Paul A. Walker (psychologist)

Paul Allen Walker (September 29, 1946 – November 16, 1991) was an American social psychologist and founding president of HBIGDA, the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association now known as WPATH, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health in 1979. He also served as director of the Janus Information Facility.

Walker graduated with a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Rochester in 1976. He performed research with John Money via the Office of Psychohormonal Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. [1]

Walker began a sex offender treatment program at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 1976.[2] He also ran the Gender Clinic.[3]

Walker started his private practice in the early 1980s, moved his office to 1952 Union Street, San Francisco, California, treating transgender patients, including those with gender dysphoria, who may identify themselves with the brain of one gender, caught in the body of the opposite gender, commonly known as transsexual. Walker became openly gay, and lived on Castro Street, the most popular district in San Francisco for gays, as he continued his practice to especially help patients to seek sex reassignment surgery (SRS) almost until his death. Walker's diagnosis for all his patients was usually just "anxiety" to keep it private and confidential between the doctor and patient until beginning the real life test, now commonly called transitioning. Before SRS, transitioning is required for 12 continuous months of living in the gender role that is congruent with the true gender identity. The recommendation for SRS needs approval from two doctors. Either may be a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Walker died of complications from HIV/AIDS.