SPRING 2022: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

Greetings! I’m thrilled to serve as our Section 4 President this term. I have had the privilege of being part of Section 4 over the past few years, primarily as our Awards Chair. In my time with the Section, I have been able to learn from those who have come before me and, in my role as President, I am glad to have the opportunity to build on their work in pursuit of our purpose and vision – to advance understanding of sexual and gender diversity in Division 35 and the field psychology. Our officers and executive board members are integral in working towards this purpose and vision. 

This winter we eagerly welcomed new officers and executive board members, and we’re pleased to have others continue in their roles. Joining us this term are Dr. Torica Exume as Treasurer, and Jaidelynn Rogers, MA as Social Media Manager. Dr. Elliot Tebbe is taking on the role of Newsletter Editor, Dr. Monica Ghabrial is continuing as Awards Chair, and Kalila Beehler, MS is continuing as the chair of the Graduate Student Committee. Dr. Corey Flanders is our Past-President and Dr. Cristina Magalhães is our President-Elect.

Alex Agiliga

SUMMER 2020: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

Welcome to Summer 2020! It has been and continues to be a terrifying, difficult, and inspiring year, across the pandemic, police and other state sanctioned violence, and powerful justice work with the Black Lives Matter movement. At the start of the new year, much of our focus as a section was on trying to understand how Section 4 can be the best possible professional home to our members. As the year has unfolded, we hold to that goal, as well as make it explicit that to be the best professional home, we must take actions to fight anti-Black racism, xenophbia, anti-immigrant discrimination, and all the arms of systemic oppression to truly support queer and trans psychologists. In line with these goals, we have two invitations. 

First, we want to collect information from our membership (and people who are interested in joining the section) about what kinds of resources and programming would be valuable for queer and trans people in psychology across career stages. To serve this purpose, we are holding an online social on Tuesday, August 6th from 4-5pm EST at the upcoming 2020 APA convention. Before, during, and after this event, we hope to collect data about what folks are looking for from their participation in Section 4, and to build some resources to meet those needs. Please be on the lookout for an email on the listserv that will contain links to surveys for folks to complete about their professional needs and wants. We will circulate this survey during our APA social and you can access it through this link as well: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/APA35Section4

Second, the section Executive Committee (EC) has begun discussions about ways in which we can concretely support justice work as a section, and in particular the fight for Black queer and trans lives. I welcome any and all feedback and suggestions for ideas on how to pursue this as a collective. If anyone is interested in joining one of our EC meetings to join this discussion live, please be in touch and I can forward that information. To give feedback and suggestions by other means, please reach out to me at cflander@mtholyoke. edu. 

In addition to these invitations, I encourage anyone to reach out to me with any requests, feedback, or questions you might have about the section. We will add this to our APA data to direct our future development. I cannot wait to hear more about how the section can serve emerging and established queer and trans psychologists, and how we can work together to foster a supportive and powerful professional home. I look forward to hearing from you, and I’m best contacted via email: cflander@mtholyoke.edu. 

Corey

 

EDITOR’S NOTE

As I write this column, I reflect on how much our lives have changed since the last publication of PERSPECTIVES. Chances are most of us, if not all, have been home quite a lot these days. We learned to teach live classes remotely and to improvise to the drop of a hat, got a crash course on telehealth and now sort of like it, realized deliveries of groceries and homemade cooking can be the way of the future, and figured out, begrudgingly I must say, there are numerous (previously unrecognized) ways to be social yet physically distant from most humans we interact with on a daily basis. I enjoy spending time at home, have fulfilling work I can do remotely, and have multiple hobbies and a partner who keeps me entertained; so I haven’t felt truly lonely in these times of social distancing. Yet, I still miss the warmth and belonging I feel when I am with friends, family, and colleagues. Instinctively, human beings know there is safety in numbers, so it is no wonder, as an immigrant and queer person, that I rely so much on my communities for support to help me keep functioning well and thriving in the midst of these stressful times. I imagine many LGBTQ people are feeling the same these days, and the need for us to reach out to offer support to one another has never been greater. I am grateful for the technologies that afford us the opportunities to do just that—keep in touch, lend a hand, and remind queer folk that it gets better. 

