Mary Rice Hasson

Kate O’Beirne Senior Fellow

Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., is the Kate O’Beirne Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where she co-founded and directs the Person and Identity Project, an initiative that educates and equips parents and faith-based institutions to promote the truth about the human person and counter gender ideology. An attorney and policy expert, Mary has been a three-time keynote speaker for the Holy See at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, on topics related to women, education, and gender ideology. She serves as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family, Life and Youth. Recently, Mary was honored to receive the Christifideles Laici award at the 2023 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

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Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., is the Kate O’Beirne Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where she co-founded and directs the Person and Identity Project, an initiative that educates and equips parents and faith-based institutions to promote the truth about the human person and counter gender ideology. An attorney and policy expert, Mary has been a three-time keynote speaker for the Holy See at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, on topics related to women, education, and gender ideology. She serves as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family, Life and Youth. Recently, Mary was honored to receive the Christifideles Laici award at the 2023 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

She speaks frequently at national conferences, universities, and in dioceses across the country, and has testified before the U.S. Senate, in state legislatures, and the Australian parliament on parents’ rights and transgender issues.

The co-author of several books on education, Mary’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, National Review, First Things, the National Catholic Register and Our Sunday Visitor, among others.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Notre Dame Law School, Mary is married to Seamus Hasson, and they are parents of seven grown children and grandparents of four.


A note about the Person and Identity Project (PIP): The Person and Identity Project aims to equip parents and faith-based institutions with the facts, resources, and expertise to promote an authentic vision of the human person and to counter gender ideology.  PIP experts speak, write, and conduct workshops on gender ideology for churches, schools, parents, and faith-based organizations. See personandidentity.com


A note about the Catholic Women’s Forum: The Catholic Women’s Forum takes its inspiration from Pope St. John Paul II, who wrote that women have “the task of assuring the moral dimension of culture…a culture worthy of the person,” (Christifideles Laici, 51). The Catholic Women’s Forum provides a network for Catholic women scholars seeking fellowship and to influence the culture, and offers a forum for Catholic women to share faith, inspiration, and resources. See catholicwomensforum.org.


Recent publications:

Appellate brief in the 9th Circuit supporting challenge to Washington law effectively mandating “affirmation only” therapy for minors, December 16, 2021.

Bringing the Christ of Christmas to a Lost Generation,” Legatus Magazine, Dec 1, 2021

 “Erasing Females in Language and Law,” Journal of Christian Legal Thought, Christian Legal Society, Oct. 21, 2021.

Is It Emotional Abuse For Parents To Deny A Child’s Transgender Claims?” National Review Online, October 17, 2021.

Time for an Exodus from Public Schools?” Our Catholic Mission, Cardinal Newman Society, October 8, 2021.

The Equality Act and the End of Females,” Newsweek, February 24, 2021.

The Pope is Catholic After All,” co-author with Tim Busch, The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2020.


Books and Book Chapters:

Chapter author, “Sexual Identity, Gender Ideology, and Religious Freedom: The Tug of War over ‘Who We Are,’ – Schools as Battlegrounds,” in the Handbook of Church and State, Shannon Holzer, ed. (New York, NY: Palgrave, expected publication fall 2022)

Co-author, with Theresa Farnan, PhD, of Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child From Public School Before It’s Too Late (Regnery: 2018)

Chapter author, “What About Sex: Habits of Heart for a Fulfilling Sexual Relationship and a Happy Marriage,” in Venus and Virtue: Celebrating Sex and Seeking Sanctification (2018).

Editor, Promise and Challenge: Catholic Women Reflect on Feminism, Complementarity, and the Church (Our Sunday Visitor: 2015)

Co-author, with Michele Hill, of the reportWhat Catholic Women Think About Faith, Conscience, and Contraception (EPPC 2012)

Co-author, with Kimberly Hahn of Catholic Education: Homeward Bound (Ignatius Press: 1996).


Selected Presentations and Interviews:

[See also the videos collected on the Person and Identity Project website]

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Mary Rice Hasson on Dignity and Identity

October 13, 2023 | Ruah Woods Institute

Mary Rice Hasson delivered the keynote speech to the Ruah Woods Institute’s annual dinner banquet on the topic “The Fundamental Truth…

Mary Hasson at the Restoring Our Faith Summit 2023

October 11, 2023 | Restoring Our Faith

Mary Rice Hasson on How to Help the Gender Dysphoric

September 11, 2023 | Ruth Institute

On September 11, 2023, Senior Fellow Mary Rice Hasson appeared on The Dr. J Show to discuss how to show…

Mary Rice Hasson on Gender Ideology

August 16, 2023 | AD Today

On August 16, 2023, Senior Fellow Mary Rice Hasson was interviewed for AD Today about gender ideology. Katya Fitzpatrick: What is…

AUDIO: Insurance 101/ Identity Crisis

June 19, 2023 |

Mary talks about the origin of gender identity and it’s existence in our culture today. She refers to a new…

AUDIO: Contraception and the growing damage

June 4, 2023 | Respect Life Radio

“There is a connection between some of the things we’re seeing in the culture today and contraception because that’s where…

VIDEO: Whopping 20% of Gen Z Deny Their Biological Sex

May 13, 2023 | EWTN

Mary Rice Hasson, Senior Fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center and co-founder of the Person and Identity Project,…

AUDIO: Don Kroah Show 

April 27, 2023 | Don Kroah Show

Mary Rice Hasson appears on the Don Kroah Show to talk about gender ideology.

AUDIO: Riley Gaines & the Fight for Women’s Sports

April 24, 2023 | Morning Air

Mary Hasson breaks down the story of Riley Gains who was physically attacked for standing up for women’s rights in…

AUDIO: Celebrating the Easter Season/ Riley Gaines & the Fight for Women’s Sports

April 24, 2023 | Relevant Radio

Mary Hasson breaks down the story of Riley Gains who was physically attacked for standing up for women’s rights in…

AUDIO: Born in the Wrong Body?/ St. Catherine of Siena

April 3, 2023 | Morning Air

Mary explains why it’s impossible to change genders despite what the culture teaches and how language can create falsehoods that…