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Conclusion on mental illness history
Conclusion of the history of mental illness
Compare two cultures approaches to mental illness
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Homosexuality has long been regarded by the word as unhealthy and in need of correction. The DSM-II, the list of mental illnesses as classified by Americans, listed homosexuality until the late 20th century. The treatment of homosexuality as a mental illness rose in popularity during the 1940s and 1950s when homosexuality was viewed as a large and present threat. Mental treatment of homosexuality persisted throughout the next two decades and is still a common method of treatment in some communities today. Although the tolerance of homosexuality fluctuates throughout time, it has been generally considered a sin and “abomination” for the past two millennia. “Treatment” of homosexuality prior to the 20th century typically consisted of physical violence to the point of death. However, the people of 1950s America were often reluctant to kill a loved one or family member if they displayed “homosexual urges.” As a result, mental health was looked to as a solution. Doctors of the time believed that “every homosexual is a latent heterosexual.” (Bayer 30) Treatments ranged from weekly counseling to shock therapy, depending on the “severity” …show more content…
A fear of any divergence from the norm caused treatment of homosexuals to become increasingly brutal and inhumane. Practices shied away from before, such as shock therapy, lobotomy, and torture, became popular and accepted methods of treatment. Gay men were often shown photos of naked men and given violent shocks meant to condition his body to fear the naked male form. When the Cold War began, “communism and homosexuality were frequently lumped together: both risked destabilizing the state and the very structure of society.” (Aldrich 203) The purge and treatment of communists was extended to homosexuals. Both groups were ostracized if they could not
On May the eighth of this year, the Conference of United States Religious Leaders and Ministers was held in Chicago, Illinois. The conference is an annual event coordinated by church leaders who each send a representative to take part in the discussions. Father Gregory McAllister of the Diocese of Arlington traveled to Chicago to attend the conference and share his knowledge. He spoke on behalf of the Catholic Church, while ministers and clergy from various religions from across the country also shared their views on the topics discussed.
In sociology, the LGBT community is viewed as a subculture to the dominant world culture. The community is generally accepted by the dominant culture and although the group has some of its own beliefs and rituals/traditions, it still adheres to the fundamental beliefs and cultural expectations of the dominant culture. Before being considered a subculture, homosexual relationships and variations of sexual orientation were classified as devian behaviort. Even before that, someone who experienced homosexual thoughts or tendencies was labeled as mentally ill. The idea of homosexuality being a mental illness appeared in the DSM until 1987. There are still remnants of homophobia today but the consensus (at
One of the well-known homosexual of the Revolutionary War era was Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben; he was General George Washington's chief of staff. When Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben reported to George Washington's staff, he had two young European assistants and their ages were seventeen. “Despite rumors about his parties, there never was an investigation of Von Steuben and he received a Congressional pension after the war” (Thomas, 2005). Homosexuals kept their relationships discreet and wrote letters to their loved ones while away at war. In “1950, Uniform Code of Military Justice broadened the definition of sodomy to include oral sex, sex between women, and "unnatural" sex between men and women” (Bateman, 2006, para.11).
In the past decades, the struggle for gay rights in the Unites States has taken many forms. Previously, homosexuality was viewed as immoral. Many people also viewed it as pathologic because the American Psychiatric Association classified it as a psychiatric disorder. As a result, many people remained in ‘the closet’ because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being discriminated against in the society. According to David Allyn, though most gays could pass in the heterosexual world, they tended to live in fear and lies because they could not look towards their families for support. At the same time, openly gay establishments were often shut down to keep openly gay people under close scrutiny (Allyn 146). But since the 1960s, people have dedicated themselves in fighting for
During the Holocaust many people were targeted including homosexual men. The estimated amount of homosexuals involved in the holocaust ranges from 5,000 to 15,000. They faced persecution not only from German soldiers but also from other prisoners living in the concentration camps. Between 1933 and 1945, an estimated 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals, and of those 100,000 men, 50,000 were officially sentenced.
For many generations, especially in North America, homosexuality was not accepted in any way, shape, or form. Many believed that it was a medical illness that was curable, when in reality, people were, and still are, ignorant and could not come to terms that everyone in this world is different from one another. For many instances of being treated unjust, many individuals in the gay community did not want to “expose” themselves and remained in the “closet”. As means to make gays and lesbians proud and take a stand for who they are, a movement spread across internationally. This movement is known as “The Gay Liberation” movement which occurred between the late 1960s and the early to mid 1970s (“Gay Liberation”). The Gay Liberation movement urged individuals of the gay community to “come out,” revealing their sexuality to their loved ones as a form of activism, and to counter shame with gay pride (“Gay Liberation”). The Stonewall Riots are believed to have been the spark that ignited the rise of the Gay Liberation movement; it influenced the way the gay community is viewed socially and how their rights are politically present day.
