Citing new research, psychology group supports gay marriage

Source: USA Today

The world's largest organization of psychologists took its strongest stand to date supporting full marriage equity, a move that observers say will have a far-reaching impact on the national debate.

The policymaking body of the American Psychological Association (APA) unanimously approved the resolution 157-0 on the eve of the group's annual convention, which opens here today.

The group, with more than 154,000 members, has long supported full equal rights for gays, based on social science research on sexual orientation. Now the nation's psychologists — citing an increasing body of research about same-sex marriage, as well as increased discussion at the state and federal levels — took the support to a new level.

"Now as the country has really begun to have experience with gay marriage, our position is much clearer and more straightforward — that marriage equity is the policy that the country should be moving toward," says Clinton Anderson, director of APA's Office on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns.

Read more: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/sex-relationships/marriage/story/2011/08/Citing-new-research-psychology-group-supports-gay-marriage/49798054/1

Maybe it gives my 2 Gay friends a little much needed ammunition. :)

And you can count me as a third gay friend if you'd like! :hi:

Source: The Advocate

In a move that holds potential to influence the ongoing legal and public policy debate, the American Psychological Association unanimously approved a resolution in support of full marriage equality.

The policy-making body of the APA voted 157 to 0 in favor of the resolution Wednesday, on the eve of the professional organization’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., according to USA Today. The group, which has more than 154,000 members, noted the growing body of research and legal discussion about marriage equality since it first passed a resolution on the topic in 2004.

“The resolution points to numerous recent studies, including findings that ‘many gay men and lesbians, like their heterosexual counterparts, desire to form stable, long-lasting and committed intimate relationships and are successful in doing so,’” reports USA Today.

“It adds that ‘emerging evidence suggests that statewide campaigns to deny same-sex couples legal access to civil marriage are a significant source of stress to the lesbian, gay and bisexual residents of those states and may have negative effects on their psychological well-being.'"



Read more: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/04/American_Psychological_Association_Supports_Marriage_Equality/

Fantastic!

While I appreciate the unanimous vote confirming the obvious--and whatever influence it might have as any such influence is a positive thing--I had to shake my head over this:

“It adds that ‘emerging evidence suggests that statewide campaigns to deny same-sex couples legal access to civil marriage are a significant source of stress to the lesbian, gay and bisexual residents of those states and may have negative effects on their psychological well-being.'"

:eyes: Ya think?

1973 was a turning point as this will be. The more acceptance & tolerance the better.

“The resolution points to numerous recent studies, including findings that ‘many gay men and lesbians, like their heterosexual counterparts, desire to form stable, long-lasting and committed intimate relationships and are successful in doing so,’”

Noooo - you don't say?

nt

The overwhelming majority of psychologists and psychiatrists accept that homosexuality is an inherent and not learned trait. As such it is damaging to LGBT individuals to deny them the dignity of equal treatment in all aspects of life.

people highly educated in the social sciences CAN and SHOULD do.

Religious fundamentalism, Christian or Muslim or whatever, that acts to deny people their rights, is NOT science, it's just made-up bigotry and hoooey!

Mr. Bachmann, stop stealing tax dollars to spread your religiously justified bigotry.

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- The American Psychological Association is calling on state and federal officials to stop anti-gay legal measures and to legalize same-sex marriage.

The scientific and professional organization's guiding body voted unanimously at its annual meeting this week in Washington to declare its support for "full marriage equality for same-sex couples."

The resolution "clarifies the Association's support for same-sex marriage" in light of new research, the group said. A similar resolution in 2004 opposed discrimination against same-sex relationships, but refrained from a more formal policy recommendation.

Dr. Clinton Anderson, APA associate executive director, said that the timing of the resolution is an indirect result of several states' legalization of marriage.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/04/psychologists.gay.marriage/index.html

don;t get me started on the history of the APA on this subject.

Oh and bravo APA

The research, Anderson said, indicates that marriage "does confer the same sense of security, support, and validation" to same-sex couples as to heterosexual ones. (end)