Warm Take Wednesdays with Dr Alex Iantaffi

Sanism is everywhere… and it’s hurting people.

In this episode, we unpack the pervasive ideology of sanism. This ideology frames people struggling with mental health issues as "lacking", “abnormal”, or "less than”, ultimately justifying the application of carceral logic within mental health. We explore what sanism looks like in practice: from everyday language (e.g., the use of "crazy") and media portrayals (like representations of DID, or characters like the Joker) to the pathologizing language used in psychology (such as "psychopathology" and "disorder"). The perpetuation of "normal" ultimately pathologizes anyone who doesn't conform, giving systems the power to isolate these individuals, who are often historically minoritized and marginalized people, and take away agency and choice in the name of “community safety”. This system also often frames vulnerable people with so-called “severe mental health issues” as dangerous, even though they are more likely to be the recipients of violence. We also discuss the historical and current harms perpetuated by the psychiatric system. Finally, we look at the history of resistance, including the anti-psychiatry movement, the fight for non-carceral, community-based care championed by Basaglia in Italy in the 1970s, and the Mad Pride movement. References / People / Topics mentioned in the episode: Chamberlin, J. (1978). On our own: Patient-controlled alternatives to the mental health system. McGraw-Hill. Disability Deep Dive podcast episode: History of the Mad Movement with Vesper Moore https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_65 [https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_65] Hart, T. (2023). Mad Pride: Spinning hope from fear by Tamara Hart. Asylum Magazine Accessed on May 6th, 2026 at: https://asylummagazine.org/2023/09/mad-pride-spinning-hope-from-fear-by-tamara-hart [https://asylummagazine.org/2023/09/mad-pride-spinning-hope-from-fear-by-tamara-hart] Foot J. (2014). Franco Basaglia and the radical psychiatry movement in Italy, 1961-78. Critical and radical social work, 2(2), 235–249. https://doi.org/10.1332/204986014X14002292074708 [https://doi.org/10.1332/204986014X14002292074708] Accessed on May 6th, 2026 at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4430803/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4430803/] Ralley, O. J. D. (2012). The rise of anti-psychiatry: A historical review. History of Medicine Online. Accessed on May 6th, 2026 at: https://www.priory.com/history_of_medicine/Anti-Psychiatry.htm [https://www.priory.com/history_of_medicine/Anti-Psychiatry.htm] Rashed M. A. (2020). The Identity of Psychiatry and the Challenge of Mad Activism: Rethinking the Clinical Encounter. The Journal of medicine and philosophy, 45(6), 598–622. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmp/jhaa009 Accessed on May 6th at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7703744/ [https://doi.org/10.1093/jmp/jhaa009 Accessed on May 6th at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7703744/] Tawa, K. (2024). Forced ≠ Treatment: Carceral Strategies in Mental Health. Published by the Center for Law and Social Policy. Accessed on May 6th, 2026 at: https://www.clasp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Final-Forced-Treatment-Report_final.pdf [https://www.clasp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Final-Forced-Treatment-Report_final.pdf] Resources on Mad Pride &/or non-carceral mental health approaches: BEAM - Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective: https://beam.community/ [https://beam.community/] Center for Mad Culture: https://www.madculture.org/ Feedback? Topics you would like me to discuss? Contact me through my website here [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/contact]! Thank you! Don't want to miss a thing? Subscribe to my newsletter here [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/subscribe]. Grazie!

Popularity is not (always) expertise

In this episode, Dr. Alex Iantaffi explores how social media can blur the lines between popularity and expertise, and even influence our perceptions and decision-making. They discuss epistemic injustice, innate biases, who is viewed as credible (and who isn't), and how to critically evaluate information by engaging media literacy principles. Key topics include: Social media's impact on perception of expertise Epistemic injustice and biases in credibility Differentiating between popularity and genuine expertise Media literacy principles and critical thinking Real-life consequences of conflating popularity with expertise Feedback? Topics you would like me to discuss? Contact me through my website here [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/contact]! Thank you! Don't want to miss a thing? Subscribe to my newsletter here [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/subscribe]. Grazie!

Therapy is not a monolith!

Psychotherapy is everywhere: on tv shows, in movies, reality TV, and on social media. However, we don't really talk about what therapy actually is. In this episode, Dr. Alex Iantaffi explores the diversity of therapeutic approaches, clarifies distinctions between related fields, and emphasizes the importance of informed choices in therapy for both clients and practitioners. Key  topics Diversity of therapeutic approaches Distinction between psychology and therapy Impact of theoretical frameworks on practice Decolonizing therapy and recognizing lineage The role of critical thinking  Myths in therapy Therapeutic joining as evidence-based Ethics beyond basic boundaries Role of diagnosis and diagnostic models Things educators can do Things therapists can do Questions clients can ask therapists Feedback? Topics you would like me to discuss? Contact me through my website here [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/contact]! Thank you! Don't want to miss a thing? Subscribe to my newsletter here [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/subscribe]. Grazie!