As a home for LGBTQ members of Division 35 and allies, Section 4 wants you to know we are still here, continuing the work we started, and we would love to see you at convention this week. Isn’t it great that we can still meet virtually? We invite you to join us at convention to talk about what’s happening with our LGBTQ communities nationwide, and discuss how psychologists can help bring understanding of new human/social phenomena to create solutions for the real problems of our lives. We start this issue of PERSPECTIVES with a message to you from our president, Corey Flanders, and information about the convention (pages 3 through 6). Next we feature five articles about a range of LGBTQ related topics (pages 7 to 18), a book review (pages 18 and 19), a column about the Section’s 2019 symposium on emerging areas of research in LGBTQ psychology (page 20), a column about the Section’s 2019 award recipients (pages 21 and 22), and information about awards and grants we know are of interest to our members (page 23). If I don’t see you at convention, stay safe and keep in touch. Perhaps you would like to write something for publication in our next issue of PERSPECTIVES? We would love to hear what’s on your mind these days. 

Cristina

SUMMER 2019: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

Greetings! This summer has been one of transition for Section 4, as many of you know we recently welcomed new officers and executive board members. I am honored to be taking over the role of President, and am very appreciative of the work that our Past-President Elliot Tebbe has contributed over the past couple of years. I’m also very excited to be welcoming back our Secretary, Janna Dickenson, and our new Treasurer, Emma Fredrick. We are lucky to have Alexandra Agiliga continuing as our Awards Chair, as well as Cristina Magalhães continuing in the role of the Newsletter Editor. Last but not least, I would like to thank our past Graduate Student Committee Chair, Emmie Matsuno, for their wonderful work in developing events and opportunities for graduate students and more, and welcome our new chair, Monica Ghabrial. 

Our section has been hard at work since the past issue. Over the last several months, we have continued to work towards the recognition and inclusion of gender diversity within the broader Division, and within psychology. This work has taken place within Division-wide meetings, past APA conversation hours, and is a focus of our symposium at APA this year. I look forward to continuing this work with our Section’s leadership and membership during my term. We are also excited about the other work and events that will be taking place at APA this summer, highlighted elsewhere in the current issue.

We hope to see you at many of them, including our Section’s business meeting and social hour, at which all are welcome. We also hope many graduate students will consider attending our graduate student social hour, facilitated by our graduate student committee. Come meet other section members and enjoy some food!

EDITOR'S NOTE

I admit history was not my favorite subject in school when I was a kid. I don’t know why exactly, but it could be because, as I recall, history was taught to me as a series of seemingly unrelated events I just had to memorize for a test. I eventually learned to appreciate history, but this was only when I understood that the events that mark our past are more than historical facts; they are dynamic forces that shape the direction of our future. It is with appreciation for history that Section 4 dedicates this issue’s cover to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots of 1969, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ rights movement. According to historians, the riots did not start the movement but helped galvanize LGBTQ activism by giving visibility to the cause and inspiring more folks to speak up and make a difference. Well, Section 4 wants to make a difference too, and invites you to join us in promoting awareness among psychologists of issues that impact the wellbeing of LGBTQ people and LGBTQ communities. We are always looking for volunteers to help with Section initiatives, and there is always room for you to contribute to PERSPECTIVES, so let us know if you want to be involved.

