“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57
Dr. Allan Josephson formerly served for many years as the division chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Louisville before being fired in 2017. In October 2017, at a Heritage Foundation event, Dr. Josephson participated on a panel that discussed treatment approaches for youth experiencing gender dysphoria.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Josephson simply suggested that childhood gender dysphoria cannot be fully treated by drugs and surgery, and suggested the need for an exploration into the root causes of gender dysphoria instead of rushing children into medical interventions. Almost immediately after his appearance at the Heritage Foundation, Dr. Josephson was targeted by university leadership for his views that went against the pro-transgender ideology of those in power.
Dr. Toni Ganzel, then dean of the School of Medicine stated, speaking of Dr. Josephson, that his view “doesn’t reflect the culture we are trying so hard to promote”. Just a month after Dr. Josephson’s public statements, he was demoted by the University to the role of Junior faculty member, he was then also banned from faculty meetings, and ultimately fired.
Dr. Josephson, who is being represented by attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a lawsuit against the University of Louisville stating that his freedom of speech was violated and that he was demoted, harassed, and later fired because of his views on gender dysphoria. In March of 2023, a federal district court ruled in Dr. Josephson’s favor and the case ended up going to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
Days ago, Praise be to God, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit also ruled in favor of Dr. Josephson vindicating his right to free speech that was clearly violated by university leadership. The case will be sent back to district court where university officials will now stand trial.
LET US PRAY…
Father, we praise You that Dr. Josephson’s First Amendment rights have been protected by the courts. Lord, we praise You for the courage of Dr. Josephson and pray that many more medical professionals will speak the truth about human sexuality. Father, embolden us to be courageous for you as well in whatever realm of influence You have given to us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
