Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists

The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP) is an organization that educates and advocates on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) mental health issues. Their stated purposes include publishing a quarterly newsletter and the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy; conducting seminars and discussion groups concurrent with the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA); working within the APA to advocate for policies relevant to the LGBT community; collaborating with other organizations of LGBT physicians and other minority and advocacy groups; providing referral services for LGBT patients; assisting medical students and residents in their professional development; and encouraging and facilitating the presentation of programs and publications relevant to LGBT concerns at professional meetings.^[1]

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History

The organization informally began in the late 1960s, when lesbian and gay members of the APA met during its annual conferences. In the mid-1970s, following the APA's declassification of homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973, the Caucus of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Members of the American Psychiatric Association (CGLBM-APA) was officially founded. A primary function of the organization was to advocate to the APA on LGBT mental health issues. The Caucus changed its name to the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists in 1985.^[2]

Achievements

In 1978, the Caucus successfully petitioned the APA to create a task force on lesbian and gay issues. That task force has since been elevated to a full standing committee in the APA.^[2]

Since 1982, the organization has been recognized as a representative in the Assembly of the APA which speaks directly on matters of special concern to lesbian and gay members of the APA.^[2]

In 1983, the Caucus successfully petitioned the APA to create a task force on psychiatric aspects of AIDS, which ultimately led to the 1984 publication of two important APA volumes: Innovations in Psychotherapy with Homosexuals and Psychiatric Implications of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In 1988, that task force was elevated to a full standing committee in the APA.^[2]