three committee members included two early career psychologists, three mid-career and one senior-career psychologists.

There shall be a Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (CSOGD) whose mission shall be to:

• Study and evaluate on an ongoing basis how the issues and concerns of sexual orientation and gender diverse (e.g., LGBTQ) psychologists can best be dealt with.
• Encourage objective and unbiased research in areas relevant to sexual orientation and gender diverse (LGBTQ) adults and youths and the social impact of such research.
• Examine the consequences of inaccurate information and stereotypes about sexual orientation and gender diverse (LGBTQ) adults and youth in clinical practice.
• Develop educational materials for distribution to psychologists and others.
• Make recommendations regarding the integration of these issues into APA’s activities to further the cause of human rights of sexual orientation and gender diverse (LGBTQ) individuals and communities.

The CSOGD 2018 Outstanding Achievement Awards were presented by Arlene Noriega, PhD and Nadine Nakamura, PhD at the Div. 44 Award Ceremony to Karen Lehavot, PhD and Jae Sevelius, PhD.

Sarah Burgamy, PsyD

Convention Activities

• The Queering of APA program at convention was held in the Minority Fellowship Program suite and was very well attended. It was decided to make this Conversation Hour a standing annual event. [Mission A]
• The sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) and Gender Identity Change Effort (GICE) policy resolution working groups held a Conversation Hour to discuss progress thus far and receive feedback. [Mission A & C]

Update on Dissemination of Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender

Seth Pardo, PhD, the CSOGD’s 2017 chair, organized a webinar with one free CE available to participants titled "Applying the APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People" that was broadcast on March 29, 2018. Sand Chang, PhD, a member of the task force that wrote the guidelines and former chair of the CSOGD (2015), was the main presenter. Chang described the rationale for the guidelines, discussed applications of the guidelines, and how to utilize related clinical skills. The webinar had 370 attendees and approximately 100 applied for and received the CE. The webinar and presenter slides are available on the website of the Office on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. [Mission A & C]

Oversight of APA Leadership and Participation in the International Psychology Network on LGBTI Issues

Committee is provided oral reports from Nadine Nakamura, PhD, and staff about International Psychology Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues (iPsyNet). [Mission A]

Five-Year Review of APA Policies

The CSOGD made the following recommendations to the Policy & Planning Board for the five-year policy review process to policy resolutions for which it is responsible [Mission D & E]:

• Transgender, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Non-discrimination: Amend, with proposed changes.
• Use of Diagnoses "Homosexuality" and "Ego-dystonic Homosexuality": Archive.
• Child Custody or Placement: Archive.
• Opposing Discriminatory Legislation and Initiatives Aimed at Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Persons: Substantive changes.
• Sexual Orientation, Parents and Children: Substantive changes.
• Resolution on Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity in Children and Adolescents in Schools: Substantive changes.
• Resolution on Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples: No action.
• Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation: No action.
• Employment Rights of Gay Teachers: No action.
• Sexual Orientation & Marriage: No action.
• Discrimination Against Homosexuals: No action.
• Hate Crimes: No action.
• Resolution on Data about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: No action.
  

Document Revisions [Mission A & D]

• Revising "Answers to Your Questions About Individuals with Intersex Conditions": Members reviewed a proposed draft and revisions from the Division 54 Differences of Sex Development Special Interest Group of the public information brochure "Answers to Your Questions about Individuals with Intersex Conditions" which Burgamy is reviewing and will provide staff with recommended edits.
• Revising "Lesbian and Gay Parenting": The committee decided it would not take on the task of updating the Lesbian and Gay Parenting document based on the recommendations from a consultant who found that subsequent research supports findings presented in the document. While CYF asked about including issues of divorce among lesbian, gay and bisexual parents and to its effects on their children, by CSOGD decided to recommend the topic of divorce by addressed in any APA documents addressing the effects of divorce on children more generally, to which the monitor to CSOGD from CYF agreed.
• Revising "Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality": Rivera is collaborating with Div. 44 Past-President David Pantalone, with completing updating and revising this document.
• Revision of "Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients": CSOGD in collaboration with Div. 44 established a task force to revise these guidelines which are scheduled to sunset in 2020. CSOGD and Div. 44 put together a Task Force Selection Committee consisting of Terry Gock, PhD (Div. 44), Michael Hendricks, PhD (Div. 44), Arlene Noriega, PhD (CSOGD) and Sarah Burgamy, PsyD (CSOGD). The call for Task Force members was developed and disseminated. When the initial call did not elicit a diversity of applicants, a direct call was made to ethnic-minority psychological associations and diversity related divisions. After careful review of the applicants, the selection committee via video conference selected the following members: Franco Dispenza, PhD, and Nadine Nakamura, PhD (co-chairs); Roberto Abreu, PhD, NCC; Gregory Canillas, PhD; Barbara Gormley, PhD; Elizabeth Ollen, PhD, David Pantalone, PhD, and Jennifer Vencill, PhD. 