This year also marks the 5th anniversary of PERSPECTIVES, and we are proud of our accomplishments. We were a small enterprise when we started in 2014, with a handful of contributors who worked hard to produce a 4-page inaugural issue. To give you a sense for how much we’ve grown, the current issue is way longer, with 30 pages, and packed with contributions from over two dozen members and affiliates. We start this issue with a message from our current President, Corey Flanders, and updates from the Past-Chair and current Chair of the Graduate Student Committee, Emmie Matsumo and Monica Ghabrial (pages 3 to 5). Next we feature six articles about a range of LGBTQ related topics (pages 6 to 17), an invited column (pages 18 to 21), and a book review (pages 22 and 23). Also included is a guide to the upcoming APA convention, with recommendations for places to eat and visit in Chicago, as well as a compilation of LGBTQ-related programming sponsored by several divisions to help you plan your convention schedule (pages 24 through 29). Two things I learned from history is that enduring changes don’t happen overnight, and that we must plant today what we want to harvest tomorrow. Thinking about the civil rights movements of today, we’ve accomplished so much; yet, in the big scheme of things, there’s so much to do. I am glad we got started! 

Cristina

SUMMER 2018: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

Summer is here! And while the advent of slow, hot, humid days may typically elicit a sense of rest and relaxation – a much-needed break from the hectic tireless push of the academic year – the events of the last few months have necessitated our push to keep moving forward and to keep calling for compassion, equality, equity, and human dignity, even when it feels as though those calls are going unheeded. I imagine many of us feel exhausted and depleted. Angry, scared, and sad. I believe it is important that we recognize the feelings that come up for us when we hear about families fleeing sometimes impossible, violent, and desperate situations, only to be met at the border by officials who take children away from parents and then turn back around. When we hear about trans individuals who have chosen to serve their country in the military, only to be rejected, derogated, and find their jobs and careers at risk on the basis of their gender identity. When we hear about new legislation that robs trans people of their dignity and places them at risk for further harassment, abuse, and discrimination; and the state forcefully enlisting the help of friends, teachers, and even mental health professionals in its pursuit of further marginalizing a marginalized population. These are just a handful of the events that have occurred in the last few months. It may feel like too much to follow, much less fight – but fight we will, because that is our mandate as psychologists, as social justice advocates, and as human beings. We can start small, and we can start focused, but my hope is that the momentum will continue to build and as a community we can join voices and efforts to keep pushing forward. So, with that in mind, we have chosen to focus on one fight in this newsletter this summer: the ban of trans individuals from the military. We focus on this particular issue because we believe this ban has historical significance and is representative of a host of broader attitudes and barriers trans individuals face across many contexts.

In my last column, I discussed some of the upcoming activities our Section would be focusing on in the coming months, including updating our bylaws and continuing to discuss a change to the name of our Section. We have made excellent progress in these efforts and will be contacting Section members in the weeks after the annual APA convention for feedback, to vote on proposed changes, and to elect officers for Section leadership positions.  For anyone interested in learning more about elected positions, we encourage you to attend the Section 4 Business Meeting on Saturday, August 11^th at 12pm in the Division 35 Hospitality Suite.

Building on last year’s progress, we once again successfully funded four awards for graduate students and professionals. These awards will be presented at the Division 35 Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, August 11^th at 3:00PM, and we invite all members (current or prospective!) to join us to celebrate with our award winners.

Finally, I also want to include some information about the exciting programming Section 4 is either leading or collaborating on at the APA Convention in just a few short weeks:

Friday, August 10^th from 11:00-11:50 AM: Emerging Areas of Science, Practice, and Education with LGBTQ Women. This exciting symposium will feature three presentations that advance important areas of research with LGBTQ women and discussion by Margaret Robinson. This symposium will be held in the Convention Center, Room 159 (Upper Mezzanine, South Building).

Friday, August 10^th from 4:00-4:50 PM: Striving for Justice to Address Gender-Based Violence: Sex Crimes and Trafficking. This conversation hour, a collaboration across all Division 35 sections, will provide space for attendees to discuss important topics related to intersectionality through a framework of struggle and resilience. This conversation hour will be held in the Convention Center, Room 2009 (Level 2 West Building).

Saturday, August 11^th from 12:00-12:50 PM: Division 35 Section 4 Business Meeting & Social Hour. We invite everyone to our Section 4 Business Meeting where we will provide some updates about our progress over the last year, invite discussion from attendees regarding ongoing Section 4 efforts, and provide an opportunity for networking and mentorship among section members.

