George Rekers vs. transgender people

by Andrea James Reviewed October 9, 2026 16 min read

George Rekers is an American psychologist, Baptist minister, and anti-transgender activist. Rekers is a key historical figure in promoting conversion therapy for gay and gender diverse youth.

Rekers is affiliated with a number of anti-LGBTQ organizations, including:

Family Research Council: founding board member
National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH, now ATCSI): scientific advisory board member
American College of Pediatricians: member

Starting in 1974, Rekers published case reports of children “cured” of “deviant sex-role behaviors.” Rekers became one of the most prominent anti-gay and anti-trans “experts” for nearly 35 years after.

In May 2010, Rekers was photographed while vacationing with a “rent boy.” Other gay sex workers came forward following the revelations, stating they had interacted with Rekers. Rekers’ exposure was covered extensively in the media, and Rekers resigned from NARTH (later renamed ATCSI).

In June 2011, an in-depth investigation by Jim Burroway and a separate exposé by CNN effectively destroyed what was left of Rekers’ career and reputation.

note: this profile contains descriptions of child abuse, sexual acts, and suicide. This site has crisis resources if you need support.

Background

George Alan Rekers was born on July 11, 1948. Rekers earned a bachelor’s degree from Westmont College (originally Bible Missionary Institute) in 1969. Rekers then attended UCLA, earning a masters degree in 1971 and a doctorate in 1972. Rekers was a research fellow and visiting scholar at Harvard University from 1973 to 1974.

Rekers later earned a theology degree from the University of South Africa and an MBA from Southern Wesleyan University.

Rekers married Sharon Lee Rekers. They have children.

Rekers’ first victims (1970)

In 1970, Rekers was part of a new federally funded UCLA program for young boys considered effeminate. Other researchers included Richard Green, Alexander Rosen, Robert Stoller, and Rekers’ mentor O. Ivar Lovaas. Rekers oversaw the “treatment” of several children, using behavioral techniques to discourage what Rekers called “deviant sex-role behaviors in a male child.”

Rekers’ 1972 dissertation included three case reports: “Carl,” Wayne,” and “Kraig” (later revealed to be four-year-old Kirk Murphy, born in 1965).

Rekers ran the experiment in a playroom with a one-way mirror. Kirk’s parent Kaytee wore an earpiece and was told to praise Kirk for playing with “boy” toys and ignore him for choosing “girl” toys. In one session Kirk became so distressed that it had to be stopped. The treatment then moved into the home as a token system. Blue poker chips earned rewards. Red chips could lead to spankings from Kirk’s parent Rod, which were settled up every Friday. Kirk’s sibling Mark was put on the system too, and Mark would secretly take some of Kirk’s red chips in order to take the beatings for Kirk. Mark also recalls seeing Kirk badly bruised. Family life got worse during and after the treatment. Rod drank more, and Kirk began having nightmares. After an earthquake and the murder of a young cousin, the family moved to Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Kirk became anxious and isolated, spending hours pacing with a stick, eating lunch in a bathroom stall, and suffering low self-esteem. When Kaytee and Rod split up, Kaytee had a breakdown, and teenage Kirk ended up running the household.

In 1974, Rekers and Lovaas published Murphy’s case, claiming:

“Follow-up data three years after the treatment began suggests that the boy’s sex-typed behaviors have become normalized. This study suggests a preliminary step toward correcting pathological sex-role development in boys, which may provide a basis for the primary prevention of adult transsexualism or similar adult sex-role deviation.”

Eight years after Rekers’ report, Kirk Murphy attempted suicide at age 17. Richard Green interviewed Kirk at ages 17 and 18 for the 1987 book The “Sissy Boy Syndrome” and the Development of Homosexuality. Green revealed that Kirk (called “Kyle” in Green’s book) was still attracted to men, was deeply conflicted over those attractions, had an anonymous sexual encounter with a man, and attempted suicide because of it.

