Friday, September 02, 2005

APA backs same-sex civil marriages

From Psychiatric News:
The APA Board of Trustees took a historic step at its July meeting when it made APA the first medical specialty society to support legal recognition of same-sex civil marriage.
Such a position statement had been endorsed by the Assembly at its May meeting in Atlanta (Psychiatric News, June 17). It expands APA's existing position in support of same-sex civil unions and emphasizes the mental health consequences of denying same-sex couples the same legal rights as their heterosexual counterparts. The legal rights to which these couples do not have access can include visiting an ill partner in the hospital, making health care decisions for a disabled partner, financial and retirement planning to prepare for emergencies or a financially secure future, and, in the case of parents, being able to raise a child when the biological parent is unable.
The statement, which applies to civil and not religious marriage, notes that same-sex couples "experience several kinds of state-sanctioned discrimination that can adversely affect the stability of their relationships and their mental health." It also points out that "there is ample evidence that long-term spousal and family support enhances physical and mental health at all stages of development."

I'll leave it for others to comment on this as I don't want to jeopardize my current job or my 2 future jobs.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The APA is corrupt right along with the AMA. Homosexuality is abnormal. It is a total perversion running counter to the way the human race was set up to run. Dislike this post? Tough. Take it up with God.

Anonymous said...

This is to balance Christa's post. I am gay ,a father of four children ( which I fathered with my wife), a physcian; and now legally married to a man ( since I live in Canada). My God ,who is Jesus Christ loves me.You must belong to the fundamental bigot section of my Chrisitan religion.The APA is all for mental health. Religion often creates mental disease