ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Neşe and Russell speak with Kaleb Graves about his reporting on the growing links between psychedelic therapy and conversion therapy movements. Drawing from his article — "Psychedelic Conversion Therapy: How Christian Nationalism Is Co-Opting a Movement Once Reserved for Hippies" — they discuss how right-wing religious and political ideologies are increasingly intersecting with the psychedelic space.
They discuss figures like Wendi Rees, who is a strong advocate of both transphobic ideologies and psychedelic therapies, and what it means for a movement that claims to center healing. They also explore the broader implications of welcoming conversion therapy and anti-abortion advocates, including Rick Perry, into psychedelic circles.
Chapters:
0:00:00 Intro
0:01:58 Kaleb Graves background
0:05:20 Graves' "Good Faith Media" article, "A Christian's Guide to Psychedelics"
0:08:02 Rick Perry & Bryan Hubbard Promoting Wendi Rees, "Christian's Guide" on Joe Rogan
0:09:44 Wendi Rees background and conversion therapy in her book
0:16:00 Research on psychedelics for identity shift
0:24:55 Wendi Rees's views on homosexuality and dissuading her children from same-sex attraction
0:28:45 Rees believes it is wrong to encourage a "lifestyle of homosexuality"/"a lifestyle of sin"
0:38:40 Rees's claims about "trans age"
0:46:00 Rees wonders "at what point" murderers will stop identifying as "murderers" if trans rights are allowed
0:47:20 Rees expresses hope that she can inflict violence on a trans person in a bathroom
0:51:00 Misguided ideas that psychedelics can "trojan horse" progressive ideology into right-wing spaces
0:54:30 Fundamentalism and homophobia
0:58:00 Graves's experience at a Bicycle Day event with Bryan Hubbard and Wendi Rees
1:04:45 Post-interview updates on Rees's psychedelic retreats and Joe Welker's review of "Christian's Guide to Psychedelics"
Footnotes:
"Psychedelic Conversion Therapy: How Christian Nationalism is Co-Opting a Movement Once Reserved for Hippies" (Good Faith Media): https://goodfaithmedia.org/psychedelic-conversion-therapy-how-christian-nationalism-is-co-opting-a-movement-once-reserved-for-hippies/
Psychedelic Theology podcast: https://www.psychedelictheology.com/
"Reviewing 'The Christian's Guide to Psychedelics'" (Psychedelic Candor): https://www.psychedeliccandor.org/p/reviewing-the-christians-guide-to
"A Leftist Primer on the Right-Wing Psychedelic Takeover" (Psymposia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2GMUDT-ig&t=1s
