Walt Heyer Explained

Walt Heyer
Birth Name:Walter James Heyer
Birth Date:25 October 1940[1]
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Writer, activist
Spouse:
  • Kaycee Heyer
Children:2
Website:sexchangeregret.com

Walt Heyer (born October 25, 1940)[2] is an American author, activist and speaker who underwent gender reassignment and lived for eight years as a trans woman before detransitioning in 1991.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Biography

Heyer was born in 1940 in Los Angeles to Charles and Mary Heyer. As a child, his grandmother "Mamie" made him a purple dress. When his parents discovered this, they would supervise all his visits and his father hit him. His uncle would sexually abuse him. After what he described as a misdiagnosis [8] of gender dysphoria, Walt Heyer underwent gender reassignment surgery and lived for eight years as a woman named Laura Jensen,[9] before detransitioning. His experience led him to support the view "that transgender people often experience regret after transitioning, arguing that what transgender people actually need is 'psychiatric or psychological help.'"[10] In a 2020 video, Heyer described the source of his gender confusion as "being cross-dressed, being disciplined with a hardwood floor plank, and being sexually molested."[11]

Once "assistant manager of product planning for America Honda Motor Co",[12] [13] Heyer now works as an author and as a contributor to The Federalist[14] [15] and various other conservative media outlets. Left-leaning media watchdog and partisan advocacy group Media Matters for America has criticized Heyer as "a source of extreme transphobic commentary."[16]

Heyer's story is detailed in Ryan T. Anderson's 2018 book, When Harry Became Sally.[17] The progressive news website ThinkProgress criticized the book for overemphasizing detransition and Heyer for "[creating] a career for himself of advocating against transgender equality based on his 'ex-trans' narrative."[18]

Heyer's 2019 opinion column in USA Today[19] was cited as one of the paper's ten most read articles of the year,[20] and generated multiple published letters in response.[21] [22]

In June 2020, YouTube removed a video of a Heritage Foundation panel that included Heyer, citing its hate speech guidelines,[23] a move which was criticized by various conservative media outlets including National Review and The Christian Post.[24] [25]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: R.G. & G.R. HARRIS FUNERAL HOMES, INC. v. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION and AIMEE STEPHENS. 2023-11-26. Supreme Court of the United States.
  2. Web site: The birth of Walter Heyer. 2023-11-26 .
  3. Web site: Who Are the Villains in the Transgender World?. The Huffington Post. 5 Sep 2020. 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722220714/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-carol-voss/who-are-the-villains-in-transgenderism_b_7716062.html. Voss. Donna Carol. 2 Jul 2015.
  4. Web site: Have you heard the story of Walt Heyer?. The Rush Limbaugh Show. 22 July 2015. 18 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150718202444/http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2015/06/04/have_you_heard_the_story_of_walt_heyer.
  5. Web site: Sex Change Regret: The Other Side Of The Transgender Story. The Inquisitr News. 22 July 2015. 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722213645/http://www.inquisitr.com/2150822/sex-change-regret-the-other-side-of-the-transgender-story/. 8 June 2015.
  6. Book: Brown. Michael L.. Can You Be Gay And Christian?. 2014. Charisma House. Lake Mary, Florida. 21–22. 9781621365945. 22 July 2015.
  7. Book: Jeffreys. Sheila. Gender Hurts: A Feminist Analysis of the Politics of Transgenderism. 2014. Routledge. 12, 63–64, 73–77. 9781317695950. 22 July 2015.
  8. Web site: Heyer. Walt. Examples - Regret Is Real—and Transgenders Are Going Back. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150621205728/http://www.sexchangeregret.com/examples. June 21, 2015.
  9. News: Fraga. Brian. Speaking Out About the Transgender 'Delusion'. 22 July 2015. National Catholic Register. 5 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722223639/https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/speaking-out-about-the-transgender-delusion1/. 22 July 2015.
  10. Web site: What The Media Should Know About Walt Heyer And "Transition Regrets". 2 June 2015 . Media Matters for America. 20 July 2015.
  11. "Walt's Story". Heyer, Walt. 2020. In His Image. American Family Studios. 2:21.
  12. News: Honda tries to find if it's pulling buyers from other us cars. 22 July 2015. The Associated Press. The Spokesman Review. 6 March 1983.
  13. News: Pastor Jeff Looked at Me through the Eyes of God. Heyer. Walt. November 18, 2019. Public Discourse. January 28, 2024.
  14. Web site: CNN Newsroom Transcript. CNN International. 20 July 2015. 20 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150720214803/http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1506/02/cnr.02.html.
  15. Web site: Walt Heyer. The Federalist. 23 March 2023 . March 26, 2023.
  16. Web site: Maza . Carlos . What The Media Should Know About Walt Heyer And "Transition Regrets" . Media Matters for America . 2 June 2015 . en.
  17. Book: When Harry Became Sally. Anderson. Ryan T.. 2018. 9781594039614. Encounter Books. 69–72.
  18. Web site: Ford . Zack . Conservative book 'When Harry Became Sally' attacks trans people while conveniently leaving them out . ThinkProgress . 25 January 2018 . 9 June 2021.
  19. News: Hormones, surgery, regret: I was a transgender woman for 8 years — time I can't get back. 23 Aug 2020. 11 February 2019. USA Today. Heyer. Walt.
  20. News: Most-read USA TODAY Opinion columns of 2019. 27 Dec 2019. 23 Aug 2020. USA Today.
  21. News: Brazilian Butt lifts can be safe when done right: Readers sound off. 17 Feb 2019. USA Today. Bryant. Samantha.
  22. News: Jussie Smollett crying wolf helps no one: Readers sound off. 24 Feb 2019. 23 Aug 2020. Suffredini. Kasey. USA Today.
  23. Web site: YouTube Censors Heritage Foundation Video on Gender Dysphoria. 19 Jun 2020. The Heritage Foundation. 23 Aug 2020.
  24. News: YouTube's Transgender Problem. 25 Jun 2020. 23 Aug 2020. Waggoner. Kristen. National Review.
  25. News: YouTube censors video testimony of former transgender, calls it 'hate speech'. 20 June 2020. 23 Aug 2020. Showalter. Brandon. The Christian Post.

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