Overview

• Dr. Allan Josephson, a former University of Louisville professor, was awarded nearly $1.6 million in a settlement after a six-year legal battle.
• Josephson alleged his 2017 demotion and 2019 firing were retaliation for publicly criticizing gender-affirming treatments for children with gender dysphoria.
• The lawsuit claimed violations of Josephson’s First Amendment rights and was supported by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which called the settlement a significant free speech victory.
• Josephson, who led the university’s child psychiatry division for nearly 15 years, had been a vocal critic of hormone therapy and surgeries for minors, advocating for alternative psychological treatments.
• The case underscores broader tensions in academia and medicine over ideological disputes and the legal consequences of suppressing dissenting views.