Fall 2012
President Arlene Noreiga noted that: “It is one of my initiatives to increase the diversity of voices at the table where decisions are made in order to have an impact in the process of governance of this Division and for the membership to know that they all are being represented.” She proposed a campaign of giving oneself or getting other members from diverse groups to become active in the governance of our division, whether it be on committees, as committee or task force chairs, liaisons, or in elected positions.
Past-president, Mark Pope, described the “facting strategy” Division 44 has used and concluded: “We have come a long way, but we can never rest. Not for one minute. We can enjoy our victories as they happen. We must celebrate them. But, we must never forget what it was like before. … We have made great gains, but we must never take this for granted. We must remember the fragility of our place in the mental health professions and in society.”
Division 44 announced the opening of nominations for the Founding Editor of its new journal, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. This publication will be a peer-reviewed quarterly journal dedicated to the dissemination of top-quality psychological scholarship on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The National Multicultural Conference & Summit (NMCS) 2013 will be held January 17–18, 2013 in Houston, TX. The biennial event is hosted collaboratively by Divisions 17, 35, 44, and 45. The keynote speaker is Jocelyn Elders, MD, the 15th U.S. Surgeon General. Our own Michael Hendricks, PhD and Ilan Meyer, PhD, are planning our division-sponsored program.
Fall 2007
President Ruth E. Fassinger, PhD announced that her presidential theme would be Love & Work. She noted that: “All of us in Division 44 bring to our work an extra layer of passion—the desire and hope to create a better world for sexual minority people.”
Doug Kimmel reported that Haworth Press will no longer be printing and mailing the newsletter and the EC decided that the added cost made it time to begin an e-newsletter with this issue. It will be posted on the division's website with live links. Members will receive an announcement on the listserv and those who request it will be sent a paper copy.
Linda Garnets announced five new Fellows of the division: Ronald Fox, Arnold H. Grossman, Perry N. Halkitis, Ian Rivers, and Glenda M. Russell.
Division 44 and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force inaugurated the Clarity Award, granting the first one to Lori Valencia Greene of the APA Public Policy Office and Clinton Anderson of the APA Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Office.
Christopher R. Martell’s Presidential Address, “Considerations of Class: Personal History and Identity Development” focused on the importance of understanding the context of the person’s perception of the world.
APA Council adopted a resolution opposing the use of religion as a basis for discrimination.
Fall 2002
James Fitzgerald, president, noted that Oliva Espin was the keynote speaker, invited from Division 44, at a conference titled “Latino Psychology 2002: Bridging Our Diversity and Our Communities.”
Robin Buhrke was the invited delegate from the division to the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers. Also, Steve James is the division representative for the third National Multicultural Summit and Conference to be held in January. He has chosen “Spirituality and Religion: The Impact on the Lives of LGBT People” as the theme for the year.
Sari Dworkin’s presidential Address was titled: “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: The Future of LGB Psychology.” She described the first time she brought “bisexuality” to the Division 44 Executive Committee table. The talk focused on the dynamics of separatism vs. integration and assimilation and how this conflict figures into the history of the gay and lesbian movement. She called for research on heterosexuality and heterophobia.
The theme of this special issue of the newsletter was “Child Molestation, Religion, and Homosexuality.” It included articles by James M. Cantor, Michael R. Stevenson, and Geoffrey L. Ream. Randy Georgemiller, chair of the Public Policy Committee, contributed an article related to the Catholic Medical Association’s recent position papers.
Fall 1997
Christine Browning, president, noted with joy and relief the passage by APA of the “Resolution on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation.” She reported a renewed collaboration with Division 45, which will co-sponsor a continuing education program to precede the mid-winter meetings of the two divisions in California, where a joint session will be held to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Douglas Haldeman gave a Presidential Address titled, “Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Psychology at Adolescence: Clinical and Cultural Issues.” Noting the impact of the division on his life, he described growing up as the only child of a single working mother in “an extended family of complex, brooding Scandinavians,” coming out at age 24, and being confronted with the 1978 California initiative prohibiting lesbians and gay men from teaching in public schools.
Connie Chan reported that the Division 44 lapel pins and t-shirts were a big hit at the APA convention and are available while supplies last.
November 1992
John Gonsiorek, president, reported that about 90 people attended a town meeting to give input to the executive committee. Several new task forces were created: military issues, public policy, accreditation, standards of care, and youth and families; these changes will involve more members and facilitate a flow of new leadership. He also noted the increasing attacks upon gay and lesbian citizens following the recent national elections.
Adrienne Smith died on August 10 and said au revoir to the members of the division in a letter read by Connie Chan at the division’s business meeting at the convention and reprinted in the newsletter. Laura Brown, in a tribute in Adrienne’s memory said, “Adrienne made it possible for me to feel good as an out lesbian psychologist and brought me into activism.”
November 1987
Laura Brown, president, reported two new Task Forces were formed: Education and Training, chaired by Christine Browning; and Ethical Issues, chaired by John Gonsiorek.
Linda Garnets will serve as the Division 44 representative to the APA Office of Professional Practice. The EC voted to support the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights this fall and to oppose the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court.
Two conferences were held, the Fourth Conference of the Midwest Association for the Psychological Study of Gay and Lesbian Issues was held in September in Chicago and the Association of Lesbian and Gay Psychologists sponsored a conference on social activism in New York in August.