DSM-V objectionality

So, Kathryn spotted a link to this petition which is objecting to the DSM-V comittee's members consisting of a individuals who pathologise gender identity disorder. I know quite a few TS people and while I've met some thorough nutcases, I also know some truly wonderful people who happen to also be TS. GID is something that the individuals appointed to the committee believe can be 'cured' with reparitive therapy; something they've tried on queer folk for quite some time with no real success.

Mostly, it seems to produce very screwed up people.

These members of the comittee have links to Narth (who advoctate reparitive therapy for homosexual and other queer individuals), the human biodiversity institute (a eugenics group who advocate for more research into the "racial IQ gap"), and to be honest scare the pants off me.

If they start to pathologise GID more...and gain credibility for their theories through inclusion in the DSM-V (rather than, say, finding any actual research to support their theories which didn't rely on wildly skewing the subjects towards those who fit their theories) it leads towards worrying steps backward in the DSM, and a danger to everyone queer. .

ah, summer.

So, with the arrival of summer-like-weather (yes, I know it's spring, but it's also bloody hot), comes the tradition of whining about hayfever. I've not got *that* much to whine about (yet); apart from the frequently runny nose and sniffling, oh and the sneezing. And the eyes that while not desparately itchy are, well, itchy.

I wanted to get on the Sublingual Immunotherapy (or quite honestly the Subcutaneous Immunotherapy) trials but no, my GP failed to actually do anything. The alledged referal to a local immune system specialist? Well, either they've got the world's longest waiting list or he didn't actually bother.

So another year of itching and eyedrops approaches. At least this year I'm saving on contact lenses I can't wear because of my failure to get around to having an eye test!

In other, less whiny, news. I spent yesterday sorting out Brick ready for sale. He's up on ebay now, so hopefully, the sunny weather will bring out the classic car desiring peeps, who will bid vastly over his expected value to bring me some money.

It took most of the day though; washing, drying ('cos it was so hot that otherwise the water dried in big streaks), cleaning the interior, spraying the interior with hideous "Outside Fresh" turtlewax interior shine stuff - which distressingly failed to fulfil it's containers claims ("returns [vinyl/plastic interior parts] to pristine condition"). But did make them look shinier.

So, today I'm going to do a bit of cleaning (I've swept the bedroom and put my clothes away), and read my 'streaming guide' for it turns out I'm getting a new skill at work. Not Triage, but Streaming. I'm listening to Peel Night (having been reading John Peel's Margrave of the Marshes I've been having a resurgence of desire to listen to Mr Peel himself. I'd like to get my hands on copies of the Home Truths show too; but that seems a little unlikely), shall have my tea, clean the kitchen and then set to on my assigned reading.