Adrienne J. Smith

Adrienne J. Smith (1934–1992) was an American psychologist. She came out as a lesbian in 1973 and became one of the first openly out lesbian psychologists in the American Psychological Association (APA). She worked for reforms in the APA and spoke on LGBT rights across the country.

Smith was born in 1934 and grew up in Chicago.[1] Her family was Jewish, but not very religious.[2] She attended the University of Illinois and later earned her doctorate at the University of Chicago.[1] She had her private practice in Chicago and was one of the only options for therapy for many in the LGBT community.[1]

Smith came out on television in 1973 on The David Susskind Show.[3] She was one of the first psychologists in the American Psychological Association (APA) to live as an out lesbian.[3] Her work with the APA helped stop homophobia in the organization.[1] She was a leader in the APA Division 44, the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian and Gay Issues and served a term as president.[1]

Smith was co-founder of the Woman's Institute in Chicago.[4] She was an advocate for LGBT issues and rights in Chicago and across the country.[1] She also spoke to Chicago City Council and the Illinois House of Representatives about LGBT issues.[1] Smith was a co-author of Lesbians at Mid-Life: The Creative Transition.[3][5]

Smith was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1991.[3] She died on August 10, 1992 at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center.[3]

References
  1. "Adrienne Smith, Ph.D". Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  2. Smith, Adrienne J. (2012). "Reflections of a Jewish Lesbian-Feminist Activist-Therapist; Or, First of All I Am Jewish, the Rest Is Commentary". In Siegel, Rachel Josefowitz; Cole, Ellen (eds.). Jewish Women in Therapy: Seen But Not Heard. New York: Routledge. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-1-317-76559-2.
  3. "Adrienne J. Smith, 58, a Lesbian Psychologist". Chicago Tribune. August 14, 1992. p. 82. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Kleiman, Carol (September 30, 1973). "Psychologist Tells Women Go Ahead and Get Mad". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 142. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Douglas, Carol Anne (1991). "Lesbians at Midlife: The Creative Transition". Off Our Backs. 21 (6): 14. ISSN 0030-0071. JSTOR 20833635.
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