Learn more about Multiples and Plurality with our Multiplicity 101 Podcast!

Activism

There's nothing more empowering and gratifying than activism. Many images come to people's minds when you speak that 8 letter word. But for our intentions, it's about empowering and educating. Educating ourselves on our legal and social rights; educating other multiples on the information and supports available to them; and educating the public on what being multiple really means. In these ways we empower ourselves and others to take back our lives and destiny.

Doing any of these things will empower us more than a mind can dream, helping to debunk the negative images society holds and replacing them with the true understanding of what being multiple is all about.

You don't have to be on the front lines to be an effective activist. There's plenty behind the scene things that are needed. There's always room to stand along side us though, if you do choose to be in the public eye.

Please contact us if you have any ideas for promotion, organization, and other actions to promote multiplicity -- multiple personality -- as a viable way of life and not a mental disorder.

 

Accomplishments and Plans

Here's a partial list of things we have accomplished and a few that are still in their infancy.

Done:

Plural Activism! A Yahoo email discussion group. Share frustrations, discuss the status quo and share ideas on how to create and embody change.

A unifying logo graphic (the entwined circle design). This design is copyright-free and has no registration or trademark. It is free and open to the public. Please post it on your web sites and blogs. You can personalize it as you see fit... words, colors etc. But the symbol needs to remain the same. Thanks Iris of Astraea's Web for the original, and Jim Bunkelman and our own Tracee for spiffing it up a bit!

Multiplicity 101 Podcast! You'll hear many different voices and ideas here, where singlets and groups of all kinds talk about aspects of multiple personality not usually covered by modern psychiatry. Your questions are always welcome!

Plural Pride Cafepress Store Buy multiple personality swag and raise money for future projects! Thank you, Jay and John from Astraea.

DSM V changes - In 2013, the American Psychological Association revised the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, including the criteria for 300.14 "dissociative identity disorder". They proposed new criteria to emphasize that in order to be considered DID, the condition must cause significant distress for the client. In other words, if being multiple isn't messing up your life, it's not a mental disorder. This was called Criterion C at the time (it's now criterion 3). 

Because of severe backlash following revelations that the DSM-V task force had to sign nondisclosure agreements -- a vow of secrecy -- the task force subsequently opened a website with their proposed changes and room for public comment. Based on field studies using the new criteria, as well as public feedback and work groups, the "causes significant distress" wording was adopted. Also, and even more important, multiplicity as a part of normal cultural and religious practice was no longer deemed mental illness (good news for children with imaginary friends): and, self-reported multiplicity was for the first time permitted as a diagnostic feature, although amnesia is still required for "true" dissociative identity disorder. Prior to this, self-reported multiplicity was often dismissed as attention-seeking behavior or diagnosed as schizophrenia. Click here to see the current criteria compared to the old ones.

The DSM-V has become extremely controversial even within the psychiatric establishment. The NIMH no longer uses it, and there is serious talk of dropping it altogether.

Possible Future Projects:

WIKIMultiple - Some years ago, a wiki specifically to describe the multiple experience was created by Plural Activism member ELL. It no longer exists, but may reappear in the future.
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