John E. Fryer

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John E. Fryer (born November 7, 1938 - February 21, 2003 ) was an American psychologist and LGBT activist.

He became internationally known for his anonymous speech in 1972 at a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in Dallas. He appeared as an anonymous speaker under the name Dr H. Anonymous . Fryer's anonymous appearance and speech are considered a key event in the decision to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders .

The American Psychiatric Association's John E. Fryer, MD, Award was named in his honor.

Life

Fryer was born in the US state of Kentucky . After finishing school, he studied at Transylvania College and Vanderbilt University . Fryer entered the medical school at Temple University in 1967 and became both professor of psychiatry and professor of family and community medicine. Fryer received an award from the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists .

1972 speech

At a time when homosexuality was still being scientifically classified as a mental illness in the United States, in 1972 Fryer became the first gay American psychiatrist to give a public speech about his sexual identity. A year earlier, LGBT activist Franklin E. Kameny had protested against the diagnosis of the mental illness homosexuality at an APA meeting. In 1972 Fryer appeared anonymously at the APA conference with the conference topic Psychiatry: Friend or Foe to Homosexualits: A Dialogue . He appeared on stage at his speech wearing a face mask, wig and tuxedo and spoke through a microphone that distorted his voice.

His speech began with the words: I am a homosexual. I am a psychiatrist . The rest of the speech described the life of many homosexual psychiatrists within the APA who hid their sexual identities because of fear of discrimination within their colleagues.

A year later, in 1973, homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders list.

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personal data
SURNAME Fryer, John E.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American psychologist and LGBT activist
DATE OF BIRTH November 7, 1938
DATE OF DEATH February 21, 2003