For those of you who are attending APA in August, I would love to meet and talk with you! Outside of Section 4 programming, if you would like to reach out to find out more about the Section, discuss any initiatives you would like Section 4 to tackle, or just to connect, I invite you to reach out directly to me via email: tebbe@unl.edu 

EDITOR'S NOTE

The past several months have been challenging for people and communities we care about. From government policies that threaten to revert back hard earned advances in civil rights for LGBTQ people, to those that cause unjustifiable suffering and trauma to immigrant children and families, and to all others that take us in the opposite direction of all that is kind and civil to fellow human beings, we’ve experienced way too many threats to the safety and wellbeing of our communities in recent times. When Section 4’s executive committee met in March, we had just received news that a White House memo was released announcing policy that aims to ban, with few exceptions, transgender people from serving in the military. The committee decided then to dedicate the next issue of PERSPECTIVES to honoring all trans people who have devoted their lives to protecting our nation and who continue to do so despite being under threat of losing their right to choose a career in the military. The cover for this issue of PERSPECTIVES does just that. It features artwork by Kate Sypek, commissioned for this special issue, celebrating trans people who proudly wear the uniform (page 1). 

In this issue you will also find a message from our Section President, Elliot Tebbe, and updates from our Graduate Student Committee Chair, Emmie Matsumo (pages 3 and 4); thought provoking articles written by Nicole Ortiz, Kimberly Alston-Stepnitz, Harriet Stares, Emmie Matsuno, and Grace Hazeltine (pages 5 through 15); a publication announcement by Chinchu C. (page 15); and a guide to the upcoming APA convention, with recommendations for places to eat and visit in San Francisco, as well as a compilation of LGBTQ-related programming sponsored by several divisions to help you plan your convention schedule (pages 16 through 20). LGBTQ research is arduous work and not always valued or supported by psychology departments and other host organizations. For many of us, the LGBTQ research we do is truly a labor of love and every bit of support is welcomed. To help you find assistance and get recognition for the amazing research you do, the graduate student committee put together a new column, listing awards and small grant opportunities for graduate students and early career psychologists doing research in gender diversity, human sexuality, and LGBTQ related topics (page 21). We hope you will find this list—and everything else we packed into this issue of PERSPECTIVES—very inspiring and useful to your work. 

Cristina Magalhaes, PhD

WINTER 2018: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

In my last column, I described the hard work of Section IV officers to continue to address Section IV goals and to update our infrastructure to grow and support our members. Here are some updates on our progress.

In the next few months, we will be asking members to vote on necessary revisions to our bylaws and to provide feedback on possible changes to our section name, as described in the previous newsletter. To facilitate this process, we have established a Section IV listserv, and we want to extend an invitation to all Section IV members to join. This listserv will be used to disseminate announcements and foster discussion among Section IV members on topics that may be of personal and professional interest. If you have not yet done so but are interested in joining the listserv, please email me at tebbe@unl.edu. 

In addition to our (slow but steady!) progress on addressing updates to our Section IV infrastructure, we have also continued Section IV efforts to leading or collaborating with others to produce exciting programming at the annual APA Convention. In August 2017, we held two social events, facilitated our annual symposium, and held a conversation hour on transgender inclusion in feminist spaces at the APA convention. We also disseminated our Section IV awards at the Division 35 Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all awardees! You will learn more about awards and section activities on pages 12 through 14 of this issue of PERSPECTIVES. 

To end, as 2017 draws to a close and we welcome in the start of 2018 with all of its uncertainties, hopes, and fears, it is critical that we keep at the forefront our commitment to advocacy and social justice to address concerns stemming from entrenched patriarchy, colonialism, and widespread disempowerment of diverse individuals and communities. Therefore, in the coming months, it is my hope that we will engage in direct dialogue with each other to consider what steps we as a Section and as a professional community can take to continue our social justice engagement in these critical concerns. Elliot Tebbe, PhD (tebbe@unl.edu).

