In July 1964, the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), in the United States, published an official document classifying homosexuality as a disease. According to the document, prepared by the institution’s public health committee, homosexuals would be “emotionally disturbed individuals who have not acquired a normal capacity to develop satisfying heterosexual relationships”. The text at the time had wide repercussion in the North American press, it was harshly criticized by doctors, lawyers and representatives of the LBGTQIA+ community, but only now, 58 years after its publication, was it considered invalid by the institution. In a statement posted on the academy’s website in June, Judith Salerno, president of the NYAM, acknowledged that the article was wrong. She wrote that, “while it may have reflected prevailing attitudes at the time, the public health committee’s report was incorrect and perpetuated views without scientific support.” She added: “NYAM’s inaction in dealing with your content is shameful. We apologize for the pain this document and our silence inflicted on the LGBTQIA+ community.”