A. Dean Byrd

A. Dean Byrd is President of National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), [ [http://www.narth.com/menus/officers.html NARTH Officers ] ] a research organization that advocates reparative therapy. He is a psychologist who focuses on reparative therapy, and has written on the topic. Although raised by a Buddhist mother and a Baptist father, Byrd converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is very active in the debate within the LDS church on issues involving homosexuality.

Professional life

Dr. Dean Byrd received his Ph.D. in psychology from Brigham Young University, a post-doctoral degree in Child and Family Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and Medical College of Virginia, and a post-doctoral degree in Behavioral Medicine from Loyola University, Chicago. He also received both an M.P.H. from the University of Utah, School of Medicine, and an M.B.A. also from the University of Utah. He is a diplomate in Forensic Medicine. [ [http://www.meridianmagazine.com/familywatch/040902Born.html Meridian Magazine :Born That Way? Facts and Fiction ] ]

He has served as the Director of Clinical Training for LDS Social Services, was a Clinical Professor at Brigham Young University, and is currently a Clinical Professor at the University of Utah, School of Medicine, with appointments in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and in Department of Psychiatry, with an adjunct clinical appointment in the Department of Family Studies, also at the University of Utah. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association, the Utah Psychological Association where he currently serves on the Governing Board, with professional affiliations in the American Orthopsychiatric Association, where he is a fellow, the American Public Health Association, the American Board of Forensic Examiners and the Prescribing Psychologist Register, a training and credentialing organization for psychologists in psychopharmacology. He is also a former member of the Evergreen Board of Trustees. [ [http://www.borngayprocon.org/BiosInd/byrd.htm A. Dean Byrd- Biography] ] He is also currently the President of Thrasher Research Fund, a pediatric research granting institution. He was elected in 2007 as the President of NARTH for 2008. [ [http://www.narth.com/docs/anotheryear.html NARTH's Annual Conference Celebrates Another Year of Successes ] ] Dr. Byrd has had visiting professor appointments in Israel and Poland. He is a diplomate in Forensic Medicine. He also has training in genetics, biochemistry and neurochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, CA.

He is a well known supporter of conversion therapy, and has authored more than 100 publications, including books, peer-reviewed scientific journals, law journals, book chapters, invited commentaries and OpinionEditorials, many of which address issues of human sexuality. In 2002, he presented a paper which describes a technique called "gender-affirmative therapy". He states: "The basic premise of gender-affirmative therapy is that social and emotional variables affect gender identity which, in turn, determines sexual orientation. The work of the therapist is to help people understand their gender development. Subsequently, such individuals are able to make choices that are consistent with their value system. The focus of therapy is to help clients fully develop their masculine or feminine identity". [cite journal
url = http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/academics/lawreview/articles/14_2Byrd.pdf
title = Homosexuality: Innate and Immutable?
first = A. Dean
last = Byrd
coauthors = Olsen, Stony
year = 2002
publisher = Regent University Law Review
volume = 14
issue = 513
pages = 537
accessdate= 2007-10-29
format = Dead link|date=June 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AHomosexuality%3A+Innate+and+Immutable%3F&as_publication=&as_ylo=2002&as_yhi=2002&btnG=Search Scholar search]} ] He has written several papers with Joseph Nicolosi. One of the largest ones was a survey of 882 people who were undergoing therapy, attending ex-gay groups or ex-gay conferences, 22. 9% reported they had not undergone any changes, 42.7% reported some changes, and 34.3% reported much change in sexual orientation. As a group, they reported large reductions in homosexual thoughts and fantasies and improvements in their psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual well-being.cite journal
last=Nicolosi
first=Joseph
title=Retrospective self-reports of changes in homosexual orientation: A consumer survey of conversion therapy clients
coauthors=Byrd, A. Dean; Potts, Richard W.
url=http://doi.apa.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=showUIDAbstract&uid=2000-00515-002
publisher=Psychological Reports
date=June 2000|volume=86
pages=1071–1088] He has promoted his ideas on college campuses, [ [http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/narth/bulletin01/16.html Dean Byrd Lectures at Utah Valley State College] ] in newspapers, [cite news
url=http://www.adherents.com/misc/glbt_science.html
publisher=Salt Lake Tribune
date=May 27, 2001
title=Homosexuality: The Innate-Immutability Argument Finds No Basis in Science
last=Byrd
first=Dean] and in several books. He was called as a professional witness to testify on behalf of Andrew McClintock, a Christian magistrate who was forced to resign due to his beliefs on homosexual parents. [cite news
url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Magistrate-in-legal-fight-on.1899214.jp
title=Magistrate in legal fight on his beliefs as a Christian
date=27 November 2006
last=Whitehouse
first=Paul
publisher=Yorkshire Post] [ [http://www.cmda.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=4289 Declaration of A. Dean Byrd] ] In 2007, he was asked to chair a symposiumat the APA Convention in San Francisco. [ [http://www.narth.com/docs/chairs.html NARTH's President Chairs Symposium] ]

Within the LDS church

The LDS church does not view homosexual attractions as sinful, but does require its members to abstain from homosexual sex. It does not have an official view on the cause of homosexuality. [cite web |url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate=2007-12-07] Byrd has been a prominent in defending and explaining the church's position, as well as promoting his own views. He has written four books aimed at LDS audiences and in 1999, he published "When a Loved One Struggles with Same-Sex Attraction" in the Ensign, the official magazine of the church. [cite magazine
url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7fc684d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
last=Byrd
first=A Dean
publisher=Ensign
title=When a Loved One Struggles with Same-Sex Attraction
date=September 1999] It was the first article published in the church's magazine giving advice on how to love people with homosexual inclinations. He has also been a member of the Evergreen Board of Trustees, an ex-gay organization catering to Latter-day Saints.

He has also given presentations and written several articles for Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research dealing with homosexuality. [cite web
url=http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2004_Facts_and_Fiction_about_Homosexuality.html
last=Byrd
first=A Dean
title=Born That Way? Facts and Fiction about Homosexuality
publisher=Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research] [cite web
url=http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/byrd.html
last=Byrd
first=A Dean
title=Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ
publisher=Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research] He has written critically of "No More Goodbyes", written by LDS author Carol Lynn Pearson,cite web
url=http://www.fairlds.org/Reviews/Rvw200701.html
title=Review of "No More Goodbyes"
last=Byrd
first=A Dean] and "In Quiet Desperation", a book about an LDS man's efforts to faithfully live the LDS religion while having same-sex attractions. [cite web
url=http://www.fairlds.org/Reviews/Rvw200505.html
last=Byrd
first=A Dean
title=A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement] In turn, his critique was criticized by other Mormon counselors [cite web
url=http://www.ldsresources.info/professionals/response.shtml
title=A Response to A. Dean Byrd, Shirley Cox and Jeffrey Robinson's “A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement”] , as well as by one of the book's authors, Ty Mansfield. [cite web
url=http://northstarlds.org/mansfieldiqdresponse.php
title=Author's Response to "A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement" by A. Dean Byrd, Shirley Cox, and Jeff Robinson
publisher=North Star
last=Mansfield
first=Ty]

Bibliography

* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0875798713 "Willpower Is Not Enough: Why We Don't Succeed at Change"] (1995) ISBN 978-0875798714
* [http://www.cedarfort.com/catalog/1555175554.html "Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ"] (2001) ISBN 1-55517-555-4
* [http://www.cedarfort.com/catalog/1555175317.html "Waking in Winter"] (2001) ISBN 1-55517-531-7
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590383168 "Finding Wholeness and Happiness After Divorce"] (2004) ISBN 978-1590383162

References