Date: Sun, 30 Apr 95 19:23:42 From: Graham Knight Subject: Protesters storm anti-gay psychiatrist's lecture PROTESTERS STORM ANTI-GAY PSYCHIATRIST'S LECTURE London, 29 Apr 95 - Lesbian and gay protesters today invaded a prestigious London school of psychotherapy, distrupting a speech by controversial U.S psychiastrist charles Socarides. The protestors stormed the podium at Regents Park College, covering Socarides with luminous pink sticky foam and blowing whistles and fog horns. Demonstrators chanted, "We're not sick we don't need healing" and accused Socarides of leading a political war against lesbian and gay rights. They surrounded Socarides with placards reading "Cure Homophobic Psychotherapists" and "Mind-F**cker". While 20 demonstrators chanted and blew foghorns, Socarides, covered in pink foam, was led away by security guards. Demonstrators occupied the room for about 10 minutes before being removed from the building by police officers. Some 40 officers were present but no arrests were made. New York Psychoanalyst Charles Socarides is the leading exponent of attempts to "cure" homosexual patients by effecting a change to heterosexuality. He was the top medical expert presenting arguments against allowing gays in the U.S. military. Dykes and Fags Gone Mad spokesperson Fernando Guasch told the audience of psychotherapists that Socarides' lecture could not be seen merely as an academic exchange of ideas. "For 35 years this man has fought against equal rights for lesbians and gay men. He has damaged untold numbers of people." Guasch said: "This man's work is part of a political war against the gay community". He said: "For this man to be invited to speak by prestigious British psychotherapeutic institutions is an insult to lesbian and gay people". Organisers tried to reconvene the lecture behind closed doors. The audience of therapists refused, arguing they would not participate in a clandestine event. Eyewitnesses said Socarides then attempted to speak but was laughed off the stage by the therapists. Demonstrators confronted Socarides earlier in the day as he was lunching with college officials in the refectory. One protestor yelled at him: "We pay taxes too! How dare you come here and peddle your hatred to the NHS." The protester held a placard above Socarides' head reading "We're not sick we don't need healing" while others sprayed him with pink foam and chanted slogans. Socarides was escorted away, trailing luminous pink foam streamers, by security guards. The guards barricaded the refectory door behind him. Socarides has suggested the setting up in the U.S. of a "national centre for sexual rehabilitation" where homosexuals could be sent to be "cured". He is currently embroiled in legal action against U.S. psychotherapists. His visist outraged lesbian and gay campaigners and caused widespread dissent within the profession. Socarides had originally been invited to give the prestigious annual lecture of the Association for Psycho-analytic Psychotherapy in the NHS (APP), the national interest group for NHS consultant psycho-analysts. The event was cancelled after protests from therapists. Leading psychotherapists have condemned Socarides' visist and 100 senior professionals have signed a letter of protest addressed to Health Secratary Virginia Bottomley. A spokesperson for Dykes and Fags gone Mad said after the event: "Today's action has been a complete success. Nobody can now pretend not to know the level of anger and distress his appearances at prestigious institues is causing." Campaigners will continue to push for a public debate on anti-gay bias within the NHS mental health sevices. "We want a commitment from the APP that they will start working now to remove anti-gay discrimination within the psycho-analytic profession". Socarides, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, has for 30 years campaigned against greater acceptance for homosexuals. He defends anti-gay prejudice on the grounds that full acceptance of homosexuality is "tempting social and personal disaster". Ironically, his son Richard is openly gay and a senior member of President Clinton's White House staff. Socarides is due to give a series of lectures during his visit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | "The world holds two classes of men - intelligent men without religion | | and religious men without intelligence" - Abu'l-Ala-Al-Ma'arri (973-1057) | | **Graham Knight EMail graham@sodom.demon.co.uk** | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ****************************************************************************** To send a message to the entire list "queerplanet", email queerplanet@abacus.oxy.edu To contact the List Manager, email queerplanet-owner@abacus.oxy.edu *******************************************************************************