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Jerry T. Lawler vs. transgender people

Jerry T. Lawler is a conservative Catholic American psychologist who is involved in the “ex-transgender” movement. Similar to the ex-gay movement, it is a group of people who believe they have been cured of being trans, either through “desistance” or “detransition.” Lawler offers faith-based therapy to “cure” gender diverse people.

Background

Jerome Timothy Lawler was born in August 1942. Lawler earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin Madison in 1964. Twenty-five years later Lawler returned to school, earning a master’s degree from San Jose State University in 1990 and a doctorate from California School of Professional Psychology in 1994.

Since 2017 Lawler has offered therapy as a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) at Safe Harbor Christian Counseling in Glen Burnie, Maryland.

Anti-transgender activism

Lawler was a founding member of the International Association of Therapists for Desisters and Detransitioners, an anti-transgender front group focused on the “ex-transgender” movement. Lawler is also associated with Therapy First (and its predecessor Gender Exploratory Therapy Association) and Beyond Trans. Lawler was a signatory on the Beyond WPATH open letter criticizing WPATH, and WHO Decides, a petition critical of a World Health Organization panel on trans healthcare.

In 2024, Lawler published an anti-trans paper with Chan Kulatunga-Moruzi on healthcare for trans and gender diverse youth. That year, Lawler also testified in support of Maryland HB 722, along with Jamie Reed, Ismail Royer, Lisa Geraghty, and Henry Mosley.

References

Staff report (February 21, 2024 ). Bipartisan bill seeks to ban chemical, surgical gender and sex transition procedures on minors without parental consent. NottinghamMD.com nottinghammd.com/2024/02/21/bipartisan-bill-seeks-to-ban-chemical-surgical-gender-and-sex-transition-procedures-on-minors-without-parental-consent/

Coverage in anti-trans press

Sprinkle, Preston; Eddy, Paul (March 24, 2021). Less Than Affirming: Perspectives Beyond the Gender Affirmative-only Model of Care for Trans* and Gender Dysphoric People. Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender https://www.centerforfaith.com/blog/less-than-affirming-perspectives-beyond-the-gender-affirmative-only-model-of-care-for-trans-and

McCarthy, S.A. (February 23, 2024). Maryland Dems Back Bill Requiring Parental Consent for Gender Transition Procedures on Minors. The Washington Stand https://washingtonstand.com/news/maryland-dems-back-bill-requiring-parental-consent-for-gender-transition-procedures-on-minors

Selected anti-trans writing by Lawler

Kulatunga Moruzi C, Lawler J (2025). Frailties of Memory: Implications for Therapists Treating Gender Dysphoric Youth. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy  Volume 51, 2025 – Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2024.2406854

GETA signatories including Lawler (September 11, 2022). Re: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance; RIN: 1870-AA16; Docket ID No. ED-2021-OCR-0166 https://www.therapyfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Attachment-1_GETA-Title-IX-Comment.pdf

Resources

Safe Harbor Christian Counseling (safeharbor1.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

International Association of Therapists for Desisters and Detransitioners (iatdd.com)

  • Dr Jerry T. Lawler [archive]
  • iatdd.com/dr-jerry-t-lawler

Beyond Trans (beyondtrans.org)

Therapy First (therapyfirst.org)

Crisis Magazine (crisismagazine.com)