Aaron Devor


Aaron H. Devor is a Canadian sociologist and sexologist known for his work in transgender studies. Devor has taught at the University of Victoria since 1989 and is the former dean of graduate studies. He is the inaugural Chair in [Transgender Studies at the University of Victoria], and the founder and subject matter expert of the Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria. He is also the organizer of the Moving [Trans History Forward conferences]. Maclean's described Devor as "an internationally respected expert on gender, sex and sexuality."

Life and education

Devor earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from York University in 1971, a master's degree in communications from Simon Fraser University in 1985, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Washington in 1990. A trans man, Devor transitioned in 2002 at age 51.

Career

Devor is a member of the World [Professional Association for Transgender Health], co-authoring the Standards of Care for the Health of [Transgender and Gender Diverse People|Standards of Care] versions 6 and 7 and sitting on the Standards of Care revision committee since 2018. As of 2025, he is also chair of the Archives Committee.
He has collected many first-person narratives of transsexual experiences and has done extensive biographical research on Reed Erickson.
Devor's book, , was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Nonfiction in 27th [Lambda Literary Awards|2015].
In 2016, through the Tawani Foundation, Jennifer Pritzker gave a $2 million donation to create the world's first academic Chair in Transgender Studies, at the University of Victoria; Devor was chosen as the inaugural chair.

Selected publications

  • Devor, A. & Wilson, M. . "Glimmerings: Trans Elders Tell Their Stories". Transgender Publishings,
  • Devor, A. H, & Matte, N. "ONE Inc. and Reed Erickson: The Uneasy Collaboration of Gay and Trans Activism, 1964-2003." GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies, 10, 179–209.
  • Devor, H. FTM: Female-to-Male Transsexuals in Society. Indiana University Press, Second Edition
  • Devor, A. & Haefeli-Thomas, A. Transgender: A Reference Handbook. Bloomsbury Publishing,
  • Devor, H. Transsexualism, Dissociation, and Child Abuse An Initial Discussion Based on Nonclinical Data. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality Volume: 6 Issue: 3
  • Devor, H. Gender Blending: Confronting the Limits of Duality. Indiana University Press, *889