Walt Heyer’s story didn’t begin with gender reassignment surgery. It began decades earlier with childhood trauma that, he says, shaped his understanding of himself long before anyone suggested transitioning.
In this episode of The Family Policy Alliance Report, Walt shares the deeply personal journey that led him to live as a woman for eight years before ultimately detransitioning. Today, after counseling thousands of people experiencing gender distress, he believes many individuals are being treated for symptoms while the underlying causes remain unaddressed.
Together, Walt and Craig DeRoche discuss the childhood experiences that shaped his life, his successful career while privately struggling with his identity, the moment that changed everything, and why he believes families deserve a more compassionate and truth-centered conversation about gender identity.
The conversation also explores why Walt believes policies protecting minors from irreversible medical interventions should be expanded to include young adults, and how his Christian faith became the foundation for lasting healing after years of addiction, homelessness and despair.
Whether you’re a parent, policymaker or simply seeking to better understand today’s conversation surrounding gender identity, Walt’s testimony offers a firsthand perspective on trauma, healing, redemption and hope.
His story also serves as a reminder that parents should remain at the center of the most important decisions affecting their children—a principle Family Policy Alliance advances through our Let Parents Parent campaign, which protects parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education and care of their children.
Watch the full conversation, then learn more about Walt Heyer’s ministry at waltheyer.com.