Corcept is proud to honor three individuals who dedicated their lives to advancing healthcare, scientific understanding and LGBTQ+ rights. Their pioneering efforts paved the way for greater inclusivity and progress within the scientific and medical communities, leaving legacies that extended far beyond their own lifetimes. We celebrate Dr. Tom Waddell, Dr. Harry Benjamin and Bruce Voeller, Ph.D.
Dr. Harry Benjamin was a German American endocrinologist and sexologist renowned for his groundbreaking work in transgender healthcare and hormone-based medical treatment. His early interest in endocrinology and hormone science began with studies on human aging and geriatrics. In 1948, he began seeing transgender patients.
At a time when medical approaches to gender identity were limited, Dr. Benjamin courageously advocated for medical interventions, including hormone therapy and surgery — a stance that put him at odds with much of the medical establishment of his era. Dr. Benjamin is credited with introducing the term “transsexual” into medical discourse and founding the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, which provided clinical guidance for transgender care.
Dr. Tom Waddell was an American physician, Olympian and passionate LGBTQ+ advocate whose life exemplified the intersection of athletic prowess, medical dedication and social activism. Competing in the 1968 Summer Olympics, Dr. Waddell placed sixth in the decathlon while also demonstrating an early commitment to social justice with his support of fellow athletes who protested racial injustice at the games. After earning his medical degree in 1965, Dr. Waddell established a private medical practice in San Francisco.
Inspired by his experiences in a gay bowling league, Dr. Waddell founded the Gay Olympic Games in 1982 (later renamed The Gay Games) that aimed to provide an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ athletes globally.
Bruce Voeller, Ph.D., was a distinguished biologist and early pioneer in AIDS and sexual health research. After earning his Ph.D. from Rockefeller University and becoming one of its youngest assistant professors, Dr. Voeller shifted his career to LGBTQ+ advocacy.
In 1973, Dr. Voeller co-founded the National Gay Task Force, now known as the National LGBTQ Task Force. He played a pivotal role in organizing the first White House meeting with openly gay and lesbian leaders to discuss LGBTQ+ rights. As the AIDS pandemic emerged in the early 1980s, Dr. Voeller’s scientific background was crucial and he famously coined the term “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,” or AIDS.
These three trailblazers each made indelible contributions to science, medicine and human rights in their own ways. Their legacies remind us that progress is often born from courage.
