We are pleased to announce that Chris Babits has been selected as The New York Public Library’s Martin Duberman Visiting Scholar for 2019–2020. Babits is an Andrew W. Mellon Engaged Scholar Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also earned his Ph.D. in History in May 2019. Chris' work on the history of conversion therapy analyzes the intersections of political, medical, and cultural histories and makes contributions to queer studies, psychology, and religious studies. He has written for a range of publications, including The Advocate, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Blade. Chris' forthcoming book, titled To Cure a Sinful Nation: A History of Conversion Therapy in the United States, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press.

The Martin Duberman Visiting Scholar program at The New York Public Library fosters excellence in LGBT studies by providing funds for scholars to do research in the Library’s preeminent LGBT historical collections. The Fellowship is open to both academic faculty and independent scholars who have made a significant contribution to the field. For more information, visit the fellowship page.

The Martin Duberman Visiting Scholars are funded by the generous support of Martin Duberman and Eli Zal.