Review and Revision of Operating Procedures: 

CSOGD reviewed and updated some of the procedures to align with current practices and language usage including:

• Requirement of new OP: Review and approval of monthly call summaries along with biennial meeting minutes
• 4.8 Presentation of Outstanding Achievement Award at the Div. 44 Award Ceremony
• 4.9 Standard procedures for solicitation of nominations for the Committee and its award
• 6.4 Remove
• Change language throughout from “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender” to “sexual orientations and gender diversity” where appropriate
• 5.2 Make language related to expenses for monitors and liaisons consistent

Issues Pertaining to Gender Identity and Expression: [Mission B, C & D]

• After several unsuccessful attempts to create programming with the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs and the Children, Youth and Families Office on the topic of violence against and homicides of transgender women of color, and with several discussions with the president-elect of Div. 44, Gary Howell, PsyD, it was decided that this topic will be one of Howell’s presidential initiatives and will establish a presidential division task force to look at the issue and determine the role of psychologists in addressing the violence perpetrated against transgender women of color. 
• Development of tip sheet "Psychological Testing and Neurocognitive Assessments with Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Adults". Burgamy and Stephanie Towns, the Div. 40 liaison, proposed producing a more general audience resource on the topic, and a second tip sheet with a more in-depth treatment of the issue.  Dr. Burgamy noted that the resources need to include assessments of children and adolescents also.
• Development of the "Fact Sheet on LGBTQ Asylum Seeker": A current draft from Nadine Nakamura, PhD, and Matthew Skinta, PhD, was provided to the committee for review and comment.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Concerns in Psychological Practice [Mission A]

SOCE and GICE Working Groups

The SOCE working group led by Tania Israel, PhD and Melissa Grey, PhD, has obtained input and feedback on their policy document at APA Annual Convention in San Francisco, California and at NMCS in Denver, Colorado. The GICE working group led by David Rivera, PhD has also obtained feedback on their policy document at APA Annual Convention in San Francisco, California.

APA Policy and Practice on Collecting and Reporting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

[Mission E] Matthew Skinta, PhD, worked on a draft rationale for the CSOGD’s recommendation for APA data collection.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Concerns in Psychology Education and Training:  [Mission C, D & E]

Collaborations with Div. 44 [Mission E]

• CSOGD has not received a response or feedback regarding the letter the Committee decided to sign on to request that the Board of Educational Affairs reconsider their nomination to a U.S. Department of Education Panel on accreditation of religious institutions. The letter was signed due to the nominee’s apparent conflict of interest between their religious institutional affiliation’s values towards LGBTQ individuals and that of APA.
• The committee voted to sign on to a Div. 44 Education and Training Committee public comment to the Commission on Accreditation regarding its current Diversity Implementing Regulations.

Consolidated Meetings

Spring Consolidated Meeting is by far the most productive meeting time for this committee. This is where most of the collaborative work appears to be done. While the virtual meetings resulted in being very task oriented, it did not allow for furthering the collaborative relationships within and outside of the committee. The committee is in unanimous agreement that the elimination of the face-to-face Fall Consolidated Meeting has significantly hindered the work of the committee, particularly with respect to the collaboration among the other various boards and committees.