A. Dean Byrd

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Dean Byrd
Born
Albert Dean Byrd

(1948-08-22)August 22, 1948
United States
DiedApril 4, 2012(2012-04-04) (aged 63)[1]
Resting placeHighland City Cemetery, Utah
Alma materBrigham Young University
SpouseElaine Harlow Byrd[2][1]
Parents
  • Imouri (Moody) Jung Jones
  • George Otto Byrd

Albert Dean Byrd (1948 – 4 April 2012)

Baptist father, Byrd converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was very active in the debate within the church on issues involving homosexuality.[5]

Professional life

Byrd was a well known supporter of conversion therapy, and authored more than 100 publications, including books, peer-reviewed scientific journals, law journals, book chapters, invited commentaries and opinion editorials, many of which addressed issues of human sexuality. In 2002, he presented a paper which describes a technique called gender-affirmative therapy. He stated: "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".[6] He wrote several papers with Joseph Nicolosi. One of the largest 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.[7] He promoted his ideas on college campuses,[8] in newspapers,[9] 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.[10][11] In 2007, he was asked to chair a symposium at the APA Convention in San Francisco.[12]

Byrd received a

M.B.A. also from the U of U. He was a diplomate in forensic medicine.[13]

Byrd served as the Director of Clinical Training for

University of California at Berkeley
.

Within the LDS Church

Further information: Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The LDS Church does not view homosexual attractions as sinful, but does teach its members to abstain from homosexual sex. It does not have an official view on the cause of homosexuality.

ex-gay
organization catering to Latter-day Saints.

Byrd gave presentations and wrote several articles for the

Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research dealing with homosexuality.[17][18] He wrote critically of No More Goodbyes, written by Latter-day Saint author Carol Lynn Pearson,[5] and In Quiet Desperation, a book about a Latter-day Saint man's efforts to faithfully live his religion while having same-sex attractions.[19] In turn, his critique was criticized by other Latter-day Saint counselors,[20] as well as by one of the book's authors, Ty Mansfield.[21]

Death

Byrd died of cancer on 4 April 2012.[3][22]

Bibliography

  • Willpower Is Not Enough: Why We Don't Succeed at Change (1995)
    ISBN 978-0-87579-871-4
  • Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ (2001)
    ISBN 978-1-55517-555-9
  • Waking in Winter (2001)
    ISBN 978-1-55517-531-3
  • Finding Wholeness and Happiness After Divorce (2004)
    ISBN 978-1-59038-316-2

References

  1. ^ a b "Byrd, A. Dean". Deseret News. LDS church. 8 April 2012.
  2. ^ Byrd, Dean. "A. Dean Byrd". fairmormon.org. The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc.
  3. ^ a b "A. Dean Byrd, Ph.D. – NARTH Pioneer (1948-2012)". NARTH. 2012-04-04. Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  4. ^ NARTH Officers Archived 2004-08-03 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b Byrd, A Dean. "Review of "No More Goodbyes"". Archived from the original on 2008-03-25.
  6. ^ Byrd, A. Dean; Olsen, Stony (2002). "Homosexuality: Innate and Immutable?" (PDF). Regent University Law Review. 14 (513): 537. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  7. S2CID 36702477
    .
  8. ^ "Dean Byrd Lectures at Utah Valley State College". Archived from the original on 2008-05-04. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  9. ^ Byrd, Dean (May 27, 2001). "Homosexuality: The Innate-Immutability Argument Finds No Basis in Science". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on November 26, 2001.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Whitehouse, Paul (27 November 2006). "Magistrate in legal fight on his beliefs as a Christian". Yorkshire Post.
  11. ^ "Declaration of A. Dean Byrd". Archived from the original on 2016-10-22. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  12. ^ NARTH's President Chairs Symposium Archived 2008-04-17 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Meridian Magazine :Born That Way? Facts and Fiction Archived 2008-04-06 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ NARTH's Annual Conference Celebrates Another Year of Successes Archived 2008-05-01 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "God Loveth His Children". Retrieved 2007-12-07.
  16. ^ Byrd, A Dean (September 1999). "When a Loved One Struggles with Same-Sex Attraction". Ensign.
  17. Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research. Archived from the original
    on 2008-05-11.
  18. Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research. Archived from the original
    on 2008-05-15.
  19. ^ Byrd, A Dean. "A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01.
  20. ^ "A Response to A. Dean Byrd, Shirley Cox and Jeffrey Robinson's "A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement"". Archived from the original on 2008-04-18.
  21. ^ Mansfield, Ty. "Author's Response to "A Slippery Slope that Limits the Atonement" by A. Dean Byrd, Shirley Cox, and Jeff Robinson". North Star. Archived from the original on 2007-10-06.
  22. ^ "Ex-gay movement leader A. Dean Byrd dies | QSaltLake - Utah Gay and Lesbian News and Entertainment Magazine". QSaltLake. 2012-04-08. Archived from the original on 2012-04-13. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
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