Treatments such as conversion therapy have been thoroughly debated by doctors, everyday civilians and even politicians. The question surrounding the topic asks whether or not the treatment is ethically and morally acceptable. Conversion therapy is an option of treatment catering to the LGBTQ community that claims to be able to change a person’s sexual behaviors such as orientation, preference and identity. The main controversies on the topic argue the physical and psychological side effects, treatment options and whether or not different sexual behaviors are mental illnesses that requires treatment.
Prior to the 1950’s, society had already formed the foundation of its bias towards gay men. Scientific and social studies executed by famous scholars, such as Freud and Kinsey, suggested not only that homosexuality is abnormal, but it is prevalent among society (Johnson). Correspondingly, Washington began to grow, which gave way to new government positions, ranging from the lowest corporate level to the highest corporate level; thus, paranoia, regarding homosexual men in the White House, dispersed
In the 1940s, homophobia was extremely prevalent in the United States. People who were openly gay were often stigmatized. “Homosexuality was discussed as ‘an aspect of three personality disorders: psychopaths who were sexual perverts, paranoid personalities who suffered from homosexual panic, and schizoid personalities’ who displayed gay symptoms” (Kaiser 29). Many regulations and practices discriminated against gays. The military found homosexuality to be a direct threat to strength and safety of the U.S. government and the American people, in general. In 1941 the Army and the Selective Service banned homosexuals from participation in the war (Kaiser 29). All major religions considered it sinful and throughout the country, more and more people found it to be immoral. Life was hard for homosexuals in the early and mid-twentieth century. They were forced to hide their sexuality in order to escape derision or imprisonment.
The background of homosexuality in the 1940’s and 50’s was harsh, but people started to be opened toward the rights. There were criticisms toward homosexuality in the early days of Milk. Gay men carried the labels of mentally ill or psychopathic. Often times, gay men committed suicide from harsh judgement and criticism that always followed them. Even though population of homosexuality grew and had jobs, they were harassed and beaten by the police. There were a lot of disapproval and hostility of homosexuality. Anita Bryant, a singer, made a campaign to oppose the rights of homosexuals. Christian forces and activists withdrew gay-right legislation which lead to Proposition 6. The harshness from background of homosexuality back in the 1940’s and 50’s took the freedom away from the homosexuals. After the harshness, there came a little bit of hope for the homosexuals in San Francisco. Castro, a city in San Francisco, became the center of gay neighborhood. In 1964, gay men formed Society of Individual Right (SIR), and 1,200 members joined. Homosexuals started having good views when Sipple who was gay saved the president from a gunshot. Finally in 1972, Board of Supervisor banned the discrimination law for homosexuals. Even though in 1940...
Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.
Though many consider homosexuality a mental illness, different studies have proven that it is a bi...
Before the 1969, homosexuality was uncommon and unheard of, so gay adoption was not an issue. People that wanted to pursue their homosexual desires struggled for the right to do so. Homosexuals lived in secret and avoided being noticed so that they would not be called out by society (Gay Rights, 2012). In other words, they were the minority and knew that they were not accepted. Nevertheless, things started to change as the 70s approached. In 1969, the gay rights movement began to take off when police raided a gay nightclub in New York City. Riots broke loose and gay pride lit up the streets for the first time (Gay Rights,2012). As crazy as it sounds, the fight for the LGBT community began because police were trying control the behavior of homosexuals
“All men are created equal, No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words,” Harvey Milk. A homosexual, as defined by the dictionary, is someone of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward another of the same sex. Homosexuality is ethical, and I will provide rational arguments for, and irrational arguments against the topic. A few objections are as follows: It is forbidden in the Bible and frowned upon by God; It is unnatural; Men and women are needed to reproduce; There are no known examples in nature; and the most common argument that concerns homosexuality is whether it is a choice or human biology.
Homosexuality in Today's Society. In today's society, there exists a mixture of issues which tend to raise arguments with people all over. There are a handful of topics that always seem to escalate these differences between people to the point where one who earnestly participates in discussion, debate and argument can direct their anger towards their feelings on the person themselves. Some examples of such delicate subjects are the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia.