In the early 1970s, even psychiatrists with a nontraditional orientation thought homosexuality was a mental disorder. The paradox was that it was difficult for someone with a non-traditional orientation to find work because it was considered a mental illness (Glass & Spiegel, 2002). However, many individuals concealed, suppressed, and failed to acknowledge it. In those days, the fight against the 81 words in the American Psychiatric Association that classified homosexuality as a mental illness began (Glass & Spiegel, 2002). Many people were concerned about losing their jobs, as many psychiatrists were homosexual.
It started with doctors defending homosexual soldiers because they believed they needed treatment, but LGBT activists concluded that the therapy itself was unethical (Glass & Spiegel, 2002). Eventually, psychiatrists corrected these 81 words, replacing them with 231 words stating that if a homosexual wants treatment, they will receive it. Still, those without problems are not sick and do not require intervention. (Glass & Spiegel, 2002). If a psychiatrist started treating something like this at the patient’s request, they would be expelled from the psychiatric community.
Society’s attitudes toward gays and lesbians have been gradually changing. If traditional beliefs had long been considered normal, people would refuse to accept that they are no longer the case (Wade & Ferree, 2019). However, there are certain principles for how humans change their attitudes. Then society gradually reinforces the notion that what was approved in 1973 is correct. This is demonstrated by statistics showing that more educated people support same-sex marriage than less educated people (Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 2015, p. 3).
Furthermore, the young community, aged 18 to 34, already lives without the opinion that homosexuality is a disease, because when these 81 words were abolished, they were either not born yet or were too young to realize it (Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 2015, p.3). Those who lived through that period, however, are primarily older and continue to be less supportive of same-sex marriage. This implies that after one or two generations, even a century-old prejudice is wholly eradicated. Of course, things are far from perfect. Still, statistics demonstrate a trend of increasing support for LGBT and same-sex marriage, even among traditional communities, implying that the next generation may be able to eliminate prejudice if more people have access to good education.
References
Glass, I. & Spiegel, A. (2002). 81 Words. The story of how the American Psychiatric Association decided in 1973 that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness. This American Life.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. (2015). Same-sex marriage and gay rights: A shift in Americans’ attitudes.
Wade, L. & Ferree, M. M. (2019). Gender, ideas, interactions, institutions. (2nd ed.). W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.