Kenneth Zucker - Controversy Over Reparative Therapy For Transgender Children

Controversy Over Reparative Therapy For Transgender Children

As an editor of Archives of Sexual Behavior, Zucker published a controversial study on gay "reparative therapy" by Dr. Robert Spitzer, which the author later disavowed:

Yet, heavily invested after all the work, turned to a friend and former collaborator, Dr. Kenneth J. Zucker, psychologist in chief at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and editor of the Archives of Sexual Behavior, another influential journal. “I knew Bob and the quality of his work, and I agreed to publish it,” Dr. Zucker said in an interview last week. The paper did not go through the usual peer-review process, in which unnamed experts critique a manuscript before publication. “But I told him I would do it only if I also published commentaries” of response from other scientists to accompany the study, Dr. Zucker said.

The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association believes "'reparative' therapy that seeks to reverse sexual orientation or gender identification" is an "extreme example" of bias that "may lead to increased self hatred and mental health problems." Clinicians have cited similarities between Zucker's therapeutic intervention and reparative therapy for homosexuals. However, Bradley and Zucker respond that prevention of homosexuality was never a goal in their treatments and cite a lack of empirical evidence for the most effective approach. Journalist Marc Lostracco described Zucker's therapy as "well-meaning" but "problematic and harsh.",. Others, like author Phyllis Burke, object to any diagnosis of GID in children, considering it to be "child abuse." Zucker dismisses Burke's book as "simplistic" and "not particularly illuminating;" journalist Stephanie Wilkinson said Zucker characterized Burke's book as "the work of a journalist whose views shouldn't be put into the same camp as those of scientists like Richard Green or himself."

LGBT activists protested Zucker's 2008 appointment to the DSM-5 working group. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force issued a statement questioning the APA's decision to appoint Zucker and a second member of the work panel. According to a response released by American Psychiatric Association, Zucker does not advocate reparative therapy for transgender adults or for trans youth in all cases, and he opposes change therapy for gays under all circumstances.