Ryan T. Anderson

Last updated

Ryan T. Anderson
Anderson headshot 2023.jpg
Anderson in May 2023
Born
Ryan Thomas Anderson

1981 (age 42–43)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Education
Princeton University (AB)
Known forOpposition to LGBT rights in the United States, including the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the United States, laws that ban discrimination against LGBT people, and laws that ban the practice of conversion therapy on children
Notable work
What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense
TitlePresident of the Ethics and Public Policy Center
Movement Religious conservatism

Ryan Thomas Anderson [1] (born 1981) [2] is an American religious conservative who is primarily known for his opposition to LGBT rights in the United States, including the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the United States, laws that ban discrimination against LGBT people, and laws that ban the practice of conversion therapy on children. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Anderson is currently president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. [6] He was previously a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, [7] and the founder and editor-in-chief of Public Discourse, an online journal of the Witherspoon Institute. [8]

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1981, [2] the second youngest of five sons. [3] He attended Princeton University, where he received his B.A. degree, and then the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a Ph.D. [9]

Career

In November 2003, Anderson wrote an article for the Daily Princetonian , the student newspaper at Princeton University, comparing homosexual "characteristics" and homosexual "acts" to "alcoholism" and "the crimes of a pedophiliac priest" in arguing for his religious beliefs about homosexuality. [10] [4] [5]

In February 2007, Anderson wrote an article for First Things , a religious conservative journal, about his friend in which he speculated about his "problem" of same-sex attraction, said that his friend "suffers" same-sex attraction, mused about a "cure" for homosexuality, and claimed homosexuality as amidst "disorders". [11] [4] [5]

In 2012, Anderson wrote an article in which he promoted an article about advocates for a "cure" for homosexuality who fought against laws that ban the practice of conversion therapy on children and quoted his previous article in justification. [12] [4] [5]

In 2012, Anderson co-authored the book What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense with Sherif Girgis and his mentor Robert P. George, published by Encounter Books. [3] [13] In it, they argued that the purpose of marriage is reproduction and thus same-sex marriage should not be possible. Justice Samuel Alito referenced the book in his dissenting opinion in United States v. Windsor . [3] [14]

In 2014, Anderson wrote a dissertation titled Neither Liberal Nor Libertarian: A Natural Law Approach to Social Justice and Economic Rights, advised by University of Notre Dame professor Michael Zuckert. [9] [2]

In 2017, Anderson co-wrote the book Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination with Girgis and John Corvino. The book received positive reviews for its constructive, back-and-forth discussion on religious freedom and anti-discrimination law. [15] [16]

In 2018, Anderson released his book When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment . [17] [18] [19] The book, critical of what Anderson calls "transgenderism" and heavily influenced by the works of Paul R. McHugh, came under scrutiny after it topped the Amazon bestsellers list in the Gay & Lesbian Civil Rights History category. [20]

In 2019, Anderson voiced his opposition to a state law in Massachusetts that bans the practice of conversion therapy on children. [21] [22] [4] [5]

In 2020, Anderson co-wrote an article with his mentor Robert P. George in which they claimed homosexual "inclinations" as "disordered" in criticizing Pope Francis for his support for the legal recognition of same-sex couples. [23] [4] [5]

On February 21, 2021, Anderson wrote in opposition to the Equality Act, which is a bill in the United States Congress that would ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in federal law. [24]

On February 21, 2021, Anderson's book, When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment, was removed from Amazon. [25] On March 11, 2021, Amazon explained its decision in a letter addressed to Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, and Josh Hawley. [26] Anderson denied that his book described transgender people as "mentally ill." [27]

Personal life

Anderson is a Catholic. [28]

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References

  1. ↑ "O nowej teorii prawa naturalnego, małżeństwie i wolności religii" (in Polish). Central and Eastern European Online Library . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Anderson, Ryan T. (2014). Neither liberal nor libertarian: a natural law approach to social justice and economic rights (Ph.D.). University of Notre Dame.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Barnes, Robert (April 15, 2015). "The right finds a fresh voice on same-sex marriage". The Washington Post . Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ryan T. Anderson". GLAAD . July 15, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rachel Percelay (June 17, 2015). "Meet Ryan Anderson, The Anti-LGBT 'Scholar' Peddling Junk Science To National Media". Media Matters for America . Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Ryan T. Anderson". Ethics and Public Policy Center . Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Fitzsimons, Tim (January 29, 2019). "Conservative group hosts anti-transgender panel of feminists 'from the left'". NBC News . Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Masthead". Public Discourse. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Ryan T. Anderson, Author at Ethics & Public Policy Center". Ethics & Public Policy Center . Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  10. ↑ Ryan Anderson (November 5, 2003). "Catholic teaching on sexuality asks the same of everyone". Daily Princetonian . Archived from the original on March 22, 2006. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  11. ↑ Ryan T. Anderson (February 2007). "Struggling Alone". First Things . Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ Ryan T. Anderson (November 1, 2012). "The New York Times, Same-Sex Attraction, and Struggling Alone". First Things . Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  13. ↑ Worsnip, Alex (January 30, 2013). "Arguing against gay marriage". Prospect. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  14. ↑ United States v. Windsor , 570 (U.S.2013).
  15. ↑ Picciotti-Bayer, Andrea (July 18, 2017). "Religious Liberty vs. Anti-Discrimination: Toward a 'Political Settlement'". National Review. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  16. ↑ Vischer, Robert K. "Agreeing on How to Disagree". Commonweal. No. September 20, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  17. ↑ Anderson, Ryan (2018). When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment. Encounter. p. 264. ISBN   9781641770484.
  18. ↑ Greenesmith, Heron (June 17, 2020). "Non-Affirming Therapists Endanger Trans Youth". Teen Vogue. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  19. ↑ Lu, Rachel (July 29, 2018). "The Assault on Reality". National Review. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  20. ↑ Eunjung Cha, Ariana (February 2, 2018). "Ryan Anderson's book on transgender people is creating an uproar". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  21. ↑ Christine Rousselle (April 11, 2019). "Mass. bans therapists from efforts to change minors' orientation or gender identity". Catholic News Agency . Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  22. ↑ "AMA supports federal ban on 'conversion therapy'". Catholic News Agency . November 25, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  23. ↑ Ryan T. Anderson and Robert P. George (October 27, 2020). "Pope Francis, Civil Unions, and Moral Truth". Public Discourse. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Ryan (February 21, 2021). "Biden's Equality Act is a danger to women's and conscience rights". New York Post. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  25. ↑ Fung, Katherine (February 22, 2021). "Best-Selling Controversial Book on Transgender People Removed From Amazon 3 Years After Publication". Newsweek. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  26. ↑ Trachtenberg, Jeffrey (March 11, 2021). "Amazon won't sell books framing LGBTQ+ identities as mental illnesses". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  27. ↑ Gstalter, Morgan (March 12, 2021). "Amazon removing books that frame LGBTQ issues as mental illness". The Hill .
  28. ↑ "Franciscan University Welcomes Catholic Scholar, Ryan T. Anderson, PhD, as Visiting Fellow at the Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life". Franciscan University of Steubenville. September 13, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
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