|
Betty Berzon (January 18, 1928 – January 24, 2006) was an American author and psychotherapist known for her work with the gay and lesbian communities. Berzon was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a Jewish family.〔(Finding Aid to the Betty Berzon Papers, 1928-2006 Coll2011.004 )〕 She was among the first psychotherapists to assist gay clients.〔(Lambda Literary | Dr. Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award )〕 After coming out as gay in 1968, she began providing therapy to gays and lesbians. In 1971, during a UCLA conference called "The Homosexual in America," Berzon became the first psychotherapist in the country to come out as gay to the public.〔(The Bay Area Reporter Online | Pioneering activist Betty Berzon dies )〕 Also in 1971, she organized the ''Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center'' as well as an organization of gays and lesbians within the American Psychiatric Association (the Gay Psychological Association, now known as the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues); the APA declassified homosexuality as a mental illness two years later.〔(WeHo News | News )〕 Berzon temporarily attended Stanford University before enrolling in UCLA in 1952 and graduating in 1957. She then obtained her master's degree from San Diego State University in 1962. Berzon's books included ''Positively Gay'' (1979), ''Permanent Partners'' (1988), and ''The Intimacy Dance'' (1996). Berzon also wrote a personal memoir, ''Surviving Madness, a Therapist's Own Story'' (2002) in which she discussed her previous suicide attempt and institutionalization. The book received the Lambda Literary Award for best lesbian memoir in 2003.〔(WeHo News | News )〕 For many years, she wrote an advice column on gay relationships for PlanetOut.com. In 1976 Berzon and her partner Teresa DeCrescenzo were among the eight founding members of the Western Gay Academic Union.〔(Betty Berzon, 78; Writer, Psychotherapist, Activist Helped Establish L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center - Page 2 - Los Angeles Times )〕 Berzon later became president of the national Gay Academic Union.〔 Berzon also served on the boards of many gay organizations, including the LA Gay and Lesbian Center (1972-1975), the Whtman-Radclyffe Foundation (1976-1977), the Gay Academic Union (1977-1979), the National Gay Rights Advocates (1979-1984), and the Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (1984-1994).〔 Berzon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986. She was treated by mastectomy and her cancer remained in remission for many years. The cancer returned in 2001, and Berzon died on January 24, 2006. She is survived by Teresa DeCrescenzo, the president of Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, whom Berzon met in 1973 and married during a mass wedding ceremony at the 1993 March on Washington. In 2007 Ventura Place in Studio City was renamed Dr. Betty Berzon Place in her honor, making it the first street ever officially dedicated to a known lesbian in California.〔 Also in 2007 the LGBT magazine ''The Advocate'' named Berzon one of 40 "heroes." 〔〔(The 40 Heroes of the LGBT community - Articles :: Artist Voice )〕 In 2013 the Lambda Literary Foundation launched the Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award, an award for young LGBT writers who have published at least one book in any genre of literature, which is presented as part of the Lambda Literary Awards program.〔(Lambda Literary | 26th Annual Award Guidelines Will Be Posted September 3 )〕 The Betty Berzon Papers (1928-2006) are Coll2011.004 at the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives.〔 The Betty Berzon Papers (1972-1979) are Collection Number 7312 at the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections at the Cornell University Library.〔(Guide to the Betty Berzon Papers,1972-1979 )〕 ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Betty Berzon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|