EDITOR'S NOTE

It’s January 6th, and there is a cold breeze in the air, coming through the window this evening. For someone like me, who lived most of my life in warmer climates, the mild winters of Los Angeles are just enough to make me feel energized and renewed by the change of seasons. I spent the day taking down holiday decorations, tying up loose ends, and clearing my desk (and mind) for new beginnings. Now, as I sit to write this column, I am comforted by the thought that no matter how much is left undone at the end of the year, we can always pick things up from where they were left off, and keep moving them forward. Fully aware that LGBTQ communities faced multiple challenges and set backs in 2017—both in the United States and abroad—I remain hopeful for better days, when greater and bolder progress in LGBTQ rights can be witnessed all over the world.   

I have reason to be hopeful. I know Section IV, and other professional and community-based organizations, are tireless, and have been doing great work in support of LGBTQ communities around the globe. I also know in 2018 they will continue to educate the general public and policy makers about multiple issues that need to be addressed to improve the lives of LGBTQ people and their families. The current issue of PERSPECTIVES provides many illustrations of this commitment. You will find a message from Section IV president, Elliot Tebbe, with progress updates toward Section goals and strategic vision (page 1); and will also hear from our past-president, Jennifer Vencill, and Graduate Student Committee Chair, Emmie Matsuno, regarding Section IV activities at convention (pages 3 and 4). In case you missed the opportunity to hear them speak last year, pages 5 through 11 feature the cutting edge work of our 2017 symposium presenters; and pages 12 though 14 highlight the accomplishments of our well-deserving 2017 award recipients. This issue of PERSPECTIVES also includes articles by contributing members, information about the upcoming AWP conference in Philadelphia, and other important announcements. As you take all this information in, I am sure you will feel hopeful too.  

Cristina Magalhaes, PhD

SUMMER 2017: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

In my last column, I discussed the hard work of our Section IV officers in continuing to establish the infrastructure necessary to help our section grow and support its members. Here are some updates on our progress.

Our section leadership has been discussing the possibility of a change in our section name, and we will be soliciting feedback from section members in the next few weeks to come (see column on page 17). Aiding this process, we will also be establishing a Section IV discussion listserv, where we will invite section members to share information and use this listserv to foster discussions on topics that may be of interest to Section IV members. Finally, early this fall, we will be looking to conclude our bylaws revisions and will be asking section members to vote on these revisions. Keep an eye out for these important items in the weeks to come!

Building on last year’s progress, we once again successfully funded and awarded four awards for graduate students and early career professionals. These awards will be presented at the Section IV Business Meeting on Thursday, August 3^rd at 12:00PM, and we invite all members (current or prospective!) to join us to celebrate with our award winners. We will also be presenting the Section IV Laura Brown Award at the Division 35 Business Meeting on Saturday, August 5^th at 4:00PM, so I encourage you all to attend that as well in order to hear more updates from Division 35 and celebrate with other Division 35 awardees.

Finally, I also wanted to include some information about the exciting programming Section IV is either leading or collaborating on at the APA Convention in just a few short weeks:

Thursday, August 3^rd from 12:00-12:50 PM: Division 35 Section IV Business Meeting, Awards Ceremony, & Social Hour. We invite everyone to our Section IV Business Meeting where we will provide some updates about our progress over the last year, invite discussion from attendees regarding ongoing Section IV efforts, and provide an opportunity for networking and mentorship among section members.

Thursday, August 3^rd from 1:00-1:50 PM: Transgender Inclusion in Feminist Spaces. This conversation hour will provide space to discuss the inclusion of trans people and concerns in feminist spaces.

Thursday, August 3^rd from 2:00-2:50 PM: Emerging Areas of Science, Practice, and Education with LGBTQ Women. This exciting symposium will feature three presentations that advance important areas of research with LGBTQ women and discussion by Ruth Fassinger.

