For more than 25 years, Justin Lee has been known for handling divisive issues with thoughtfulness and nuance. He is the author of Talking Across the Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree With and Maybe Even Change the World, which is now being used as a textbook in college classrooms to teach students how to navigate areas of disagreement.
Justin began his work in the 90s as a spokesperson for Bridges Across the Divide, an organization fostering dialogue across lines of disagreement about sexual orientation. In 2001, he founded a faith-based nonprofit to adapt these conversations for Christian faith communities, where he became internationally prominent for helping families stay together despite differing views on LGBTQ issues. His first book, Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate, has become one of the most widely read books on that subject, gaining him a reputation as one of the only experts in the field to have a large following among both progressives and conservatives. An updated and expanded edition of Torn was released in 2024.
Today, Justin is a leading voice in navigating difficult issues in a divided culture. He has co-hosted three podcasts, spoken in seven countries, and been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, the Dr. Phil show, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, and NPR’s All Things Considered. He speaks to audiences across the political and ideological spectrum and has been interviewed by hosts ranging from the left-leaning Bill Maher to the right-leaning Laura Ingraham. In addition to his speaking and nonprofit work, Justin continues to address a variety of topics on his YouTube channel and his website at GeekyJustin.com.