In the 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen, anti-trans psychologist J. Michael Bailey presents Rekers’ “treatment” of Murphy as a failure in preventing homosexuality, but a success in preventing a gender transition:

“Green saw Kraig periodically between the ages of 5 and 18. When Kraig was 17, his mother was interviewed and said she was thankful that he had had the therapy; that without it he would have doubtless become homosexual or worse. Unfortunately, however, the therapy had not rescued Kraig’s relationship with his father, which had only gotten worse. (It seems that Kraig never learned to enjoy hunting with his father and preferred art and theater to sports.) At age 17 Kraig was telling a story similar to his mother’s, indicating his disgust with homosexuality and men who behaved in a feminine way. A year later, however, Kraig admitted that he not only had homosexual feelings but that he had acted on them—with a complete stranger in a restroom in a convention center. He felt in his mind that the experience was “unreal,” and shortly afterwards took an overdose of aspirin. (He survived.) He believed that his parents would be disappointed and upset if they found out that he was not heterosexual. In general, Kraig appeared to be ashamed and deeply conflicted about his homosexuality. But he no longer enjoyed dressing or acting like a girl.

[…] there is no denying that both moderate [Kenneth] Zucker and right-winger Rekers think that parents should not just sit back and let their sons express their feminine sides. This view draws the wrath of the left-wingers, who insist that there is nothing wrong with boys who like girls’ things. […] The central difference between Zucker and his critics on the left is that Zucker believes that most boys who play with girls’ things often enough to earn a diagnosis of [“gender identity disorder”] would become girls if they could. Failure to intervene increases the chances of transsexualism in adulthood, which Zucker considers a bad outcome. For one, sex change surgery is major and permanent, and can have serious side effects. Why put boys at risk for this when they can become gay men happy to be men?”

About eight months after Bailey’s book came out, Murphy committed suicide In December 2003 at age 38.

Until 2011, Rekers continued to claim Murphy had grown into a well-adjusted teenager with a “normal male” identity. Rekers took credit for the case in at least 20 articles, book chapters, and other publications.

Anti-gay activism

Rekers frequently provided courtroom testimony and published many books and articles. Rekers received numerous fellowships, contracts, and grants from private foundations and governmental entities, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Rekers appeared before committees of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, served as an invited “expert” for White House staff and several presidential cabinet agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services.

Rekers was rewarded by academia and psychology with a prominent career. Rekers was awarded the Diplomate in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology and was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology.

Rekers rose to Distinguished Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science Emeritus at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Rekers received the NARTH Sigmund Freud Award for “research contributions on child gender identity disorder.”

Rent boy incident (2010)

In May 2010, Miami New Times reporters received a tip that Rekers was vacationing with an escort found through rentboy.com. Penn Bullock and Brandon K. Thorp then staked out the Miami airport and took pictures of Rekers with escort Jo-Vanni Roman. Bullock and Thorp later interviewed Roman, whom they called “Lucien”:

“In his interview with New Times, Lucien didn’t want to impugn his client, but he made it clear they met through Rentboy.com, which is the only website on which he advertises his services. Neither Google nor any other search engine picks up individual Rentboy.com profiles, any more than they pick up individual profiles on eHarmony or Match.com. You cannot just happen upon one.

To arrive at Lucien’s site, Rekers must have accepted Rentboy.com‘s terms of use, thereby acknowledging he was not offended by graphic sexual material. He then would have been transported to a front page covered with images of naked, tumescent men busily sodomizing each other.

As a favor to Rekers, Lucien recently removed any wanton sexual descriptors from his Rentboy profile. Though he does admit Rekers “likes younger guys to hang out with,” Lucien is protective of his erstwhile client. He describes Rekers primarily as a family man — one whose passion for oppressing homosexuals is dwarfed by his desire to help children. “You don’t understand how much this guy honestly cares about taking care of kids,” he says.

[…] Well, it’s a good thing Rekers isn’t gay himself. Lucien tells us that Rekers frequently takes in foster children and that four years ago he adopted a 16-year-old boy. We found the boy, who is now Lucien’s age, on Facebook. He declined to be interviewed.

