Behavior: Battling over Masochism

Psychiatrists and feminists debate "self-defeating" behavior

The women came to reason. But just in case reason did not suffice, they thought to mention the possibility of a massive lawsuit against the American Psychiatric Association, charging it with violating the civil rights of all women. The meeting was "very heated," according to its affable chairman, Psychiatrist Robert Spitzer, and in the end reason prevailed: "masochistic personality disorder," a red flag to feminist scholars for at least two decades, will not be an official diagnosis of American psychiatry after all. Instead, the proposed category will be known as "self-defeating personality disorder."

"They expected a fuss, but they didn't think...

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