Anti-Trump psychiatrist accuses Yale University of free speech violation for firing her
Dr. Brandy Lee argues that she shouldn’t be fired for diagnosing Trump supporters with “shared psychosis.”
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Dr. Brandy Lee argues that she shouldn’t be fired for diagnosing Trump supporters with “shared psychosis.”
According to Yale Daily News, Dr. Brandy Lee filed a 21-page report against Yale University saying they violated her free speech rights by firing her for criticizing former President Donald Trump.
The dilemma stems from a January 2020 tweet where Dr. Lee claimed "just about all" Trump supporters suffered from a "shared psychosis."
Attorney Alan Dershowitz, a well known liberal, complained to Yale's administration that Lee making such a diagnosis about a public figure violated the code of ethics from the American Psychiatric Association.
Alan Dershowitz’s employing the odd use of “perfect”—not even a synonym—might be dismissed as ordinary influence in most contexts. However, given the severity and spread of “shared psychosis” among just about all of Donald Trump’s followers, a different scenario is more likely. https://t.co/m3XK3ztQgA
— Bandy X Lee, MD, MDiv (@BandyXLee1)
The New York Post reported Dr. Lee had previously been praised by the leftist mainstream media for using her psychiatrist status to compare the former President to Hitler.
"Donald Trump is not Adolf Hitler," Lee had said in the now-deleted tweet. "At least Hitler improved the daily life of his followers, had discipline, and required more of himself to gain the respect of his followers. Even with the same pathology, there are varying degrees of competence."
Despite the explosive language against Trump, it’s noted Lee has not been so ready to diagnose President Biden despite the consistent concerns surrounding his mental fitness.
In the complaint against Yale, Dr. Lee ironically made a free speech argument. "I love Yale, my alma mater, as I love my country, but we are falling into a dangerous culture of self-censorship and compliance with authority at all cost."
Court documents, which include emails from Psychiatry Department chair John Krystal warning Dr. Lee that tweeting about Trump's mental fitness was inappropriate, push back against Lee's narrative.
This slap on the wrist was escalated to a formal meeting between Lee, Krystal, and other faculty members about breaching psychiatric ethics. The documents state that Dr. Lee was simply procedurally terminated in May 2020.
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