DSM History and the Diagnoses for Homosexuality and Sadomasochism
or, BDSM in the DSM
C O N T E N T S
You can't spell BDSM without DSM.
A History of the DSM (Video)
A history of the DSM
National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology
Jan 1, 2021
Dr. Kenneth E. Carter
This 20 minute video provides an overview of the history of the DSM that is appropriate for both introductory psychology as well as for undergraduate psychopathology courses.
A Brief Timeline
Time | Event |
---|---|
1918 | The American Medico-Psychological Association (later renamed as the American Psychological Association) published the Statistical Manual for Use of Institutions for the Insane. |
1928 |
The American Psychiatric Association issued another edition of the Statistical Manual for Use of Institutions for the Insane. It was focused on neuroses and psychoses. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued the International Classification of Diseases-6 (ICD-6) which contained a section on mental disorders. |
1952 |
The APA published the DSM (DSM-I.) It was based on the WHO's ICD-6 and the military system. The DSM became the first official manual and glossary of mental disorders with a focus on clinical use. The disorders included in the manual were based on theories of abnormal psychology and psychopathology. Critics challenged its reliability and validity. But it still gained acceptance. The manual classified Homosexualiy and “sexual sadism” (along with transvestism, pedophilia, fetishism) as “sexual deviations” within the “sociopathic personality disturbance” category of personality disorders. It classified “Sadism” as a type of sexual deviation. |
1968 |
The ADA published the DSM-II in 1968. In it, the ADA changed the classification of homosexuality from a “sociopathic personality disturbance” to a “sexual deviation.” The manual defines Sexual sadism as paraphilia. According to the English version of the "Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS)": CITED by DACHS:
|
1973 |
The APA board of trustees voted to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. According to the English version of the "Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS)": CITED by DACHS:
|
1974 | In the seventh printing of DSM-II, the ADA removed homosexuality as a disorder and added “sexual orientation disturbance,” a new diagnostic code for individuals distressed by their homosexuality. The latter code would remain the manual (under different names) until the release of the DSM-5 in 2013. |
1980 |
The ADA published the DSM–III. In this version, the APA changed the category of “sexual orientation disturbance” to “ego-dystonic homosexuality.”
DSM-III includes Masochistic Personality Disorder as a condition needing further study. The disorder's diagnostic criteria were:
|
1994 |
The ADA published the DSM–IV. The APA completely removes Masochistic Personality Disorder from the DSM. From the Leather History Timeline:
|
2000 | The APA begins work on the DSM-V. |
2000 |
According to the English version of the "Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochismus (DACHS)":
CITED by DACS: Schlagworte July 22, 2000 CITE: Reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Copyright 2000. |
2008 |
Susan Wright, MA of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) starts a petition calling on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to require that all diagnoses in DSM be based on empirical research. 3,288 supporters signed the petition out of the 4,000 goal.The petition is closed, but you can still view the petition, the signatories, and comments made to it online. SEE ALSO: DSM Revision Petition (2008) |
2013 |
The ADA publishes the DSM-5. For the first time, the condition of experiencing "distress over one's sexual orientation" (under whatever name) does not appear. The manual renames sexual sadism as sexual sadism disorder. SEE ALSO: Jillian Keenan, We’re Kinky, Not Crazy: Including “paraphilic disorders” in the DSM V is redundant, unscientific, and stigmatizing. Slate.com. March 08, 2013. |
- History of the DSM on PsychDB
- History of the DSM on LibreTexts.org. (Last updatedSep 5, 2022)
- BDSM Versus the DSM by By Merissa Nathan Gerson. January 13, 2015
- Susan Wright, MA, "De-Pathologization of Consensual BDSM" The Journal of Sexual Medicine, New York University, Institute of Fine Arts, New York, NY, USA
- DSM Revisions: The DSM-5 Says Kink is OK! on the NCSF website.
- What's ‘normal’ sex? Shrinks seek definition By Brian Alexander (msnbc.com.) May 22, 2008, 5:33 AM CD.
- Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochism in English
- The Leather History Timeline by Tony DeBlase and others
Links
- BDSM Versus the DSM by By Merissa Nathan Gerson. January 13, 2015. A history of the fight that got kink de-classified as mental illness
- BDSM practitioners aren't mentally ill: study By Andrew M. Seaman. May 31, 2013. NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
- Kinky? You're mentally healthier than 'vanilla' bonkers by Rik Myslewski. Fri 31 May 2013 // 23:26 UTC
- BDSM associated with better mental health First Published: Fri, June 07 2013. 12:35 IST. Last Updated at June 7, 2013 13:00 IST
- What's ‘normal’ sex? Shrinks seek definition By Brian Alexander (msnbc.com.) May 22, 2008, 5:33 AM CD.
- DSM Revision Petition (2008)
- "The DSM Diagnostic Criteria for Sexual Sadism" by Richard B. Krueger. The Archives of Sexual Behavior (2010) 39:325–345
- Jillian Keenan, We’re Kinky, Not Crazy: Including “paraphilic disorders” in the DSM V is redundant, unscientific, and stigmatizing. Slate.com. March 08, 2013
- Edward Shorter, PhD, "Sexual Sunday School: The DSM and the Gatekeeping of Morality," American Medical Association Journal of Ethics. November 2014, Volume 16, Number 11: 932-937.
- The Leather History Timeline by Tony DeBlase and others
- Datenschlag Chronicle of Sadomasochism in English
