Requesting CAMFT Apologize & Support Marriage Equality
- par: California Therapists for Marriage Equality
- destinataire: California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
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Dear CAMFT Board,
The articles in the "Supporting Traditional Marriage" section in the recent issue of the Therapist magazine have no place in this magazine. They are a disgrace to our profession and a violation of CAMFT's own ethical principles. They are blatantly discriminatory in that they argue the categorical inferiority and pathology of same-sex relationships and parenting. The supposedly research-based arguments have been debunked many times over by legitimate scholars and practitioners in our own field and elsewhere, as The American Psychological Association (2004), the American Psychiatric Association (2002), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1999), the National Association of Social Workers (2005), and American Academy of Pediatrics, all explicitly put forth.
While learning about homophobia may be valuable for MFTs, the format of the magazine presents the articles as legitimate professional perspectives. The magazine's parallel sections for and against support for same-sex couples, with no analysis of the discriminatory material, portray the viewpoints as equally valid and professionally researched. This is far from accurate and thus misleading to the readership and damaging to LGBTQ people. It also draws into question the judgment and professionalism of CAMFT as an organization.
CAMFT has violated its own ethical principle: "CAMFT, as an organization, is opposed to discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic, or marital status." This section of our magazine clearly discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. We belong to this organization because we believe in the non-discrimination principle and apply it to our own work. You owe us an apology for your failure to practice by the standards to which CAMFT and its members have committed.
We are deeply concerned that CAMFT is modeling a shocking lack of ethical integrity to MFT students and interns in the publication of these articles. What is the message being sent to students and interns coming into the MFT profession by CAMFT's public showcasing of homophobic views, deceptive scholarship, distortion of the core issues and lack of critical thinking?
We, as therapists, supervisors, and educators in the mental health profession, make the following demands:
1.) CAMFT immediately take responsibility for making a mistake that is damaging to a vast number of its members and/or their clients, remove the "Supporting Traditional Marriage" articles from your website and post on your website a prominent apology for publishing these articles.
2.) CAMFT apologize for publishing these articles in a prominent statement in the next issue of the Therapist magazine.
3.) CAMFT promptly schedule an LGBTQ sensitivity training for all members of the CAMFT Board and management and collaborate with LGBTQ therapists and groups on how to rectify CAMFT's recent actions.
4.) CAMFT approve a statement supporting marriage equality at its next Board meeting, in addition to working toward other ways of making a public stance for marriage equality.
5.) CAMFT create and maintain an LGBTQ Task Force of LGBTQ people and their allies, establish ongoing LGBTQ representation on its Board, and provide LGBTQ training opportunities at each CAMFT conference.
6.) CAMFT publish an issue of the "Therapist" magazine this year (2009) addressing aspects of homophobia and its impact on our clients and increasing cultural competence in the arena of treating LGBTQ clients, and this issue be edited by the LGBTQ Task Force.
We request a response via the CAMFT listserve on the progress on these items.
Dear CAMFT Board,
The articles in the "Supporting Traditional Marriage" section in the recent issue of the Therapist magazine have no place in this magazine. They are a disgrace to our profession and a violation of CAMFT's own ethical principles. They are blatantly discriminatory in that they argue the categorical inferiority and pathology of same-sex relationships and parenting. The supposedly research-based arguments have been debunked many times over by legitimate scholars and practitioners in our own field and elsewhere, as The American Psychological Association (2004), the American Psychiatric Association (2002), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1999), the National Association of Social Workers (2005), and American Academy of Pediatrics, all explicitly put forth.
While learning about homophobia may be valuable for MFTs, the format of the magazine presents the articles as legitimate professional perspectives. The magazine's parallel sections for and against support for same-sex couples, with no analysis of the discriminatory material, portray the viewpoints as equally valid and professionally researched. This is far from accurate and thus misleading to the readership and damaging to LGBTQ people. It also draws into question the judgment and professionalism of CAMFT as an organization.
CAMFT has violated its own ethical principle: "CAMFT, as an organization, is opposed to discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic, or marital status." This section of our magazine clearly discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. We belong to this organization because we believe in the non-discrimination principle and apply it to our own work. You owe us an apology for your failure to practice by the standards to which CAMFT and its members have committed.
We are deeply concerned that CAMFT is modeling a shocking lack of ethical integrity to MFT students and interns in the publication of these articles. What is the message being sent to students and interns coming into the MFT profession by CAMFT's public showcasing of homophobic views, deceptive scholarship, distortion of the core issues and lack of critical thinking?
We, as therapists, supervisors, and educators in the mental health profession, make the following demands:
1.) CAMFT immediately take responsibility for making a mistake that is damaging to a vast number of its members and/or their clients, remove the "Supporting Traditional Marriage" articles from your website and post on your website a prominent apology for publishing these articles.
2.) CAMFT apologize for publishing these articles in a prominent statement in the next issue of the Therapist magazine.
3.) CAMFT promptly schedule an LGBTQ sensitivity training for all members of the CAMFT Board and management and collaborate with LGBTQ therapists and groups on how to rectify CAMFT's recent actions.
4.) CAMFT approve a statement supporting marriage equality at its next Board meeting, in addition to working toward other ways of making a public stance for marriage equality.
5.) CAMFT create and maintain an LGBTQ Task Force of LGBTQ people and their allies, establish ongoing LGBTQ representation on its Board, and provide LGBTQ training opportunities at each CAMFT conference.
6.) CAMFT publish an issue of the "Therapist" magazine this year (2009) addressing aspects of homophobia and its impact on our clients and increasing cultural competence in the arena of treating LGBTQ clients, and this issue be edited by the LGBTQ Task Force.
We request a response via the CAMFT listserve on the progress on these items.
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