Dutch study shows Gay depressed even in an open and tolerant community
Image via Wikipedia FOR A LARGE part of the past century, homosexuality itself was seen as a mental disorder . In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders . This removal came about because of support from research findings 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and as a result of a persistent plea by both professionals and activists. 5 In response to the former psychiatric stigmatization of homosexuality and ideologically inspired by a social movement aiming to achieve greater acceptance of homosexual people, some authors subsequently stressed the equality in mental health status of homosexual and heterosexual people. 6 , 7 Others suggested that the mental health status of homosexual people might be impaired owing to various stresses, either temporary or in specific subgroups. 8 Some authors expected an upsurge in suicidal behaviors, especially in adolescence and young adulthood, as a consequence of the stresses expe