Russian Doctor Tries to Revive Debunked Trans 'Disorder' Diagnosis
A Russian psychiatrist presented a paper at a major congress trying to revive the debunked idea that being transgender is a mental disorder. Health experts and LGBTQ+ advocates strongly condemn the move as harmful and scientifically wrong.
A doctor in Russia wants to bring back a harmful medical label. She calls it 'transgender spectrum disorder'. This label wrongly says that being transgender is a mental illness.
The doctor's name is Olga Bukhanovskaya. She works as the chief physician at the Phoenix rehabilitation and treatment research centre. She presented her paper at a major medical event. The event was the 18th Congress of Psychiatrists in Russia.
This is a very concerning development. The world's leading health organisations have already rejected this idea. The World Health Organization (WHO) removed being transgender from its list of mental disorders. This happened in 2019. That was a major step forward for transgender rights and dignity.
Experts and LGBTQ+ advocates are alarmed. They say this kind of diagnosis causes real harm. It can be used to justify so-called 'conversion therapy'. That is a practice widely condemned by medical experts. It tries to change a person's gender identity. It does not work and causes serious psychological damage.
Russia already has a very difficult environment for LGBTQ+ people. The country passed laws restricting LGBTQ+ rights in recent years. In 2023, Russia's Supreme Court declared the 'international LGBT movement' extremist. This made life even harder for queer people in the country.
Reviving this diagnosis could have dangerous consequences. It could give authorities a tool to force transgender people into psychiatric treatment. It could also be used to deny trans people their legal rights.
Medical and psychiatric communities outside Russia strongly disagree with Bukhanovskaya's claims. Being transgender is not a disorder. It is a normal part of human diversity. This is the clear and consistent position of mainstream medicine worldwide.
LGBTQ+ organisations are calling for the international psychiatric community to respond. They want clear public statements against this attempt. They also urge medical bodies to protect transgender people from harmful pseudoscience.
This story is a reminder that LGBTQ+ rights are still under serious threat. Even in medical spaces, misinformation can spread. It is important to challenge it clearly and quickly.