A needle through the eye. A brain forever altered. And a promise that it would make you “normal.”

In mid-20th century America, the lobotomy was sold as a miracle cure, an answer for everything from depression to “sexual deviancy.” For queer people, that often meant something far more sinister: an attempt to erase who they were. At Atascadero State Hospital, chillingly nicknamed “the Dachau for gay people”, men labeled as homosexuals were subjected to invasive, irreversible procedures in the name of medicine. This episode peels back the curtain on how psychiatric institutions became instruments of control, the lasting harm these “treatments” inflicted, and the voices of those who survived to tell the truth.

Hosted by Jordi and Brad, Beers With Queers brings chilling crimes, queer stories, and twisted justice to light—all with a cold one in hand. Press play, grab a drink, and join us as we uncover the darkest corners of LGBTQ+ history.