Louis Gooren was a Dutch endocrinologist known for work with gender identity in children and adolescents.
Background
Louis J.G. Gooren (December 14, 1943 – September 17, 2023) was born in Wanssum and trained in internal medicine and endocrinology at the Free University Hospital of Amsterdam from 1972-1976. Gooren did further training in endocrinology at Johns Hopkins University from 1976-1977, including work in sexual medicine with John Money.
In 1979, Gooren was appointed to a position at Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. In 1988 Gooren was appointed full professor of endocrinology. Gooren’s work focused on the role of androgens/estrogens in
- male health, particularly with regard to aging
- male sexual functioning
- differences of sexual differentiation including transgender people
In 2008, Gooren was named Emeritus professor of medicine at Free University Hospital of Amsterdam. Gooren has served as Head of Andrology Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine. Gooren also spent time in Thailand as a consultant.
Comments on J. Michael Bailey
Below are critical reactions Gooren and colleague Peggy Cohen-Kettenis shared about sexologists J. Michael Bailey and Ray Blanchard, following publication of Bailey’s lurid 2003 book on sex and gender minorities, The Man Who Would Be Queen.
Endocrinologist Louis Gooren got a request from the US to quash Bailey’s book in a scientific magazine. Gooren refused, because of lack of time, he says, not because he supports Bailey. On the contrary, the professor does not hide his dislike.
Gooren calls Bailey a “redneck, a rude offensive man who in the past, as a researcher often got out of line”. The professor has only browsed through the book, but saw more than enough. “Science should not try to fit itself to public stereotype with a high “see that? I always thought so content””, says Gooren. “As scientists we have our own methodologies”. […]
Gooren is scathing about Blanchard’s work. “It may seem logical to call a transsexual a homosexual in an odd theoretical sense (as when referring to genetic sex, translator), in the experience of the transsexual however, it is a non-sense”. And he has never seen a patient looking forward to SRS with sexual excitement.
References
Gooren, Louis (1991). Body Politic: The Physical Side of Gender Identity. in John Money: A Tribute (Edmond J. “Eli” Coleman, Editor). ISBN 978-1560241904
Swan, Norman (September 4, 2000). Gender Dysphoria. ABC Radio http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/stories/2000/171717.htm
Reuters (November 24, 1988). Transsexuality professor happy with publicity. Florida Sun-Sentinel
Vermij, Peter (September 27, 2003). Een man gevangen in een mannenlichaam. NRC https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2003/09/27/een-man-gevangen-in-een-mannenlichaam-7655797-a1162822 Translation: Arianne van der Ven.
The whole article available in Dutch on <http://www.europeants.org/WTPS/Papers/man_gevangen.htm>. [archive]
Press for Change (). http://www.pfc.org.uk/gender/louis-gooren-speech [archive]
[Staff] (Octobe 2023). In memoriam – Louis Gooren [Dutch]. Transvisie https://transvisie.nl/in-memoriam-louis-gooren/
Grondahl, Paul (December 9, 2011). Transgender patients on rise, but medical care and services lag. Times-Union https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Transgender-patients-on-rise-but-medical-care-2342651.php
Resources
Amsterdam UMC (amsterdamumc.org)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
IMDb (imdb.com)