Kenneth Zucker
Encyclopedia
Kenneth J. Zucker is a Jewish American-Canadian
psychologist
and sexologist, and head of the child and adolescent gender identity clinic at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
. Based on his collaboration with Susan Bradley
, Zucker is considered an international authority in the field of gender identity disorder in children
(GIDC) and in adolescents. His clinic has probably diagnosed more GIDC than any other facility in the world.
Zucker is also a Professor with the Departments of Psychiatry
and Psychology
at the University of Toronto
. He was named editor-in-chief of Archives of Sexual Behavior
in 2001. In 2007 Zucker was chosen to be a member of the American Psychological Association
Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions, and in 2008 was named chair of the American Psychiatric Association
workgroup on "Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders" for the 2012 edition of the DSM-5
. He previously served on workgroups for the DSM-IV and the DSM-IV-TR.
from Southern Illinois University
, his M.A.
from Roosevelt University
, and his Ph.D.
from University of Toronto
in 1982. He holds a C. Psych.
certification.
Zucker's graduate work in developmental psychology
resulted in his master's thesis on normative
gender identity
development in children. While in graduate school, Zucker met his future collaborator Susan J. Bradley, a child psychiatrist
on staff at the Child and Adolescent Service (now the Child and Family Studies Centre) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(then, the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry), a public mental health centre and a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
.
According to his biography, "Zucker's awe of the imposing Clarke Institute edifice inspired him to meet with the then chief of psychology, Dr. Kingsley Ferguson", who told Zucker of Bradley's new working group to assess children and adolescents with gender identity
problems. Zucker had read Richard Green
's 1974 book Sexual Identity Conflict in Children and Adults and was convinced to join Bradley's group.
Zucker is at odds with gay and transsexual groups, but distances himself from organizations that share this distinction. Zucker believes that failing to control a child's gender expression at a young age and seek early counseling for transgendered behavior is neglectful. He claims some parents have been swayed by an activist transsexual agenda to "cement...in more and more" behaviors that may not result from transsexualism. Instead Zucker advises such children work through their hatred of their bodies before being accepted as transsexuals. His work shows an 80-90% success rate in swaying children from later transsgender identification.
Following in the footsteps of Dr. John Money
, Zucker supports the early intervention of children with ambiguous genitalia to be assigned and reared as female, or more generally as "the gender that carries the best prognosis for good reproductive function, good sexual function, normal-looking external genitalia and physical appearance, and a stable gender identity." He published results of two patients, one of Money's and one of his own. Male by birth, both suffered ablatio penis and were shortly thereafter reassigned as females. At age 26 both denied ever feeling the desire to be male. Both patients reported more masculine behaviors and bisexuality, about which Zucker suspects that gender role and sexual orientation develop mostly before birth while gender identity development begins shortly after birth.
Zucker says parents set the goals at his clinic. "We recommend that one goal be to help the child feel more secure about his or her actual gender, another to deal with the child's emotional difficulties, and a third to help with problems in the family. It's helpful to have parents set limits on things like cross-dressing, which many parents have not done before coming to us." Zucker's follow-up of 50 treated children found that "about 10 percent are still very unhappy about their gender, still cross-dressing, and thinking about having sex reassignment surgery" as young adults. Zucker has stated that "the therapist must rely on the 'clinical wisdom' that has accumulated and to utilize largely untested case formulation conceptual models to inform treatment approaches and decisions."
Zucker coauthored a statistical report with J. Michael Bailey
that found gays and lesbians exhibited more cross-gender activity as children. Bailey claims Zucker considers transsexualism
a "bad outcome" for these children, specifically citing the risks and hassle of sex change operations.
For adolescent clients expressing gender identity disorder, Zucker's treatment protocol resembles that for adult GID, consisting of hormone replacement therapy
to aid the adolescent in a social transition. Since sex reassignment surgery
is not generally performed on minors in North America, Zucker's clinic does not provide recommendations for it – instead, clients are encouraged to pursue reassignment through the adult Gender Identity Clinic at CAMH, which controls funding for the procedure in Ontario
.
." Zucker dismisses Burke's book as "simplistic" and "not particularly illuminating;" journalist Stephanie Wilkinson said Zucker characterized Burke's book as "the work of a journalist whose views shouldn't be put into the same camp as those of scientists like Richard Green or himself."
LGBT activists protested Zucker's 2008 appointment to the DSM-5
working group. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
issued a statement questioning the APA's decision to appoint Zucker and a second member of the work panel, Ray Blanchard
, who argues that certain manifestations of transgender behavior should be classified as a paraphilia
or transvestic fetishism
, terms to which transgender advocates object. According to a response released by American Psychiatric Association, Zucker does not advocate reparative therapy for transgender adults or for trans youth in all cases, and he opposes change therapy for gays under all circumstances.
, Zucker has published almost 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals. These articles have been cited over 2000 times, with an h-index
of 20.
