APF’S Legacy & Future of Supporting LGBTQIA+ Research

Psychology’s Critical Role in Supporting LGBTQIA+ Communities

As we enter Pride in 2025, I’m reflecting on the ways that psychology has long played a powerful role in supporting LGBTQIA+ people and driving change in ways that benefit both individuals and the community as a whole. As we face a complex environment hallmarked by the contradictions of both significant progress and increased oppression for the community, the power of psychology to advocate is more vital than ever. As chair of the Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund Committee and a longtime advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, I’ve seen firsthand how psychology can support, uplift, and affirm queer lives.

Whether it is working toward bans of “conversion” therapy, creating amicus briefs to promote marriage equality, or coordinating complex networks of resistance and opposition to legislation that would decrease access to gender-affirming care, psychology and psychologists have used their unique set of skills to support and better lives of LGBTQIA+ folx for decades. Although we have come far and actualized sizable wins, there are always new challenges, particularly in the current sociopolitical climate in which science has been degraded and dismissed. 

Queer people today are living in a complex moment in history. On one side of the coin, there has been greater visibility, more open conversations about identity, and growing support for LGBTQIA+ rights. On the other, there has been a drastic rise in anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric, harmful legislation, and attacks on everything from healthcare to basic human rights, particularly targeting trans and nonbinary folks. While the openly LGBTQIA+ population is larger than it has ever been, this unfortunately means that increases in hostility and stigma impact more people than ever before, particularly for LGBTQIA+ people of color.

In the midst of ongoing personal and societal crises, psychology has the power to serve as a lifeline. Through proven interventions, increased understanding, and comprehensive resources, psychology has the capacity to support LGBTQIA+ researchers and communities while sparking systemic change. Psychology can train affirming practitioners, inform inclusive education, and help guide equitable policies. Through research, education, and advocacy efforts, it can play a vital role in combating stigma and discrimination, and help foster spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can feel seen, safe, and celebrated. Psychology validates queer existence, amplifies queer voices, and promotes queer joy even in the most uncertain times.

At APF, using the power of psychology to support LGBTQIA+ communities isn’t new. For decades, APF has invested in research grants, awards, fellowship opportunities, and other programs that work to create and sustain a better future for LGBTQIA+ people. 

APF’s Legacy of Supporting LGBTQIA+ Communities

APF has a long and proud legacy of supporting innovative research and initiatives that have advanced the understanding of LGBTQIA+ issues through psychology. These programs have helped build a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ individuals within the field of psychology, academic and policy spaces, and society as a whole.

The Wayne F. Placek Grants
Since its founding in 1995, the Wayne F. Placek Grant has helped early career psychologists conduct work to advance the general public’s understanding of LGBTQIA+ individuals and reduce the stress and adversity experienced by members of the community. As of 2023, the Wayne F. Placek Grant expanded to include the John Peterson Memorial Grant. This grant focuses on psychological research into issues concerning Black LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities, that is conducted by scholars of color.

The Roy Scrivner Memorial Research Grant
Founded in 2000, the Roy Scrivner Memorial Research Grant encourages the study of LGBTQIA+ family psychology and therapy through its support of promising graduate researchers. The goal of this program is to advance the understanding of problems faced by LGBTQIA+ families, including those associated with cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and family structure diversity. This program also aims to advance the understanding of successful coping mechanisms, sources of support and resilience for family members, and the understanding of effective clinical practices within the LGBTQIA+ domain.  

Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund & Research Programs
Through the Franklyn Springfield Funds, APF supports a wide range of initiatives. This includes the Springfield Research Fund Grant, Dissertation Fellowship, and the newer FS Awareness Fund. The Springfield Research Fund Grant and Dissertation Fellowship support graduate students and early career researchers who study contemporary LGBTQIA+ issues in an effort to dispel stereotypes and other negative information that lead to prejudice and discrimination. 

As of 2025, APF’s LGBTQIA+ focused research programs have supported more than $1.5 million in work specifically related to the wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ people. 

APF’s Current Efforts in LGBTQIA+ Psychology

We’re proud of our history in supporting LGBTQIA+ focused psychological research, but in today’s climate, we know history alone isn’t enough. As an organization that works closely with and cares deeply for the queer community, we understand that we must reaffirm our commitment and expand our reach in spaces beyond research labs and journals. This is exactly what the Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund was created for – funding efforts to disseminate information to combat stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ Community.

Franklyn Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellowship
We need informed allies in the rooms where policies are made. As the first initiative of the Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund, the Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellowship allows psychologists to work directly in the offices of members of Congress, providing vital psychological perspectives. The goal of this fellowship is to contribute to the more effective use of psychological knowledge in the U.S. government and to broaden awareness about the value of psychology-government interaction among psychologists and within the federal government.

In 2024, Springfield Congressional Fellow Dr. Tiffany Chenneville worked with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). During her time in Senator Wyden’s office, her efforts included advocating for inclusive HIV prevention by helping prompt the CDC to reconsider age limits in its testing guidelines. She supported a proposed HHS rule to protect LGBTQIA+ youth in foster care, addressed privacy concerns around gender-affirming care, and pushed for better access to online mental health and LGBTQIA+ resources in schools. Dr. Chenneville also worked on strategies to improve data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity in health records and death investigations. 

Our 2025 Springfield Congressional Fellow, Dr. Aaron Hunt, conducts legislative research and advises on policy related to health, disability, and Veteran affairs in the Office of Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). As part of his work in Senator Duckworth’s office, Dr. Hunt provided psychological research supporting a letter calling for accountability of the military’s treatment of transgender service members and ensuring they do not face increased stigma. The letter was signed by 14 senators, among the highest to ever sign on to an oversight letter related to trans issues. 

Springfield Town Hall
In April of this year, APF hosted its first Springfield Town Hall. This event brought together psychologists, other mental health professionals, LGBTQIA+ community members, and allies for community, connection, healing, and support. The goal of these town halls is to create safe spaces for open conversations, and they’re just beginning!

Looking Ahead

While APF has made strides in supporting LGBTQIA+ communities, we’re still just getting started! Through the Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund, our goal is to turn psychological knowledge into accessible information that directly serves the people and communities who need it most. We’re committed to taking research out of labs and journals and into real-world settings where it can make an immediate and tangible impact. 

With the launch of APF Direct Action, we’re entering an exciting new chapter. APF Direct Action seeks to fund innovative interventions, based on psychological knowledge, that directly address pressing needs of communities. Careful research is critical to advancing the field of psychology, but communities also need care right now. APF is uniquely positioned to support both. By focusing on scientifically-sound dissemination and implementation processes, this new initiative aims to make evidence-based psychological interventions accessible where they are needed most. 

While we are deeply committed to this invaluable work, we can’t do this alone. We at APF count on you to partner with us to make sure that this work continues and expands to meet the pressing needs of the times. Therefore, I am asking you, as we celebrate 56 years since Stonewall, to join us by attending and supporting APF programs in any way you can. There is no time like the present and there is much work to do!

In solidarity and celebration,

Derek C. Phillips, PsyD, MSCP, ABMP
Trustee, American Psychological Foundation
Chair, Franklyn Springfield Awareness Fund Committee