Rekers responded in a blog post:

“A recent article in an alternative newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute to accompany him on a recent trip. Contrary to Internet stories based on this slanderous article, following medical advice Professor George Rekers requires an assistant to lift his luggage in his travels because of an ongoing condition following surgery. His family, local friends, and even another university professor colleague have offered to accompany him on trips to assist him in his travel. Dr. Rekers found his recent travel assistant by interviewing different people who might be able to help, and did not even find out about his travel assistant’s Internet advertisements offering prostitution activity until after the trip was in progress. There was nothing inappropriate with this relationship. Professor Rekers was not involved in any illegal or sexual behavior with his travel assistant.”

On May 6, Family Research Council (FRC) issued a press release from Tony Perkins that stated in part:

“In the past 24 hours FRC has received calls regarding Dr. George Rekers and his connection with the Family Research Council. After reviewing the historical records we did verify that Dr. Rekers was a member of the original Family Research Council board prior to its merger with Focus on the Family in 1987.

Reports have been circulating regarding Dr. Reker’s relationship with a male prostitute. FRC has had no contact with Dr. Rekers or knowledge of his activities in over a decade so FRC can provide no further insight into these allegations.”

On May 7, Joe Jervis of the Joe My God blog posted an interview with Jo-Vanni Roman, discussing what happened in the hotel rooms in Europe:

It was in those budget hotel rooms where he and Rekers had their daily erotic nude massage sessions. Jo-Vanni confirmed to me the “anus long-stroking” technique reported by the Miami New Times, but says that’s as far as things went. He says that Rekers never suggested taking things further, but that Rekers’ cock was “rock hard” during the massages. “So it was definitely sexual for him?” I asked. “Oh, for sure!” he replied. And in that way that 20 year-olds speak, he added, “He was definitely totally gay for me.”

On May 7, 2010, Jim Burroway reported on a quickly deleted CNN teaser for their interview with Jo-Vanni Roman:

“Lucien” showed me the contract he signed with Rekers. It does show he was hired to carry Rekers luggage because he needed help with that, but #3 in the contract terms spells out that Lucien “will provide George Rekers a massage for at least one hour each day of the trip in their shared rooms using the same procedures (“Lucien”) provided to George Rekers in Florida.” “Lucien” told me he had given Rekers two “sexual massages” in Florida at hotels before they even left for Europe and that Rekers had requested the massages be “sexual.” “Lucien” says he gave Rekers what he called the “long stroke” which included touching his genitals. He said the massages took place in their shared rooms in both London and Madrid.

On May 11, 2010, Rekers posted what ended up being the final post:

“I am immediately resigning my membership in NARTH to allow myself the time necessary to fight the false media reports that have been made against me. With the assistance of a defamation attorney, I will fight these false reports because I have not engaged in any homosexual behavior whatsoever. I am not gay and never have been.”

2011 investigations

In June 2011, two major investigations into the Kirk Murphy outcome were published. Jim Burroway released the definitive 7-part series on the case.

Anderson Cooper released a 4-part video report on CNN. CNN reporters tracked down Rekers in a Florida strip mall after Rekers did not respond to interview requests:

CNN reporter: “We’ve interviewed ‘Kraig’s’ family recently. They say that the therapy you did with him as a child led directly to his suicide as an adult. What do you say about that?”

Rekers: “I didn’t know that, that’s too bad.”

CNN reporter: “You’re not aware of his suicide?”

Rekers: “No.”

CNN reporter: “What do you say to the family if they say that the therapy that you did with him as a child led to his suicide as an adult?”

CNN reporter: “Well, I think scientifically, that would be inaccurate to assume that it was the therapy, but I do grieve for the parents now that you’ve told me that news. I think that’s very sad.”

Anderson Cooper (voiceover): “Rekers pointed out that his work with Kirk took place decades before his suicide.”

Rekers: “That’s a long time ago. You have a hypothesis that positive treatment back in the 1970s had something to do with something happening decades later. That hypothesis would need a lot of scientific investigation to see if it’s valid. Two independent psychologists of me had evaluated him and had said he was better adjusted after treatment. So it wasn’t my opinion.”

These reports effectively ended Rekers’ long career harming LGBTQ people and secured Rekers’ legacy as one of the most pathetic and self-hating anti-gay activists in history.

