Drawing on a rich array of source materials including previously unseen, fascinating (and often quite moving) oral histories, archival and news media sources, this paper examines the plight of men who were institutionalised in British mental hospitals to receive ‘treatment’ for homosexuality and transvestism, and the perceptions and actions of the men and women who nursed them.
Tommy Dickinson, PhD, RN, is Senior Lecturer (Nursing) at the University of Manchester, UK. He recently published “Curing Queers,” winning the prestigious American Association for the History of Nursing Lavinia L. Dock Research Award for the book. His research interests include nursing history; patient experience, particularly LGBT patient experiences; intimacy/sexual citizenship within care homes for older people; acute & secure inpatient mental health nursing. Dr. Dickinson joins the Consortium for Nursing History Inquiry at the UBC School of Nursing as a visiting scholar June 13-15, 2016.
This event took place on June 14, 2016.
Select Articles and Books Available at UBC Library
Dickinson, T. (2010). Nursing history: Aversion therapy: Tommy dickinson is looking for nurses who were involved in the ‘treatment’ of homosexuality and transvestism from the 1930s to the 1980s. Mental Health Practice, 13(5), 31 [Link]
McCrae, N., & Taylor & Francis eBooks. (2016). Story of nursing in british mental hospitals [Link]
Vail, D. J. (1965). The british mental hospital system. Springfield, Ill: Thomas. [Available at Woodward Library – WM27.FA1 V35 1965 ]
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