David J. Ley is an American psychologist and author. Ley has promoted and supported several anti-trans activists, including James Cantor, Benjamin Boyce, Jesse Singal, Lee Jussim, Zhana Vrangalova, Dan Savage, Debra Soh, Candice Horbacz, Kenneth Zucker, and Alice Dreger. Ley has quietly deleted some of that promotion and support after pushback.
Ley is on the editorial board of the most transphobic journal ever produced, Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Background
David Jonathan Ley, Jr. was born on January 26, 1973. Ley earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Mississippi in 1995 and a doctorate from University of New Mexico in 2001.
From 2003 to 2004, Ley was a manager at Lovelace Sandia Health System. Since 2004 Ley has been affiliated with New Mexico Solutions and was serving as Executive Director as of 2024.
Ley has served on the boards of Sexual Health Alliance, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and New Mexico Behavioral Health Providers Association.
Ley has authored several books and frequently criticizes the spurious concept of “sex addiction.” Ley is also a critic of pathologizing many unusual sexual interests and frequently appears in mainstream media to discuss sexuality.
Ley lives in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. Ley and spouse Roxanne Inez Candelaria-Ley (born 1973) have an adult child, Samantha. Ley trains and competes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
References
Ley DJ (2014). A Review of “Treating Transgender Children and Adolescents: An Interdisciplinary Discussion.” Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 40:1, 69-70, https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2013.854548
Ley DJ (March 1, 2021). The Cancel Mob Is Coming. Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-who-stray/202103/the-cancel-mob-is-coming
Media
Benjamin Boyce (February 8, 2022). The Ins & Outs of Sex | with Dr. David J. Ley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBAhe56Xzf8
Resources
David Ley PhD (davidleyphd.com)
New Mexico Solutions (newmexicosolutions.com)
Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com)
- David J. Ley Ph.D.
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/david-j-ley-phd
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Twitter (twitter.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
LinkedIn (linkedin.com)