Weekly Roundup
Reading, watching, & listening list
Exploring the Link Between SSRIs and Sexual Dysfunction
For FAIR’s Substack, Dr. Roger McFillin writes part 2 of our 3-part investigation into the dangers of SSRIs for adolescents.
The implications for identity development are profound. Sexuality represents a core aspect of human identity, influencing not just romantic relationships but our sense of self, emotional connection, and place in the world. By chemically suppressing this fundamental aspect of human experience during its formative period, we may be unwittingly reshaping not just sexual function, but identity itself.
The question isn't whether SSRIs affect sexual development—we know they do. The question is whether we can ethically justify giving these drugs to young people whose sexual identities are still forming, knowing we may be permanently altering this fundamental aspect of their humanity without their fully informed consent.
Competencies in Civil Discourse: Episode 3
Competencies in Civil Discourse is a series of interviews that focus on the importance of civil discourse and the rhetorical skills necessary to practice it. Erec Smith, a research fellow at the Cato Institute and FAIR Advisor, will interview a different expert in communication—or a related field—to get a variety of takes on the efficacy of effective communication for a free and civil society.
State of Public Education with Robert Pondiscio
On this episode of Hobby Talks, education policy expert and FAIR Advisor Robert Pondiscio discusses the state of public education in Texas and across the country. Pondiscio takes listeners through the education reform landscape, reflecting on its history and fast-forwarding to today's most significant challenges. He shares insight into how his experience inside the classroom informs his perspective on championing meaningful change in an era of increasing choice. Hobby Talks host Jim Granato asks Pondiscio about the state's pivotal moment on school vouchers and the latest developments from Houston ISD under state-appointed leadership.
The Death of Debate: How Power Is Killing Free Speech in America
What happens when universities stop defending debate—and politicians start punishing dissent? John Avlon interviews Greg Lukianoff, President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind. They unpack the escalating war over free speech—from college campuses to the courtroom—and explore how institutions meant to protect liberty are now leading the charge to suppress it.
WATCH: Debating Pronouns with John McWhorter
For The Free Press, Bari Weiss debates pronoun use with linguist John McWhorter.
We signal what kinds of people we are in various, almost subconscious ways all the time—in terms of what clothes we wear, in terms of what car we drive. I remember all the people would—when people first started getting vaccinated, at least in my neighborhood, and they stopped masking starting in about May, June of 2021. Often they wore caps saying “I’m not a Republican,” just because they wanted that to be clear. And so using the pronouns now is a way of showing that you’re on board with more fluid conceptions of gender. I don’t see any harm in that. I would see harm if we were forced to do it.
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