Reed Erickson

Biography

Reed Erickson was an influential engineer and philanthropist whose contributions were foundational to the development of the transgender rights movement. Born in El Paso, Texas, Erickson was a successful businessman who inherited a significant family fortune.

After beginning his own transition in the early 1960s, Erickson established the Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF) in 1964. For over two decades, the EEF was the primary engine for progress in the transgender community. It funded medical research, including the work of Dr. Harry Benjamin, whose 1966 book "The Transsexual Phenomenon" was a seminal text. The foundation also supported counseling services, and published and distributed newsletters and pamphlets that provided life-saving information to countless transgender individuals who, at the time, had few other resources.

Erickson's philanthropy was instrumental in creating the infrastructure for transgender health care and advocacy in the United States. His vision and financial backing helped to legitimize the study of gender identity and provided a lifeline for a generation of transgender people seeking information, community, and support.