Legacy

In 2024, the Lovaas Institute issued a formal acknowledgement of their founder’s role in supporting conversion therapy in general and Rekers in particular, stating in part:

“In 1972, a doctoral student, George Rekers, conducted a dissertation on a child’s sex-role behavior. We regret the role that Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas had in supporting this UCLA study. In fact, Dr. Lovaas himself had long regretted his role in supporting this dissertation at UCLA and disavowed Rekers and his work.

It is obvious to us, and the behavior analysis community in general, that the George Rekers dissertation on the modification of what he called “deviant sex-role behavior” of a four-year-old boy was a wholly inappropriate extension of ABA. The impact was devastating. We now know that the child suffered immediate and long-term harm, and eventually died by suicide as an adult. The effects on this child were truly heartbreaking. We at the Lovaas Institute find it distressing and disturbing that this dissertation was ever approved and ultimately published.

Studies such as these are no longer considered acceptable by the scientific community. Conversion therapy has never been proven to be effective and in fact is proven to be harmful. It is morally wrong.

[…] We take heart that today there is common consensus that diversity in gender identity and expression is fully accepted as healthy and the source of strength in our communities.”

References

Staff report (March 2024). Lovaas Institute Statement Regarding Conversion Therapy. https://lovaas.com/2024/03/lovaas-institute-statement-regarding-conversion-therapy/

Wilson, Erin Faith (November 21, 2017). 17 Antigay Leaders Exposed as Gay or Bi. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/politics/2017/11/21/17-antigay-leaders-exposed-gay-or-bi

Scherstuhl, Alan (September 16, 2011). Four Terrible Old Books About Homosexuality, Including 1962’s Faggots to Burn. SF Weekly https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/four-terrible-old-books-about-homosexuality-including-1962s-faggots-to-burn/article_dd55aff2-2b48-5e62-a55e-9e25281422a8.html original url http://www.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2011/09/16/four-terrible-old-books-about-homosexuality-including-1962s-faggots-to-burn

Bullock, Penn; Thorp, Brandon K. (June 8, 2011). Reporters find tragic story amid embarrassing scandal. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/08/rekers.sissy.boy.experiment/index.html

Burroway, Jim (June 7, 2011). What Are Little Boys Made Of? Box Turtle Bulletin https://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of-main

Part 1: Introducing Kirk boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of1
Part 2: Psychology, 1970 Style boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of2
Part 3: Red Chips, Blue Chips boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of3
Part 4: The Bitter Root boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of4
Part 5: “No One Was Obviously Harmed” boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of5
Part 6: The Tug of War boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of6
Part 7: Skirting the Issues boxturtlebulletin.com/what-are-little-boys-made-of7

Epilogues, statements, and eulogies
- Cuius Culpa? boxturtlebulletin.com/cuius_culpa
- The Doctor’s Word boxturtlebulletin.com/the-doctors-word
- Blind Man’s Bluff boxturtlebulletin.com/blind-mans-bluff
- Maris’s Statement boxturtlebulletin.com/maris-statement
- Mark’s Statement boxturtlebulletin.com/mark-statement
- Maris’s Eulogy boxturtlebulletin.com/maris-eulogy
- Debbie’s Eulogy boxturtlebulletin.com/debbie-eulogy
- Frank’s Eulogy boxturtlebulletin.com/franks-eulogy

Blumner, Robyn E. (May 20, 2010). Rentboy and gay adoptions. Tampa Bay Times https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2010/05/23/rentboy-and-gay-adoptions/

Esseks, James (May 18, 2010). George Rekers: An Ex-Expert Witness. ACLU https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/george-rekers-ex-expert-witness

Rich, Frank (May 15, 2010). A Heaven-Sent Rent Boy. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/opinion/16rich.html

Pareene, Alex (May 12, 2010). George Rekers resigns from anti-gay group, forced to go on trips with wife. Salon https://www.salon.com/2010/05/12/george_rekers_gay_resign/

Jervis, Joe (May 7, 2010). My Interview With Jo-Vanni Roman. Joe My God https://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-interview-with-jo-vanni-roman.html

Staff report (May 6, 2010). Report: Antigay activist hired male prostitute. Tampa Bay Times https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2010/05/06/report-antigay-activist-hired-male-prostitute/

