This newsletter will keep you up to date on the latest happenings at DSREI.  We originally thought we would be using a new newsletter template, but we are quickly learning that everything takes longer than expected.  We are also open to suggestions for a catchy name for our newsletter, any ideas?

In May, Susan Wright (Chair of the Community Advisory Committee) and Charles Moser presented at the Positive Sexuality Conference in Burbank.  The conference was great, but one of the highlights was meeting with members of other 501(c)(3) organizations with similar goals.  The major accomplishment of the meeting was elucidating our purposes so we did not conflict with each other.  The following groups were represented at the meeting. Please check them out.

• The Center for Positive Sexuality
• The Alternative Sexuality Health Research Alliance
• CARAS
• National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and the NCSF Foundation
• Diverse Sexualities Research and Education Institute

We are also working with the Kink Practice Guidelines group to create guidelines to educate therapists (among others) about working with kink clients.  The group presented at the recent 2018 AASECT conference in Colorado and another presentation is planned at the American Psychological Association conference in San Francisco in August.

Announcements

We have designated December as Diverse Sexualities month.

The International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Edition, has removed sadomasochism, fetishistic transvestism, and fetishism from its list of diseases.  Gender Incongruence (Gender Dysphoria in the DSM-5) was moved from the Mental, Behavioural or Neurodevelopmental Disorders section to the section on Conditions Related to Sexual Health.  This is a major step forward, but with every two steps forward, there is one back.  For the first time, the Impulse Control Disorders section included Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder.  To get another perspective on problems with these diagnoses, please see:

Moser, C. (2017).  ICD-11 and gender incongruence: Language is important.  Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46, 2515–2516.  DOI 10.1007/s10508-016-0936-7.  link

Moser C. (2018).  Paraphilias and the ICD-11: Progress but Still Logically Inconsistent [Letter to the editor].  Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47(4):825-826. doi: 10.1007/s10508-017-1141-z.  link

We have created the DSREI Book Award. The announcement is below and will be posted on the DSREI.org website shortly.

The Education Committee and the Board of Directors conferred the “Distinguished Advocacy Warrior” award on Gina Ogden, Ph.D. A picture of the award is below.  We plan to honor others in the coming months; we should honor those who came before us.  We are working on the criteria for our research and education awards.

Expanded Statement of Purpose:
Why do we need DSREI?  In a discussion with one of our volunteers — (you can volunteer as well) — she questioned why transgender people were an area of focus for DSREI.  She correctly pointed out that the transgender community has made significant gains recently.   Nevertheless, the gains have been made primarily for individuals who choose to transition from male to female or female to male.   The transgender community has a variety of other segments who have not received as much attention.  There are also nonbinary, gender nonconforming, gender fluid, gender queer, and agender individuals.  Part of the mission of DSREI is to support research and education about all gender configurations.  DSREI wants to increase the visibility and focus on all Diverse Sexualities — not just those that have achieved some acceptance.

Lapel Pins:
We have logo lapel pins!  It deliberately has no lettering so that people will ask about it.  We will send one to anyone who requests it under the condition that you wear it, discuss the importance of DSREI when people ask about it, and direct them to our website (https://dsrei.org).  We are requesting a donation to cover our costs, please be generous, but we will send the lapel pins whether you donate or not.  You will also need to send us your postal address, even if you think we have it.  Please see a photo of the pin and the cute little felt bag it comes in below.

The Diverse Sexualities Research and Education Institute (DSREI) is pleased to announce the 2020 Diverse Sexualities Book Award competition, nominations are being invited now.

The goal of the award is to recognize the best recent book that contributes to the understanding of Diverse Sexualities (sexual identities, sexual orientations, sexual behaviors, sexual interests, gender identities, gender orientations, gender expressions, relationship identities, relationship orientations, and relationship structures not accepted by the dominant culture).

The award will be announced July 24th, 2020.

Please feel free to forward this notice copying the DSREI Book Award Chair, Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D. at [email protected].

Eligibility Criteria

1. Content of the book must be related to Diverse Sexualities
2. The book must be in English and must have been published in the years 2017, 2018, or 2019. It may have multiple authors or be an edited work. Previously submitted books are eligible.
3. Authors or publishers are required to send five copies of the book for review to the members of the Book Awards Selection Committee of the Diverse Sexualities Research and Education Institute.
4. For further details see the information below. For questions, please contact Peggy J. Kleinplatz, PhD, Chair of the DSREI Book Award committee at (613) 563-0846 — not via email.

How to Nominate a Book

1. Nominations for the DSREI Book Award may come from any individual, organization, or publisher.
2. The deadline for submitting nominations is January 1, 2020.
3. Nominations should be sent to:

Diverse Sexualities Research and Education Institute
2261 Market Street, #622
San Francisco, CA 94114
or send us an email.

The books should be sent directly to the members of the Awards Selection Committee.

1. THE AWARDS
Diverse Sexualities Research and Education Institute (DSREI) has established a book award to be given to the author(s) or editor(s) of the best books published in English related to the understanding Diverse Sexualities: At DSREI’s discretion two awards may be given, one for books addressed to the public and the other for books addressed to professionals (Educators, Researchers, or Clinicians).
Nominations for the DSREI Book Award should be made to the Chair who will then transmit the information to the appropriate committee members (see below).
The award winners (including multiple authors or each of the editors of an edited book where there is more than one editor) will each be given a plaque and their names will be listed on the DSREI website. There will be no monetary award.

2. FREQUENCY
The award will be given every two years.

3. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE
The awards will be made by the selection committee, chosen by the DSREI Education Advisory Committee. The members of the selection committee will be chosen by the DSREI Book Award chair in consultation with the DSREI Board of Directors. If a member of the DSREI Book Award committee has published a book that is being considered by the committee or has any potential conflict of interest, that person will absent him/herself from any deliberations concerning that book.

4. ELEGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. Content of the books must be related to the understanding of Diverse Sexualities.
2. Books must have been published in the calendar years 2017, 2018, or 2019.
3. Books must be in English, but may have been translated from another language.
4. Collections of previously published works would not be eligible.
5. Authors/editors are eligible regardless of having previously won another book award.
6. Books must be readily available from bookstores, public libraries, or university presses. Self-published books will not be eligible.
7. The decision of the selection committee as to whether a book is eligible shall be binding.

5. CONDITIONS OF THE PRIZES

1. Any eligible book which is nominated for a DSREI Book Award shall not qualify unless the publisher or author(s)/editor(s) agrees to provide up to five copies of the book to DSREI at no cost for each member of the selection committee.
2. The publisher must agree to include in any advertising for the book that it has been awarded the DSREI Book Award, for the given year.

6. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINES:

1. Books received after the final deadline of January 1, 2020, will not be eligible.
2. Receipt of submissions will be acknowledged in writing by DSREI.
3. Submitted books will not be returned and will remain the property of the reviewers.

7. FINALISTS

1. Up to five books nominated (in each category, if both popular and professional book awards are conferred) will be noted as Honorable Mentions as well as the winner(s) of the DSREI Book Award. The Award will be announced July 24, 2020 on the DSREI.org website. Publicity directed towards the public and organizations of sexuality professionals, announcing the winners of the DSREI Book Awards will be the responsibility of DSREI.
2. The selection committee will consider the shortlists and the winners in private deliberations. Publishers, authors, and editors should be aware that they will receive no advance notice of the finalists or the winners.

______________________________________________________________________________

DSREI Book Award Committee Chair:  Peggy J. Kleinplatz, PhD (Chair) (613) 563-0846