Rory O'Brien
Pronouns: They/Them
Assistant Professor
SDSU
Bio
Dr. Rory P. O’Brien (they/them) is a social scientist whose research is informed by their long history of engagement in social justice movements, a career in advocacy for LGBTQA+ mental health and reproductive justice, and their social position as a white nonbinary queer person. Dr. O'Brien's primary interest as a researcher is to produce evidence useful to the protection of LGBTQ+ youth rights through strong and effective policy implementation, promotion of youth civic development and organizing, and engagement of communities and service professionals in knowledge-production and social change. Their current work investigates local implementation of laws and best practices in schools for transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents, including name changes, gender-neutral restrooms, and privacy protections. This work highlights intervenable issues in the implementation of hard-won California laws protecting LGBTQ+ youth, as well as opportunities for students, school staff, and districts to collaborate to effect local change to better protect transgender, nonbinary, and LGBTQ+ youth more generally. The goal of this research is to inform implementation, improvement, and adaptation of local and state policies to protect LGBTQ+ youth rights to health, privacy, and education.
Dr. Rory O’Brien holds a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies from Willamette University, a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis, and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Southern California.