Canadians of American origin
American-Canadians are people of Canadian citizenship who were born in the United States of America. They account for a significant portion of Canada's population. Canada and the United States share much culturally but are separate geopolitical entities in North America.According to the Canada 2006...
psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
and sexologist, and head of the child and adolescent gender identity clinic at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
. Based on his collaboration with Susan Bradley
Susan Bradley
Susan Jane Bradley is a Canadian psychiatrist best known for her work on gender identity disorder in children. She has written many journal articles and books, including Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents and Affect Regulation and the Development of...
, Zucker is considered an international authority in the field of gender identity disorder in children
Gender identity disorder in children
Gender identity disorder in children is the formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe children who experience significant gender dysphoria ....
(GIDC) and in adolescents. His clinic has probably diagnosed more GIDC than any other facility in the world.
Zucker is also a Professor with the Departments of Psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
and Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He was named editor-in-chief of Archives of Sexual Behavior
Archives of Sexual Behavior
The Archives of Sexual Behavior is a peer-reviewed academic journal in sexology. It is the official publication of the International Academy of Sex Research.- History :...
in 2001. In 2007 Zucker was chosen to be a member of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions, and in 2008 was named chair of the American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
workgroup on "Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders" for the 2012 edition of the DSM-5
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders...
. He previously served on workgroups for the DSM-IV and the DSM-IV-TR.
Career
Zucker was born in New York. Zucker received his B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
, and his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1982. He holds a C. Psych.
College of Psychologists of Ontario
The College of Psychologists of Ontario is the regulatory body for the profession of psychology in Ontario. It sets the standards for the provision of psychological services by Psychologists and Psychological Associates....
certification.
Zucker's graduate work in developmental psychology
Developmental psychology
Developmental psychology, also known as human development, is the scientific study of systematic psychological changes, emotional changes, and perception changes that occur in human beings over the course of their life span. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to...
resulted in his master's thesis on normative
Norm (sociology)
Social norms are the accepted behaviors within a society or group. This sociological and social psychological term has been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit...
gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
development in children. While in graduate school, Zucker met his future collaborator Susan J. Bradley, a child psychiatrist
Child and adolescent psychiatry
The branch of psychiatry that specializes in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychopathological disorders of children, adolescents, and their families, child and adolescent psychiatry encompasses the clinical investigation of phenomenology, biologic factors, psychosocial factors,...
on staff at the Child and Adolescent Service (now the Child and Family Studies Centre) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
(then, the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry), a public mental health centre and a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto is the medical school of the University of Toronto. The faculty is based in the Discovery District of Downtown Toronto along with most of its teaching hospitals and research institutes. Founded in 1843, it is one of Canada's oldest institutions of...
.
According to his biography, "Zucker's awe of the imposing Clarke Institute edifice inspired him to meet with the then chief of psychology, Dr. Kingsley Ferguson", who told Zucker of Bradley's new working group to assess children and adolescents with gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
problems. Zucker had read Richard Green
Richard Green (sexologist)
Richard Green is an American sexologist, psychiatrist, lawyer, and author specializing in homosexuality and transsexualism, specifically gender identity disorder in children. Green is the founding editor of the Archives of Sexual Behavior , and served as Editor until 2001...
's 1974 book Sexual Identity Conflict in Children and Adults and was convinced to join Bradley's group.
Therapeutic intervention for gender variance
Since the mid-1970s Zucker has treated about 500 preadolescent gender-variant children to "help these kids be more content in their biological gender" until they are older and can determine their sexual identity. For children assigned as males at birth, Zucker orders parents to take away their child's "feminine" toys and instruct the child not to play with or draw pictures of girls. Psychologist Darryl Hill describes Zucker's approach to gender-variant children:Zucker and Bradley believe that reparative treatments (encouraging the child to accept their natal sex and associated gender) can be therapeutic for several reasons. They believe that treatment can reduce social ostracism by helping gender non-conforming children mix more readily with same sex peers and prevent long-term psychopathological development (i.e., it is easier to change a child than a society intolerant of gender diversity). Reparative therapy is believed to reduce the chances of adult GID (i.e., transsexualism) which Zucker and Bradley characterize as undesirable.
Zucker is at odds with gay and transsexual groups, but distances himself from organizations that share this distinction. Zucker believes that failing to control a child's gender expression at a young age and seek early counseling for transgendered behavior is neglectful. He claims some parents have been swayed by an activist transsexual agenda to "cement...in more and more" behaviors that may not result from transsexualism. Instead Zucker advises such children work through their hatred of their bodies before being accepted as transsexuals. His work shows an 80-90% success rate in swaying children from later transsgender identification.
Following in the footsteps of Dr. John Money
John Money
John William Money was a psychologist, sexologist and author, specializing in research into sexual identity and biology of gender...
