Topic: Mental Hospitals

Dr. Joanna Olson from Children's Hospital Los Angeles discusses her research on transgender youth and the use of puberty blockers. She argues that halting "the wrong puberty" early on can prevent trauma and high suicide rates among trans youth. The commentary characterizes these medical interventions as a form of child abuse and a radical shift from medical norms of a decade ago.

The closure of mental health facilities in the 1980s under the Reagan administration is linked to the subsequent rise in prison populations. Kanye West noted that the lack of these institutions led to higher arrest rates in the black community. The discussion highlights how liberal pressure to close "horrible" facilities resulted in the mentally ill being funneled into the criminal justice system.

Bette Midler and other public figures have blamed Ronald Reagan for the current mental health crisis, citing the closure of state hospitals. However, the hosts point out that the deinstitutionalization movement began in the 1960s as a liberal initiative, fueled by cultural touchstones like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Reagan, as Governor of California, simply followed the prevailing legislative trend of the time.