Montopoli, Brian (May 6, 2010). George Rekers, Christian Right Leader, Denies Gay Prostitution Allegation. CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-rekers-christian-right-leader-denies-gay-prostitution-allegation/

Bullock, Penn; Thorp, Brandon K. (May 6, 2010). Christian right leader George Rekers takes vacation with “rent boy.” Miami New Times https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/christian-right-leader-george-rekers-takes-vacation-with-rent-boy-6377933

Feder, Ellen K. (2007). Family Bonds: Genealogies of Race and Gender. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195314748

Blount, Jackie M. (2006). Fit to Teach: Same-Sex Desire, Gender, and School Work in the Twentieth Century. SUNY Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-7914-6268-3.

Stagg report (October 4, 2004). Howard v. Arkansas – George Rekers Fact Sheet. ACLU https://www.aclu.org/documents/howard-v-arkansas-george-rekers-fact-sheet

Anti-trans coverage

Press release (May 6, 2010). FRC Statement on Dr. George Rekers. Family Research Council http://www.frc.org/newsroom/frc-statement-on-dr-george-rekers [archive]

Bailey, J. Michael (2003). The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Joseph Henry Press, ISBN 978-0309084185

LeVay, Simon (1996). Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-12199-9.

Hinson, Edward (1985). Review: Growing Up Straight: What Families Should Know about Homosexuality. Fundamentalist Journal https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1131

Zucker, K. J. (1984). Book review: Shaping Your Child’s Sexual Identity. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 13(4), 387–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01541910

Selected writing by Rekers

Rekers, George (May 5, 2010). Misleading internet reports about Professor George Rekers. Professor George https://professorgeorge.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/misleading-internet-reports-about-professor-george-rekers/ [archive]

Rekers, George A. (1989). The Christian World View of the Family. The Coalition on Revival https://www.reformation.net/uploads/1/1/7/6/117618790/the_christian_world_view_of_the_family.pdf

Rekers, G. A., Lovaas, O. I., & Low, B. (1974). The behavioral treatment of a ”transsexual” preadolescent boy. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2(2), 99–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00919093

Rekers, G. A., & Lovaas, O. I. (1974). Behavioral treatment of deviant sex-role behaviors in a male child. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7(2), 173–190. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1974.7-173

Rekers, G.A. (1972). Pathological Sex-Role Development in Boys: Behavioral Treatment and Assessment. UCLA doctoral dissertation

Books

Rekers, George A. (1996). Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer? (1996). Glenbridge Publishing, ISBN 978-0944435380

Rekers, George A. (1988). Counseling Families. Word Books, ISBN 978-0849905957

Rekers, George A. (1985). Family Building: Six Qualities of a Strong Family. Regal Books, ISBN 978-0830710461

Rekers, George A. (1984). Making Up the Difference: Help for Single Parents with Teenagers. Baker Book House, ISBN 978-0801077265

Rekers, George A. (1982). Shaping Your Child’s Sexual Identity. Baker Book House, ISBN 978-0801077135

Rekers, George A. (1982). Growing Up Straight: What Every Family Should Know About Homosexuality. Moody Press, ISBN 978-0-8024-0156-4

Media

CNN / Anderson Cooper 360 with Anderson Cooper via SuchIsLifeVideos (June 8, 2011). AC360 – The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiment – Part One. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-irAT0viF0

(June 9, 2011). AC360 – The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiment – Part Two (Confronting George Rekers). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_AeCUSXfmU
(June 10, 2011). AC360 – The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiment – Part Three (Ryan Kendall). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI6-g5hnRmg
(June 15, 2011). AC360 – The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiment – Part Four (Blogger Jim Burroway). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufejiTsKjOs

MSNBC / Countdown with Keith Olbermann via SuchIsLifeVideos (May 11, 2010). George Rekers Resigns From NARTH. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fUU0evTWQI

MSNBC / The Rachel Maddow with Rachel Maddow via SuchIsLifeVideos (May 8, 2010). A George Rekers Smack Down From Rachel Maddow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl7Rwyro7qU