, Zucker supports the early intervention of children with ambiguous genitalia to be assigned and reared as female, or more generally as "the gender that carries the best prognosis for good reproductive function, good sexual function, normal-looking external genitalia and physical appearance, and a stable gender identity." He published results of two patients, one of Money's and one of his own. Male by birth, both suffered ablatio penis and were shortly thereafter reassigned as females. At age 26 both denied ever feeling the desire to be male. Both patients reported more masculine behaviors and bisexuality, about which Zucker suspects that gender role and sexual orientation develop mostly before birth while gender identity development begins shortly after birth.
Zucker says parents set the goals at his clinic. "We recommend that one goal be to help the child feel more secure about his or her actual gender, another to deal with the child's emotional difficulties, and a third to help with problems in the family. It's helpful to have parents set limits on things like cross-dressing, which many parents have not done before coming to us." Zucker's follow-up of 50 treated children found that "about 10 percent are still very unhappy about their gender, still cross-dressing, and thinking about having sex reassignment surgery" as young adults. Zucker has stated that "the therapist must rely on the 'clinical wisdom' that has accumulated and to utilize largely untested case formulation conceptual models to inform treatment approaches and decisions."
Zucker coauthored a statistical report with J. Michael Bailey
J. Michael Bailey
John Michael Bailey is an American psychologist and professor at Northwestern University. He is best known among scientists for his work on the etiology of sexual orientation, from which he concluded that homosexuality is substantially inherited...
that found gays and lesbians exhibited more cross-gender activity as children. Bailey claims Zucker considers transsexualism
Transsexualism
Transsexualism is an individual's identification with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their biological sex. Simply put, it defines a person whose biological birth sex conflicts with their psychological gender...
a "bad outcome" for these children, specifically citing the risks and hassle of sex change operations.
For adolescent clients expressing gender identity disorder, Zucker's treatment protocol resembles that for adult GID, consisting of hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy may refer to:*Hormone replacement therapy *Hormone replacement therapy *Hormone replacement therapy *Androgen replacement therapy -See also:...
to aid the adolescent in a social transition. Since sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
is not generally performed on minors in North America, Zucker's clinic does not provide recommendations for it – instead, clients are encouraged to pursue reassignment through the adult Gender Identity Clinic at CAMH, which controls funding for the procedure in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Criticism of work
Critics cite "'reparative' therapy that seeks to reverse sexual orientation or gender identification" as an "extreme example" of bias that may hamper effectiveness of care, an approach that "may lead to increased self hatred and mental health problems." Clinicians have called Zucker's therapeutic intervention "something disturbingly close to reparative therapy for homosexuals." Journalist Marc Lostracco described Zucker's therapy as "problematic and harsh.", and author Phyllis Burke wrote, "The diagnosis of GID in children, as supported by Zucker and Bradley, is simply child abuseChild abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
." Zucker dismisses Burke's book as "simplistic" and "not particularly illuminating;" journalist Stephanie Wilkinson said Zucker characterized Burke's book as "the work of a journalist whose views shouldn't be put into the same camp as those of scientists like Richard Green or himself."
LGBT activists protested Zucker's 2008 appointment to the DSM-5
DSM-5
The next edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , commonly called DSM-5 , is currently in consultation, planning and preparation...
working group. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country’s premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting...
issued a statement questioning the APA's decision to appoint Zucker and a second member of the work panel, Ray Blanchard
Ray Blanchard
Ray Milton Blanchard is an American-Canadian sexologist, best known for his research studies on pedophilia, gender dysphoria, and sexual orientation. He has also published research studies on phallometry and several paraphilias, including transvestism and autoerotic asphyxia.-Education and...
, who argues that certain manifestations of transgender behavior should be classified as a paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
or transvestic fetishism
Transvestic fetishism
Transvestic fetishism is having a sexual or erotic interest in cross-dressing. It differs from cross-dressing for entertainment or other purposes that do not involve sexual arousal and is categorized as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association...
, terms to which transgender advocates object. According to a response released by American Psychiatric Association, Zucker does not advocate reparative therapy for transgender adults or for trans youth in all cases, and he opposes change therapy for gays under all circumstances.
Publications
According to the Web of ScienceWeb of Science
ISI Web of Knowledge is an academic citation indexing and search service, which is combined with web linking and provided by Thomson Reuters. Web of Knowledge coverage encompasses the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. It provides bibliographic content and the tools to access, analyze,...
, Zucker has published almost 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals. These articles have been cited over 2000 times, with an h-index
H-index
The h-index is an index that attempts to measure both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar. The index is based on the set of the scientist's most cited papers and the number of citations that they have received in other publications...
of 20.
- Gender identity disorder and psychosexual problems in children and adolescents, 1996, Guilford Press, ISBN 978-0-89862-266-9, with Susan J Bradley
- Ex-gay research: analyzing the Spitzer study and its relation to science, religion, politics, and culture, 2006, Harrington Park Press, ISBN 978-1-56023-557-6, coedited with Jack DrescherJack DrescherJack Drescher is an American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst best known for his work on sexual orientation.-Education and affiliations:...
External links
- Kenneth Zucker profile via Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Kenneth Zucker profile via American Psychiatric Association
- Kenneth Zucker in The Atlantic