Saturday, August 5^th from 9:00-9:50 AM: Living at the Intersection of Marginalization: A reexamination of the struggles and resilience. This conversation hour, a collaboration across all Division 35 sections, will provide space for attendees to discuss important topics related to intersectionality through a framework of struggle and resilience.

Saturday, August 5^th from 12:00-1:00 PM: Section IV Graduate Student Social Hour. This social hour particularly welcomes graduate students who might are already members of Section IV or who might be interested in learning more about our Section. Free appetizers will be provided (while supplies last!).

We also invite all section members to attend the Division 35 Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony (and Social Hour to follow) on Saturday, August 5^th from 4:00-4:50 PM. Information about these and other LGBTQ programming sponsored by Divisions 35 and 44 are listed on pages 14-16 for your convenience.

For those of you who are attending APA in August, I would love to meet and talk with you! Outside of Section IV programming, if you would like to reach out to find out more about the Section, discuss any initiatives you would like Section IV to tackle, or just to connect, I invite you to reach out directly to me via email: tebbe@unl.edu.

WINTER 2017: FROM THE SECTION PRESIDENT

I remember the day the Supreme Court ruling for Obergefell vs. Hodges came down; I was excited, happy, euphoric, and hopeful. I celebrated that night with my partner and friends and though I knew there were many more battles to be fought, I felt like we had reached a tipping point in LGBT rights in this country, and I hoped that momentum was on our side.

Now, a year and a half later from that day in June, 2015, I am sobered by the events of 2016 and 2017 to date. Our country, touted as the most generous country in the world, has summarily dismissed compassion in favor of fear, facts and truth in favor of a self-serving agenda. As has happened too many times in the short history of our country, we are once more being pitted against each other; we are told that affording rights and resources to those different from ourselves will come at a major cost to self and family. This is the great lie of today, just as it has been the great lie throughout history.

It is against this backdrop that I begin my role as President of Section IV. I am humbled and honored to assume the responsibility of leadership in a time such as this. We have much work to do, and thanks to Section IV leadership over the last several years, we have established the groundwork and infrastructure necessary to continue to grow and to advance feminist approaches to sexual and gender minority concerns. This summer at APA in Washington, D.C., we are excited to present and host a number of exciting programs and events (stay tuned for more details!). And in the months to come, we will continue to work to advance the mission of our section and to embrace compassion and honesty as the cornerstones of our feminist advocacy on sexual orientation and gender diversity.  
Elliot Tebbe, PhD

EDITOR’S NOTE 

So much has changed since the 2016 Summer issue of PERSPECTIVES regarding our sociopolitical landscape! After so many years of progressive leadership at the federal level, many of us did not expect to see a new resurgence of anti-LGBTQ and other discriminatory attitudes, laws, and policies that are having such direct and profound impact in our local communities. The new wave of social conservativism in contemporary US culture took some of us by surprise; but by now we are all fully aware that we must press on, and continue to speak loud and clear on behalf of our communities. Psychologists understand the impact of minority stress on people’s lives, and can shed light onto issues that cloud the general public’s opinions about the civil rights of sexual orientation, gender, racial, ethnic, and other minorities. In this time of uncertainty, one thing I know for sure is that we need you more than ever to help us advance Section IV’s mission, and there is no better time than now for you to contribute. Let us know if you want to be involved. 

In this issue of PERSPECTIVES, we say ‘thank you’ to Stephanie Langston for her dedicated service as section treasurer; to Mary Guerrant for doing such an amazing job representing student members in the executive committee; and to Julie Konik for her inspiring vision and steady leadership as section president and past-president over the last several years. Julie, Mary, and Stephanie recently left their executive committee seats to continue the work elsewhere; and four new leaders joined the team: Elliot Tebbe (president), Corey Flanders (treasurer), Alex Agiliga (awards committee chair), and Emmie Matsuno (graduate student committee chair). Jennifer Vencill rotated out of the president role but will remain active in the exec committee as past-president. I couldn't be happier! We have a strong leadership team, and with your help will do great things in 2017.    

Cristina Magalhaes, PhD