The DSM is a comprehensive, systematic encapsulation and synthesis of the latest basic and clinical psychiatric science. The fact that it is revised on a regular basis is to its credit, not detriment.
But if you think it’s not up to the task–by all means, suggest an alternative title.
In point of fact, in America the DSM is quite literally ‘the final word on mental illness.’
Does that mean its present instantiation is inerrant? Of course not. But it represents our best current understanding of the field.
Good point. What is the ICD-10 code for transgenderism?
Because you were being disingenuous when you asked:
[quote=“pushharder, post:803, topic:210559, full:true”]But…your young sons would only be experiencing risk from someone who is naturally that way and can’t help themselves – “it’s genetic and not a disorder!” – so in effect the risk is a wholesome one. Why sweat it?
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Like ED, I distinguish between people’s characteristics and the crimes they may or may not commit. The crimes concern me; the characteristics not so much.
Just as an aside, having very little to do with the topic at hand, perhaps, and also possibly highlighting some bigotry of my own…I have the most difficulty socially being comfortable with very butch lesbians. Much less so with trans people, who seem to fit better into my (instinctive, I think) narrow little mental categories. Not that my narrow categories and comfort matter - which is the point.
No bathroom stalls or closed showers? My point being that there are choices for people who require privacy.
It also occurs to me that re: the beach (lakes, rivers) and pulling bathing suits off under towels that I have many times changed in the car. Which is obviously potentially less private (perhaps criminally so) but is also less yucky than the average bathroom. I don’t primp if I’ve spent the day in/around the water. I have curly hair, so there’s nothing I can do quickly to repair things, and no investment in makeup under those circumstances. I clip hair back, throw on dry underwear and a t-shirt and skirt or dress, and go do whatever I want to do, which generally is to eat. Clean environment and perceived privacy, for me, trump mirrors or dryers.
I’m uncomfortable much of the time. Aggressive men make me uncomfortable when they flirt. Butch lesbians, as mentioned above, though I’ve never had one flirt with me. People with very poor teeth and wandering eyes. Extremely overweight coworkers - but only when we’re both putting together our lunches and I imagine that THEY imagine that I’m judging their lunches. And so on.
This is just one more thing I’m prepared to ignore if it causes discomfort. Until or unless someone does something that infringes on my freedoms, in which case I would have a problem with that specific person. Nobody better throw potato chips on my lunch because they resent that I’m in shape! I will go AFTER their asses and they will RUE the day.
To be fair, I posted that in the middle of a discussion about “would you want your daughter to have to deal with,” as a quick “here is what my daughter seems to say about it.” I agree with the first part of the post, however. I worry endlessly about my kids and the dangers I perceive for them. Trans people in bathrooms are not among those worries. Drunk driving (their own and others’), heterosexual rape for my daughter, disregard of condoms for all of them, etc, etc, etc. My eldest is dropping out of graduate school to go into the Peace Corps and I’m trying to figure out whether ISIS is anywhere near his planned placement.
We’re discussing whether transgenderism constitutes a mental disorder. In rejecting the authority of the DSM, you suggested the ICD as an alternative classification system. Given this, how is it ‘picking and choosing out of context’ for me to ask about the ICD-10 code for transgenderism?
(As an ironic aside–there is in fact a transgenderism-related code in ICD-10 [albeit for pre-pubescent children].)
From the Wiki article on the DSM:
“While the DSM is the official diagnostic system for mental disorders in the US […]”
So in other words, the DSM is, literally, the final word on mental illness in the US.
So, if we were living in 1972, you would fight people saying homosexuality wasn’t a disorder? And you’d think homosexuals needed treatment?