This American Life Broadcast: "81 Words" how the American Psychiatric Association decided in 1973 that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness

This American Life, the public radio program that does in depth stories on various topics, is featuring an audio program on how the American Psychiatric Association changed its view on homosexuality in the DSM.  The story is fascinating in how it tells the story of how the APA slowly made their change, how gay activists helped that move, and, mostly, how courageous APA members and interested parties actually changed the APA’s view from inside the APA itself.  It wasn’t so much pressure from the outside as it was a realization from within that being gay was not a disease.

You can listen to the teaser promo here:  “81 Words”

Here’s a synopsis:

Act One.

In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) declared that homosexuality was not a disease simply by changing the 81-word definition of sexual deviance in its own reference manual. It was a change that attracted a lot of attention at the time, but the story of what led up to that change is one that we hear today, from reporter Alix Spiegel. Part one of Alix’s story details the activities of a closeted group of gay psychiatrists within the APA who met in secret and called themselves the GAYPA … and another, even more secret group of gay psychiatrists among the political echelons of the APA. Alix’s own grandfather was among these psychiatrists, and the president-elect of the APA at the time of the change. (24 minutes)

Act Two.

Alix Spiegel’s story continues, with a man dressed in a Nixon mask called Dr. Anonymous, and a pivotal encounter in a Hawaiian bar. (30 minutes)

You can listen to This American Life broadcast here: “81 Words: The Story of how The American Pyschiatric Association decided in 1973 that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness“.