2019 Annual Report of the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

• Chair: Sarah E. Burgamy, PsyD (2017-19)
• Chair-elect: Konjit Page, PhD (2018-20)
  
• Nadine Nakamura, PhD, (2017-19)
  
• Matthew Skinta, PhD, ABPP (2018-20)
• Elizabeth Baumann, PhD (2019-21)
• Saanjh Aakash Kishore, PhD (2019-21)

The 2019 committee included three who identify as female, two who identify as male, and one who identifies as gender queer. There are two who identify as lesbian, one who identifies as lesbian/queer, one who identifies as queer, one who identifies as transman, and one who identifies as a gay man. Three are early career psychologists and three are mid-career psychologists. One identifies as Asian-American, one identifies as South Asian American, one identifies as African American, and three identify as White.

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.

There was a total of 28 activities that CSOGD participated in or initiated in 2019.

Table 1

Presentations

•  Queering of APA - A 1.5-hour discussion hosted by Division 39 Hospitality Suite at 2019 APA Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
  

Comments

1. Felony Question on Membership Application (from 2019 SCM CC-1).
2. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct Core Principles (from 2019 SCM CC-2).
3. Board Member Characteristics (from 2019 SCM CC-3).
4. APA Advocacy Priorities (from 2019 SCM CC-4).
5. Guidelines for Psychological Practice for People with Low-Income and Economic Marginalization:  Recommendation to Adopt as APA Policy (from 2019 SCM CC-5).
6. Letter to Jared Skillings with recommendation for response to Division 44 Consensual Non-Monogamy Task Force to add categories to APA’s Psychologist Locator. Collaboration with Division 44.
   
7. Reviewed and revised CSOGD Operating Procedures. Revisions included updates to nomenclature pertaining to sexual orientation and gender diversity as well as bringing procedures into alignment with current practices of the committee and eliminating obsolete references.

Publications

1. LGBTQ Asylum Seekers: How Clinicians Can Help. Informational brochure produced by CSOGD. Lead authorship by committee members, Nadine Nakamura, PhD and Matthew Skinta, PhD.
2. APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition (Chapter 4, Writing & Grammar, 4.18 Singular “They”; Chapter 5, Bias-Free Language Guidelines, 5.1, 5.5, 5.8). CSOGD members past and present collaborated with the APAGS CSOGD and Division 44 on this work, which began in 2015 and came to publication fruition in 2019.

Recognitions

1. CSOGD Outstanding Achievement Award 2019. Presented by 2019 CSOGD Chair, Sarah Burgamy, PsyD to Dr. Melissa Grey, PhD, at the Division 44 Awards Ceremony at 2019 APA Convention in Chicago, IL.
2. Board of Educational Affairs Task Force to Develop a Background Document for Psychologists on Title IX Exemptions for Faith-Based Educational Institutions. CSOGD member, Konjit Page, PhD selected to serve.CSOGD was specifically approached to nominate a former or current member of the committee. CSOGD was particularly interested and active, in 2019, with issues pertaining to Title IX exceptions, accreditation of educational programs in faith-based institutions who have policies which are often considered “non-affirming” of LGBTQ+ people - students/staff and faculty.

Resolutions and Guidelines Creation/Development

Completed

1. Revision of Resolution on Sexual Orientation, Parents and Children. Resolution has been through Office of General Counsel review and submitted to Council of Representatives for the Spring agenda 2020. Provided oversight for Workgroup. 
2. Revision of Resolution on Opposing Discriminatory Legislation and Initiatives Aimed at Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Persons. Resolution has been through Office of General Counsel review and submitted to Council of Representatives for the Spring agenda 2020. Provided oversight for Workgroup.
3. Revision of Resolution on Supporting Sexual/Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents in Schools. Resolution has been through Office of General Counsel review and submitted to Council of Representatives for the Spring agenda 2020. Provided oversight for Workgroup. 
   

In Development

1. Resolution on Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE). Draft of resolution submitted to Office of General Counsel for review. Public comment period anticipated for 2020. Collaboration with Division 44.
2. Resolution on Gender Identity Change Efforts (GICE). Draft of resolution submitted to Office of General Counsel for review. Public comment period anticipated for 2020. Collaboration with Division 44.
3. Joint Task Force for Revising the Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients. The first draft has been submitted to BAPPI for approval to send out for public comment. CSOGD member, Nadine Nakamura, PhD co-chair. Aiming for adoption by Council of Representatives February 2021. Collaboration with Division 44. CSOGD monitoring progress.

Advocacy

1. Periodic meetings and consultations with Advocacy Office staff. Pertaining to pertinent advocacy initiatives of the committee and staff comments on federal policies. 
2. Amicus Brief Workgroups. CSOGD facilitated formation of content expert workgroups to consult with the Office of General Counsel and the Office on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity on briefs for cases related to gender identity and sexual orientation. During 2019, briefs filed in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia; Altitude Express v. Zarda; and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC and Otto v. City of Boca Raton.
   

Collaborative Meetings

1. Ongoing collaboration with Division 39 via liaison Elizabeth Clark, PsyD.
2. Collaboration with NCSPP via liaison Jayme Peta, PhD at Spring Consolidated Meeting and Fall Virtual Meetings.
3. Ongoing communication and collaboration with BAPPI liaison, Kimberly Hiroto, PhD. The committee has recommended to BAPPI that calls for nominations to boards and committees be changed to embrace a more inclusive consideration of gender identity (gender diverse identities belong the binary notions of male/female, man/woman).
4. Collaboration with Division 40 liaison Stephanie Towns, PhD on CSOGD work product: Psychological Testing and Neurocognitive Assessment with Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Adults. Anticipated to be finalized in 2020.
5. Oversight of APA Leadership and Participation in the International Network on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns and Transgender Issues in Psychology (IPsyNET). CSOGD member Nadine Nakamura, PhD, represented the committee in quarterly meetings of the APA Oversight Group that monitors APA’s involvement with IPsyNet.
6. TOPSS Lesson Plan Review - The Psychology of Sexual Orientation: A Modular Lesson Plan/Teaching Resource for High School Psychology Teachers. CSOGD member Konjit Page, PhD coordinating committee efforts to review and update this lesson plan from 2008. Collaboration with Education Directorate and APA members who teach high school psychology. Anticipated to be finalized in 2020.
7. Ongoing collaboration with COPA. COPA member Ivan Balan, PhD participated in Fall Virtual meeting of CSOGD providing updates pertaining to impending sunset of COPA and continuing to identify collaborative work at intersection of missions of CSOGD and COPA before and after sunset.
8. APA Task Force on Difference of Sex Development. An interdisciplinary task force charged with producing a report and make recommendations. Collaboration with Division 54. CSOGD monitoring progress.