Sweden Removes Transvestites from List of 'Diseased'
Tuesday 18th November 2008
Transvestitism will be removed from the list of mental illnesses in Sweden this January, along with several other sexual behaviours previously classified as mental disorders.
A transgender rights protest.
The list of medical diagnoses, which included transvestitism until recently, is not a used to institutionalize individuals or force them into mental health centers but is officially used to help collect information for the Swedish National Health System. However, activists claimed that people were being prejudiced by the inclusion of transvestitism in the list of diagnosable mental disorders.
The list will also be cleansed of such “diseases” as gender identity disorders, sadomasochistic behaviour, and various sexual preferences and fetishes.
The decision comes after activists had repeatedly approached the National Board of Health and Welfare to express their concern with sexual behaviours being included on the diagnosis list.
Agency director Lars Erik-Holm told The Dagens Nyheter newspaper: “We know that the classification codes are often regarded as diseases, regardless of what they mean. This is unfortunate, since it can contribute to maintaining and enhancing prejudices in society, which in turn increases the risk that individuals are socially stigmatized.”
He added: "These diagnoses are rooted in a time when everything other than the heterosexual missionary position were seen as sexual perversions.”
Sweden removed homosexuality from its list of medical diagnoses more than 30 years ago. The agency will ask international health organizations to strike the various sexual behaviours from their records as well. The World Health Organization is reportedly making changes to its diagnosis list and could remove a large variety of sexual behaviours.
A transgender rights protest.
The list of medical diagnoses, which included transvestitism until recently, is not a used to institutionalize individuals or force them into mental health centers but is officially used to help collect information for the Swedish National Health System. However, activists claimed that people were being prejudiced by the inclusion of transvestitism in the list of diagnosable mental disorders.
The list will also be cleansed of such “diseases” as gender identity disorders, sadomasochistic behaviour, and various sexual preferences and fetishes.
The decision comes after activists had repeatedly approached the National Board of Health and Welfare to express their concern with sexual behaviours being included on the diagnosis list.
Agency director Lars Erik-Holm told The Dagens Nyheter newspaper: “We know that the classification codes are often regarded as diseases, regardless of what they mean. This is unfortunate, since it can contribute to maintaining and enhancing prejudices in society, which in turn increases the risk that individuals are socially stigmatized.”
He added: "These diagnoses are rooted in a time when everything other than the heterosexual missionary position were seen as sexual perversions.”
Sweden removed homosexuality from its list of medical diagnoses more than 30 years ago. The agency will ask international health organizations to strike the various sexual behaviours from their records as well. The World Health Organization is reportedly making changes to its diagnosis list and could remove a large variety of sexual behaviours.
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