Stephen Barrett Levine (born 1942) is an American psychiatrist known for his work in human sexuality, particularly sexual dysfunction and transsexualism.

Education and career

Levine earned his M.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1967 and serves as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry there. His clinical practice began in the mid-1970s as the University Hospitals of Cleveland Sexual Dysfunction Clinic. In 1993 the Clinic separated from University Hospitals, and is presently called The Center for Marital and Sexual Health in Beachwood, Ohio.

His early work focused on premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, and he has written on a number of treatment options, including vacuum pumps,[1] injections into the corpus cavernosum of the penis,[2] and Viagra.[3] The most potent aphrodisiacs, according to Levine, are psychological intimacy[4] and voyeurism: "looking at pictures or movies of people engaged in genital or romantic interplay."[5]

Levine has written on sex offenders, including professionals who offend.[6] He cites Kurt Freund as an important influence because Freund wanted to define the subtypes of child molesters to help devise a means of prevention.[7] Levine has written about adultery and infidelity and believes pejorative terms like "cheating" and "infidelity" prevent addressing the issue in realistic terms.[8]

He was section co-editor with R. Taylor Segraves for the section on sexual and gender identity disorders in Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders by Glen Gabbard. Notable contributors included Martin Kafka (paraphilias) and Kenneth Zucker (gender identity disorder in children and adolescents).[9]

Although much of his work is written for other clinicians, Levine has written books for a lay audience, including Solving Common Sexual Problems (1997) and Sexuality in Mid-Life (2004).

He is noted for his work in clinical management of gender identity disorder. Levine was Chair of the fifth edition of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Standards of Care in 1998.[10] Levine also served on the American Psychiatric Association DSM-IV Subcommittee on Gender Identity Disorders.[11]

Work on transsexualism

Levine has expressed skepticism towards gender transitioning for children, adolescents, and young adults.[12] Levine also criticized a study by psychiatrist Jack Turban finding that gender dysphoria in children was not caused by social contagion, saying that the study only covers two years and uses survey data instead of clinic referral data. Furthermore, Levine alleged Turban had conflicts of interest and accused him of being "an advocate rather than a scientist."[12]

Levine has testified in many court cases relating to transgender rights, both in the United States and abroad, as an expert witness for states attempting to restrict access to gender-affirming care, like Arkansas.[13] Levine has strongly advocated against allowing social transition for transgender youth, describing it as setting them on a 'conveyor belt' to medical transition.[14][15][16] He has also advocated against access to gender-affirming medical care, most notably testifying in the case Bell v Tavistock,[17][18] and has likened it to the medical experimentation performed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.[19] He has additionally testified in favor of overturning Washington state's ban on conversion therapy.[20]

His testimony has been described in a court motion as lacking 'any scientific support and have not been tested or subjected to peer review or publication." Several of the claims made within his testimony have been described as unsupported and contradictory to his previous testimony and clinical practice. Despite testifying in favor of a law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth, Levine admitted to providing letters of approval for hormone therapy for patients who are under 18. Additionally, he has asserted that transgender people “are in need of extensive psychological care they don’t receive,” and that “neither hormonal nor surgical transition and ‘affirmation’ resolve their underlying problems and put them on the path to a stable and healthy life.” This assertion was described as relying on weak or misrepresented evidence, with the lead author of one of the cited studies, Cecilia Dhejne, stating that her study was not designed to address "whether sex reassignment is an effective treatment or not.”[21]

A 2021 article in Wired Magazine described Levine's role in the American prison system, frequently being brought in to testify against allowing trans prisoners access to medical or social transition, and being used by many prisons in a clinical context to deny said measures to individual prisoners.[22]

