Oxford LibGuides: LGBTQ+ History Resources: Psychology & Psychiatry

Highlighted Resource

The lasting legacy of Dr Anonymous
An article from The British Psychological Society about the 1973 decision of the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Key Resources

History and Iatrogenic Effects of Conversion Therapy
"Research indicates that sexual orientation change efforts (SOCEs) are not effective and furthermore commonly lead to iatrogenic effects such as depression, anxiety, and even suicide ... Here, we review the history of SOCEs, their consequences, current affirmative treatments, and future directions in the field as they pertain to the well-being of the queer community."
The History of Psychiatry & Homosexuality
This resource, produced by the the Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists, charts the history of psychiatric views on homosexuality. It covers the criminalisation and medicalisation of homosexuality, as well as psychoanalytic and more modern views.
The History of “Conversion Therapy” in Canada
This article outlines the history of so-called 'conversion therapy' in Canada. These are processes that "aim to change or otherwise suppress an individual’s feelings or expressions of sexual attraction to members of the same gender and/or feelings or expressions of incongruence between one’s gender identity and one’s sex assigned at birth."
The indelible harm caused by conversion therapy
"In the 1950s, doctors began to use a painful and distressing ‘therapy’ to ‘cure’ people of being gay, at the time classified as a mental health disorder. With testimony from those who’ve experienced it, neurologist Jules Montague charts the history of conversion therapy, still legal today in many countries around the world."
Richard von Krafft-Ebing: Case notes etc. (1874–1901)
This is a collection of materials belonging to Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840–1902), a German psychiatrist who wrote extensively on sexuality, including homosexuality. The collection contains "Case notes, case histories, patient cards, including pertaining materials (e.g. referral letters, patient letters and manuscripts, statistics)."

LGBTQ+ History Resources: Psychology & Psychiatry

Introduction

Highlighted Resource

Key Resources

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