We need more than just talking and thinking from psychology.

​

The last ten years have seen an explosion in LGTBQIA+ hate on the streets, in the media and in politics. Once again LGBTQIA+ people are being used to bolster weak governments, and to reinforce cultural superiority for the mainstream. The brunt of the assault has been borne by our trans siblings, who have shown bravery, beauty and resilience against well-resourced and largely unchallenged opposition.

​

Currently the narrative on trans and broader LGBTQIA+ issues is dominated by untrained, inexperienced cisgender and heterosexual voices. They generally have no lived experience and no/little specialist knowledge. Their ill-informed and bigoted views are much easier to share in three-minute interviews or on 30- second clips on social media apps than the complex realities of gender identity and sexuality. The message of welcoming acceptance and solidarity our youth should be receiving from their LGBTQIA+ community is being lost.

​

In psychotherapy too, once again, historically harmful models and bigotry find their way into the treatment of trans youth. Therapy organisations begin to wilt in the heat of objection from their anti-trans members, and refuse to support a ban on conversion therapy; a well established ineffective, harmful and unethical practice. The well evidenced increase in suicide risk and mental health difficulty for trans youth is denied in order to invalidate the need to act in a timely fashion in their care so that these unevidenced long term therapy models can be used. This, in turn, delays effective medical treatment. Therapists ignore the voiced concerns of the LGBTQIA+ communities that these approaches are, in effect, conversion therapy.

​

This has to stop. Psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists must show an ability to learn from the past mistakes of their profession. We must listen to the lived experience of the people who have been harmed by therapy, conversion practices and bigotry. 

​

Psychology and psychologists have a crucial role in helping the public, and governments, to understand the constructed nature of sex and gender. That these categories and their associated entitlements are chosen by society, and that they can and should change so that all people can live in safety and peace. We are in a unique position to undertake research that is meaningful, to create an unbiased narrative from extant research, and to challenge misinformation and bigotry where we find it. By simply being true to our training and our methods, we can enable diveristy to exist safely in society.

​

PSIIQC is a society of psychologists and psychology users who wish to reset the balance. We are a new organisation, and we will be expanding our activites as we grow. For the time being, our main job is to find ourselves as a community and start organising.

​

Founder: Dr Rob Agnew (he/him)

Co-founder: Dr Lorna Hobbs

Co-founder, Secretary, Treasurer: Carole Carter (they/them)

Co-founder, Membership Lead: Connor Parish

Co-founder, IT Lead: Lee Davies (he/him)

​

​