Selected publications

  • Levine SB (1975). Premature ejaculation: Some thoughts about its pathogenesis. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 1, Issue 4 Summer 1975, pages 326 – 334.
  • Levine SB, Yost MA (1976). Frequency of sexual dysfunction in a general gynecological clinic: An epidemiological approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 5, Number 3 / May, 1976, 229-238.
  • Levine SB, Agle D (1978). The effectiveness of sex therapy for chronic secondary psychological impotence. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 4, Issue 4 Winter 1978, pages 235 - 258
  • Levine SB, Yost MA (1980). Psychiatric Diagnosis Of Patients Requesting Sex Reassignment Surgery. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 6, Issue 3 Autumn 1980, pages 164 – 173.
  • Levine SB, Lothstein L (1981). Transsexualism or the Gender Dysphoria Syndromes. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 7, Issue 2 Summer 1981, pages 85 – 113.
  • Levine SB (1982). A Modern Perspective on Nymphomania. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 8, Issue 4 Winter 1982, pages 316 – 324.
  • Levine SB, Shumaker RE (1983). Increasingly ruth: Toward understanding sex reassignment. Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 12, Number 3 / June, 1983, 247-261.
  • Levine SB (1984). An essay on the nature of sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 10, Issue 2 Summer 1984, pages 83 – 96
  • Levine SB (1987). More on the nature of sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 13, Issue 1 Spring 1987, pages 35 – 44.
  • Levine SB (1989). Sex Is Not Simple. Ohio Psychology Publications. ISBN 978-0-910707-12-1
  • Turner LA, Althof SE, Levine SB, et al. (1989). Self-injection of papaverine and phentolamine in the treatment of psychogenic impotence. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 15, Issue 3 Autumn 1989, pages 163 – 176.
  • Althof SE, Turner LA, Levine SB, Risen C, Kursh ED (1989). Why do so many people drop out from auto-injection therapy for impotence? Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 15, Issue 2 Summer 1989, pages 121 – 129.
  • Althof SE, Turner LA, Levine SB, Risen CB, Bodner D, Kursh ED, Resnick MI (1991). Sexual, Psychological, and Marital Impact of Self-Injection of Papaverine and Phentolamine: A Long-Term Prospective Study. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 17, Issue 2 Summer 1991, pages 101 – 112.
  • Bradley SJ, Blanchard R, Coates SW, Green R, Levine SB, Meyer-Bahlburg HFL, Pauly IB, Zucker KJ (1991). Interim report of the DSM-IV Subcommittee on Gender Identity Disorders. Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 20, Number 4 / August, 1991
  • Levine SB (1992). Sexual Life: A Clinician's Guide. Springer ISBN 978-0-306-44287-2
  • Levine SB, ed. (1995). Clinical Sexuality (The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Volume 18, Number 1, March 1995) W.B. Saunders Company ASIN B0014EBK6O
  • Levine SB (1997). Solving Common Sexual Problems: Toward a Problem-Free Sexual Life. Jason Aronson. ISBN 978-0-7657-0121-3
  • Segraves RT, Levine SB (section editors) Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders. In Gabbard GO, ed. (2001). Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders.
  • Levine SB, Stagno SJ (2001). Informed Consent for Case Reports: The Ethical Dilemma of Right to Privacy Versus Pedagogical ... Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research
  • Levine SB (2002). Reexploring the Concept of Sexual Desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  • Levine SB (2003). The Nature of Sexual Desire: A Clinician's Perspective. Archives of Sexual Behavior
  • Levine SB, Risen CB, Althof SE, eds. (2003). Handbook of Clinical Sexuality for Mental Health Professionals. Psychology Press ISBN 1-58391-331-9
  • Levine SB (2004). Sexuality in Mid-Life. Springer ISBN 978-0-306-48446-9
  • Althof SE, Leiblum SR, Chevret-Measson M, et al. (2005). Psychological and Interpersonal Dimensions of Sexual Function and Dysfunction. Journal of Sexual Medicine
  • Levine SB (2005). A Reintroduction to Clinical Sexuality. Focus, American Psychiatric Association
  • Levine SB (2006). Demystifying Love: Plain Talk for the Mental Health Professional. Brunner-Routledge ISBN 978-0-415-95599-7

References

  1. ↑ Turner LA, Althof SE, Levine SB, et al. (1991). External Vacuum Devices in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: A One-Year Study of Sexual and … Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  2. ↑ Althof SE, Turner LA, Levine SB, Risen C, Kursh ED (1987). Intracavernosal injection in the treatment of impotence: A prospective study of sexual... Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  3. ↑ Pallas J, Levine SB, Althof SE, Risen CB (2000). A Study Using Viagra in a Mental Health Practice. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  4. ↑ Levine SB (1991). Psychological intimacy. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  5. ↑ Brody JE (August 4, 1993). Personal health. New York Times
  6. ↑ Levine SB, Risen CB, Althof SE (1994). Professionals who sexually offend: Evaluation procedure; and preliminary findings. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
  7. ↑ Freeman, Karen (October 27, 1996). Kurt Freund Dies at 82; Studied Deviant Sexual Arousal. New York Times
  8. ↑ Alexander, Brian (April 17, 2007). To stay or stray? Crimes of opportunity. NBC News
  9. ↑ Segraves RT, Levine SB (section editors) Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders. In Gabbard GO, ed. (2001). Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders.
  10. ↑ Levine SB, Brown G, Coleman E, Cohen-Kettenis P Hage JJ, Van Maasdam J, Petersen M, Pfaefflin F, Schaefer LC (1999). The Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality
  11. ↑ Bradley SJ, Blanchard R, Coates SW, Green R, Levine SB, Meyer-Bahlburg HFL, Pauly IB, Zucker KJ (1991). Interim report of the DSM-IV Subcommittee on Gender Identity Disorders. Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 20, Number 4 / August, 1991
  12. 1 2 Downey, Caroline (2022-08-16). "'Advocate Rather Than a Scientist': The Compromised Research of Child Gender-Transition Doctor Jack Turban". National Review. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  13. ↑ "These Paid 'Experts' Are Crisscrossing The Country To Defend Anti-Trans Laws". HuffPost. 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  14. ↑ Hecox v Little, 1:20-cv-00184-DCN (United States District Court for the District of Idaho June 9, 2020).
  15. ↑ John and Jane Doe v Madison Metropolitan School District, 20-CV-454 (State of Wisconsin Circuit Court Dane County February 19, 2020).
  16. ↑ BPJ v West Virginia State Board of Education, 2:21-cv-00316 (US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia Charleston Division February 23, 2022).
  17. ↑ Mobley, Andrew; Lepenski, Brenda. "Arkansas trial on transgender treatment for children; new testimony from doctor Monday". ABC.
  18. ↑ Keena, Colm. "Gender distress treatment in young people: a highly charged debate". Irish Times.
  19. ↑ Dylan Brandt et al v Leslie Rutledge et al, 4:21-CV-00450-JM (Eastern District Court of Arkansas Central Division July 9, 2021).
  20. ↑ Stahl, Aviva (July 8, 2021). "Prisoners, Doctors, and the Battle Over Trans Medical Care". Wired Magazine.
  21. ↑ "Plaintiffs' Memorandum of Law n Support of Motion to Exclude Expert Testimony of Stephen B. Levine, M.D." (PDF). Lambda Legal. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Stahl, Aviva (July 8, 2021). "Prisoners, Doctors, and the Battle Over Trans Medical Care". Wired Magazine.
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