Jordan Peterson Slams New American Psychological Association Guidelines on Treating Men and Boys

From a Jordan Peterson interview that appeared in Haaretz:

Haaretz: The American Psychological Association recently published new guidelines for psychological practice with boys and men that says “traditional masculinity" is "harmful.” You were not very happy with this.

Peterson:“I’m absolutely ashamed to call myself a psychologist in the aftermath. They said it was guidelines for the psychological treatment of boys and men, but that isn’t what it is; it’s a social justice treatise on how you better think if you’re a psychologist if you don’t want to be pursued.”

Haaretz: But is there really nothing to be said for this approach? How about curbing aggressive instincts?

Peterson: “Definitely not! You just can’t damn instincts. It’s not helpful. You’re going to get rid of aggression? You don’t like ambition? You don’t like purpose? You don’t like persistence? … I think [the authors of the APA article] justify reprehensible weakness by an all-out assault on the idea of strength and competence, and that they clothed that in virtue… It’s a nauseating document.”

Also of note from Dave Peterson (no relation) retired forensic psychology:

 I’ve spent a good part of my life as a forensic psychologist, and I thought I should take a look at the new Guidelines myself. All the criticism is justified. They’re nothing but Gender Studies ideology masquerading as science. 

The problematic aspect of these Guidelines is revealed at the outset, in their definition of gender—“Gender refers to psychological, social, and cultural experiences and characteristics associated with the social statuses of girls and women or boys and men, whereas sex refers to biological aspects of being male or female.” Gender is defined as social and psychological, sex is defined as physical, and the two are construed to be separate and unrelated. Therefore the Guidelines don’t mention the brain’s chemistry and structure as a determinant of behavior, including gender specific behavior. The role of the endocrine system is also ignored. The brain’s physical character affects “sex”—but nothing to do with “gender.” The idea that it could affect “gender” isn’t even broached...

The main section of the Guidelines follows up on this definition with an unscientific, ideological assault on traditional male roles and behavior. There are pages of language such as “policing of masculinity expression in boys by their caregivers tends to be ineffective and emotionally damaging to the child.” Traditional masculinity—essentially defined as a basket of negative stereotypes—becomes the font of psychopathology in males and females, the basis for numerous modes of social oppression. E.g., “while most men experience pressures to conform to hegemonic masculinity, some men, particularly those from marginalized groups, may be targets of gendered, racial, and heterosexist stereotypes.”