Unpacking binaries "inside the manosphere"

Thanks for joining the first live broadcast of Warm Take Wednesdays!  Dr Alex Iantaffi explores the binaries and systemic issues in the documentary "Inside the Manosphere", critically examining masculinity, gender ideology, and cultural influences. Key takeaways - The documentary presents several unhelpful binaries between alpha males and softer masculinities, as well as between men and women, without questioning the material sociocultural and political conditions that enable the phenomenon of the manosphere to exist and be appealing to so many young men (and women). - There are several missed opportunities for deeper reflection on gender and societal norms. Ultimately this documentary does not really unsettle anything systemically, and does not invite us to question the cisgenderism, as a facet of biological determinism, which is at the root of the issues presented. - Even though capitalism is clearly a part of the phenomenon, this is never clearly named, addressed, or analyzed. Feedback? Topics you would like me to discuss? Contact me through my website here [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/contact]! Thank you! Don't want to miss a thing? Subscribe to my newsletter here [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/subscribe]. Grazie!

Is there a Gender Ideology? The answer might surprise you (or not)!

Gender ideology is a phrase we have seen appear in media, political debates, and maybe it even got to be a topic of conversation at your dinner table. In this episode, Dr. Alex tackles the question of whether there is a gender ideology at play currently and, if so, how do we define it, and how does it impact our day-to-day lives?   *Spoiler: this episode is about cisgenderism as the dominant gender ideology in dominant culture.*  Let me know what you think about the episode in the comments and subscribe to the channel to make sure you don't miss any new videos! Grazie!  Want more content from me?   * Listen to my podcast Gender Stories [https://genderstories.buzzsprout.com/] (there are over 80 episodes out already).  * Buy my books [https://bookshop.org/shop/xtaffi].  * Check out my free resources [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/resources] and/or subscribe to my newsletter [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/].  A couple of articles in the media about some of the topics touched on:  Fausto-Sterling, A. (2018). Why sex is not binary. The New York Times, 25.  Fuentes, A. (2023). Here’s Why Human Sex Is Not Binary. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-why-human-sex-is-not-binary/ [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-why-human-sex-is-not-binary/]  Heggie, V. (2015). Nature and sex redefined – we have never been binary  https://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2015/feb/19/nature-sex-redefined-we-have-never-been-binary [https://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2015/feb/19/nature-sex-redefined-we-have-never-been-binary]  A few references!  Ainsworth, C. (2015). Sex redefined. Nature, 518(7539), 288.  Ansara, Y. G., & Hegarty, P. (2012). Cisgenderism in psychology: Pathologising and misgendering children from 1999 to 2008. Psychology & Sexuality, 3(2), 137-160.   Ansara, Y. G., & Hegarty, P. (2014). Methodologies of misgendering: Recommendations for reducing cisgenderism in psychological research. Feminism & Psychology, 24(2), 259-270.   Ashley, Florence has several relevant articles and most of their writings online at: https://www.florenceashley.com/academic-publications.html [https://www.florenceashley.com/academic-publications.html]  Barker, M.J. & Iantaffi, A. (2019). Life Isn’t Binary. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.  binaohan, b. (2014). Decolonizing trans/gender 101. Biyuti Publishing.  Blumer, M. L., Gavriel Ansara, Y., & Watson, C. M. (2013). Cisgenderism in family therapy: How everyday clinical practices can delegitimize people's gender self-designations. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 24(4), 267-285.   Fine, C. (2010). Delusions of gender: How our minds, society, and neurosexism create difference. WW Norton & Company.  Iantaffi, A. (2015). Gender and Sexual Legitimacy. Current Sexual Health Reports, 7(2), 103-107.   Iantaffi, A. (2021). Gender Trauma. Healing cultural, social, and historical gendered trauma. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.  Iantaffi, A. & Barker, M.J. (2018). How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.   Iantaffi, A., Barker, M.J., van Anders, S., Scheele, J. (2019). Mapping Your Sexuality: from sexual orientation to sexual configuration theory. Zine available to download at: www.alex.iantaffi.com The original paper and this zine translated in various languages a Feedback? Topics you would like me to discuss? Contact me through my website here [https://www.alexiantaffi.com/contact]! Thank you! Don't want to miss a thing? Subscribe to my newsletter here [https://alex-iantaffi.myflodesk.com/subscribe]. Grazie!