In this episode I have the special privilege of speaking with Jesse Singal. Jesse is a journalist who has written for New York Magazine, The New York Times, and The Atlantic, amongst other publications. He is the author of, “The Quick Fix: Why Psychology Can’t Cure Our Social Ills.” He writes a popular newsletter on Substack called “Singal Minded” and co-hosts the podcast, “Blocked and Reported” with Katie Herzog.
I invited Jesse on the show to talk about the problem of politics in science. We focus mostly on the science of gender-affirming medicine (GAM) in youth including the current state of the literature, the pressures to uphold a particular narrative, and why and how this topic has become so politicized. This discussion is based primarily on an article Jesse published on Substack critiquing a recent scientific paper that appeared to tout the benefits of GAM for youth's mental health. We also talk about the taboo topic of detransitioners, the recent Texas and Florida bills, and the psychology of polarization more broadly.
Link to Jesse's recent GAM article: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/researchers-found-puberty-blockers?s=r
Jesse's book: https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Fix-Psychology-Cant-Social/dp/0374239800
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dd-8WcFvexc
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