Distinguished Book Award

The Division offers this award for a book that has made a significant contribution to the field of LGBT psychology. The award is generally given to a book published within the two years prior to its nomination. The Division encourages self-nominations by authors, as well as nominations from publishers and readers. These works represent highly valuable contributions to scholarship that synthesize research and practice and advance the development of science, practice, and policy on LGBT issues in psychology.

2009 winner

Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire, by Lisa M. Diamond, Ph.D. This groundbreaking book was published to much acclaim, including being featured, with its eminent author, on the Oprah show. A landmark book with the potential to permanently change the landscape of sexuality studies, Sexual Fluidity is well written and theoretically driven. The book traces Dr. Diamond’s ten year study of sexual development that has produced both scientific data and fascinating personal stories that help us better appreciate the lives of young women as they come to an understanding and expression of their sexual development. It offers a new paradigm, while not in contradistinction to men’s sexual development, that is unique and worthy of our consideration.

The life narratives by the young women are unparalleled is in their honesty and complexity as they intertwined their sexual and romantic attractions, desires, and behaviors. Reviews note this book as ground breaking, insightful, and one of the most important books on women’s sexual development in decades.

2008 winner

Affirmative psychotherapy with bisexual women and bisexual men, edited by Ronald C. Fox, Ph.D. An outgrowth of Dr. Fox’s many years of clinical practice, education, and advocacy on behalf of bisexual men and women, his groundbreaking volume helps to further the research and practice of Psychology as it relates to this area. There is a paucity of literature on affirmative psychotherapy with this population and the contributors to Dr. Fox’s volume offer an enlightened model that moves us past a polarized to a multidimensional view of the interrelatedness of all forms of sexual orientation. This compilation will assist therapists who seek to provide culturally competent services to bisexuals who are transgender, African American, in their senior years, and heterosexual spouses of bisexual men and women. Dr. Fox also devotes space in the book to chronicle the history of APA’s and Division 44’s own evolution of inclusiveness of sexual minorities. The wide range of topics within this book related to bisexuality will likely provide a framework for advances in practice and scientific investigation for years to come.

2007 winner

Out in Psychology: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives by Victoria Clarke, Ph.D. and Elizabeth Peel, Ph.D., Editors. This book is notable for its exploration of international research, theory, and practice in the field. It is only the second British edited LGBT psychology text and the first edited collection from the UK to integrate trans and queer perspectives into LGBT psychology. Out in Psychology brings together 38 established LGBT psychologists from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia to explore a wide range of topics. The book represents a refreshing perspective on well established topics such as lesbian and gay health and LGBT youth, as well as new topics such as sports and individual differences. Out in Psychology brings innovative perspectives and an international framework, and promises to be an important addition to the literature in LGBTQ psychology.

2006 winners

Same-Sex Marriage: The Legal and Psychological Evolution in America by Donald J. Cantor, Elizabeth Cantor, James C. Black, and Campbell D. Barrett. While other countries have recently legalized civil marriage for same-sex couples debates over such marriages continue in the U.S. This timely book reviews the history of the evolution of same-sex marriage in the United States. With topics ranging from State Law regarding same-sex couples to legal adoption of children by lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals and couples this book provides a clear and even-handed treatment of the on-going struggle for equal rights to civil marriage by all people, regardless of the gender of partners.

Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant People and Their Families by Arlene Istar Lev. There is very little literature on the experiences of transgender individuals and their families. Arlene Istar Lev has contributed a new and wonderful resource to the emerging literature. This book is comprehensive, includes a thorough review of the relevant empirical literature, and is filled with clinical wisdom and understanding. It has gotten rave reviews and will meet a need for those working with this underserved population.

Past winners

Nominations

Please send nominations for this award to the President-Elect.