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Laura Perry Smalts and transgender people

Laura Perry Smalts is an American ex-transgender activist. Smalts self-identifies as “a former transgender set free by Jesus Christ.” Smalts gets money and attention by making it harder for others to get trans healthcare.

Background

Laura Beth Perry was born in September of 1982 to Paul and Francine Perry. Perry grew up as an active member of First Baptist Church of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Perry has siblings.

After making a gender transition, Perry used the name Jacobe Nathan “Jake” Perry and underwent both top surgery and bottom surgery. Perry lived with a transgender partner. In 2016, Perry made addiitonal gender changes after nine years. In 2017, Perry had a religious conversion.

Perry has served on the staff of First Stone Ministries in Oklahoma City. In 2022, Smalts married musician and minister Perry Smalts and took Smalts’ surname.

Anti-trans activism

Smalts appears in the 2020 propaganda piece In His Image: Delighting in God’s Plan for Gender and Sexuality, produced by the American Family Association through its American Family Studios.

In 2022, Smalts and ex-trans activist Billy Burleigh both testified in support of an Arkansas ban on trans healthcare for minors. Both discussed their religious conversions.

In 2024, Smalts launched Eden’s Redemption, Inc. Their promotional site offered speaking engagements for religious groups covering:

  • The Testimony of Laura Perry Smalts, Former Transgender
  • How to Reach Your LGBTQ Loved Ones
  • God’s Incredible Design of Male and Female and Why It’s Good
  • Understanding the History of Transgenderism
  • The Dangerous Cult Mentality of LGBTQ+
  • Hope for the Hurting Parent
  • The Joy of Embracing Biblical Womanhood
  • Responding Biblically to the Transgender Culture with Compassion
  • Protecting Children From the Harms of Medical Transition

References

Taylor, Claire (March 16, 2026). Two Wheaton College Lectures Offer Different Perspectives on Gender Identity. The lectures came from two different positions on how to interact with gender identity through a Christian lens. The Wheaton Record https://thewheatonrecord.com/2026/03/16/two-wheaton-college-lectures-offer-different-perspectives-on-gender-identity/

Vrbin, Tess (November 30, 2022). “Detransitioned” adults defend Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Arkansas Advocate https://arkansasadvocate.com/2022/11/30/detransitioned-adults-defend-arkansas-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Gelder, Austin (November 30, 2022). Jesus takes the wheel at trial over Arkansas’s trans health care ban. Arkansas Times https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2022/11/30/jesus-takes-the-wheel-at-trial-over-arkansass-trans-health-care-ban

Anti-trans coverage

Staff report (January 30, 3035). Laura Perry Smalts’ Authentic Shift From Transgenderism To Embracing God’s Design. Focus on the Family https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/transformed-by-faith-laura-perry-smalts-journey-from-transgenderism-to-embracing-gods-design/

Stonestreet, John; Hayden, Jared (April 2, 2024). The Transformative Power of the Word of God: Woman who underwent transgender surgeries shares how God restored her life as an image bearer. Breakpoint / Colson Center

Stonestreet, John; Hayden, Jared (March 26, 2024). Transgender to Transformed: the Story of Laura Perry Smalts. Breakpoint / Colson Center https://breakpoint.org/transgender-to-transformed-the-story-of-laura-perry-smalts/

Maurits, Emily J. (2023). Review: Transgender to Transformed: A Story of Transition That Will Truly Set You Free. Themelios / The Gospel Coalition https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/transgender-to-transformed-a-story-of-transition-that-will-truly-set-you-free/

Staff report (December 13, 2022). A transformed Christian speaks about her former transgender life. Christian Network Europe https://cne.news/article/2205-a-transformed-christian-speaks-about-her-former-transgender-life

Staff report (November 20, 2022). She left transgender life, now embraces fresh start. The Baptist Paper https://thebaptistpaper.org/she-left-transgender-life-now-embraces-fresh-start/

Hobbs, Brian (November 18, 2022). Transgender to true love. The Baptist Messenger https://www.baptistmessenger.com/transgender-to-true-love/

Jackson, Mary (April 23, 2022). Laura to Jake and back again: After trying to live as a man for years, Laura Perry finds Christ’s love in the process of detransitioning. World News Group https://wng.org/articles/laura-to-jake-and-back-again-1649309928

Scott, Jonathan (May 24, 2021). Former Transgender Shares How God’s Power Broke Through the Lies: ‘I Left It all to Follow Christ.’ Christian Broadcasting Network https://cbn.com/news/us/former-transgender-shares-how-gods-power-broke-through-lies-i-left-it-all-follow-christ

Hobbs, Brian (Sep 6, 2019). Sword & trowel: Transgender to transformed. The Baptist Messenger https://www.baptistmessenger.com/sword-trowel-transgender-to-transformed/

Lynn, Sheryl (March 2, 2019). She lived as ‘Jake’ for nearly 10 years before realizing it was all a lie. The Christian Post https://www.christianpost.com/news/she-lived-as-jake-for-nearly-10-years-before-realizing-it-was-all-a-lie.html

Reed, Anne (December 18, 2018). From Transgendered to Transformed. The Stand / American Family Association https://afa.net/the-stand/family/2018/12/from-transgendered-to-transformed/

Hobbs, Brian (August 8, 2017). From transgender to transformed. The Baptist Messenger https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/from-transgender-to-transformed/

Selected writing by Smalts

Smalts, Laura Perry (April 2, 2024). Discovering the Beauty of Womanhood: God’s good design for womanhood remains even when culture tries to erase it. Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org/family/gender/discovering-beauty-womanhood/

Book

Perry, Laura (2019). Transgender to Transformed: A Story of Transition That Will Truly Set You Free. Genesis Publishing Group, ISBN 978-1933591308

Media

In His Image Movie (March 12, 2021). In His Image | FULL MOVIE #documentary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3YKpnrzmqc

700 Club Interactive / CBN (July 11, 2019). Transgender to Transformed | Laura Perry’s Story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucdLlJi8j50

Resources

Trans Data Library (transdatalibrary.org)

Transgender to Transformed (transgendertotransformed.com)

Eden’s Redemption (edensredemption.org) [archive]

In His Image (inhisimage.movie)

Focus on the Family (focusonthefamily.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)