CHARLES SILVERSTEIN, born on this date (d: 2023) was an American writer, therapist, and LGBTQ rights advocate. He was best known for his presentation before the American Psychiatric Association in 1973 that led to the removal of homosexuality as a mental illness from the organization’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

Silverstein was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a frequent lecturer at conventions on both the state and national levels, author of eight books and many professional papers, and has received many awards from the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Foundation e.g. Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology receiving it “for his 40-year career challenging the criteria of social morality as the basis for diagnosing sexual disorders. For his presentation before the American Psychiatric Association to eliminate homosexuality as a mental disorder. For his founding two counseling centers for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in order to deliver unbiased treatment, and for his founding of the Journal of Homosexuality.”

Silverstein earned his Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 1974. His essays and professional papers have been published widely in journals and anthologies. In 1977, Silverstein and Edmund White co-authored The Joy of Gay Sex, described by The Advocate as a “landmark” book that has “educated generations of gay men”. In one of his last interviews, Silverstein told the LGBTQ&A podcast in 2021, “When Ed and I first sat down to talk about the book and we made a list of the entries, it was quite clear that a majority of the entries were not about sex, it was about community and it was about relating to each other. While most people think of all the dirty pictures, what we always thought our greatest contribution was, is trying to write something that we would’ve wanted when we were kids, and that would be something more than just sex. That would be about community.”

Silverstein was the founding director of the Institute for Human Identity and Identity House in New York City. He was the founding editor of the Journal of Homosexuality. He was a member of American Psychological Association and was made a Fellow in 1987. He was also a Member of Division 44 of the APA (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues), the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA), and the Committee on Ethical Practices of NYSPA.

Silverstein died on January 30, 2023, at the age of 87. His longtime partner William Bory died of complications from AIDS in 1993. Dr. Silverstein’s subsequent marriage to Bill Bartelt ended in divorce. Survivors include a son he adopted last year, Shahrukh Khalique of New York City, and a brother.