LGBT chemicals conspiracy theory

Last updated

Conspiracy theories alleging that governments are using endocrine disrupting chemical pollutants in the water supply to create an alleged increase in the gay, bisexual or transgender population were popularized in the 2010s. Most notably, American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones cited research on the effects of atrazine on frogs, which can induce spontaneous sex change or hermaphroditism, claiming that the federal government of the United States was "putting chemicals in the water that turn the friggin’ frogs gay" as part of a "chemical warfare operation" or "gay bomb" to increase homosexuality and suppress birth rates. [1] However, frogs have the ability to spontaneously change sex in non-polluted waterways in response to changes in temperature. [2]

Contents

Endocrine disruptors have been shown to interfere with sex differentiation in the brains of animals during pregnancy, which has led some researchers to speculate of a hypothetical impact on the prenatal development of sexual orientation or gender identity in humans. [3] [4] [5] This hypothesis has thus far not been supported by evidence, as further research is required. [4] [3]

History

African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) African clawed frogs; Xenopus laevis.jpg
African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

Animal testing in the 2000s suggested that the herbicide atrazine, an endocrine disruptor, may have a feminizing effect on male frogs causing them to become hermaphrodites. [6] [7] Other research failed to reproduce these results in frogs, [8] [9] [10] though reports of reproductive impact has been reported for other animals, and a meta-analysis conducted in 2010 [11] on selected amphibians and freshwater fish showed sublethal reproductive effects at ecologically relevant concentrations. Reviewing 19 studies in total, the United States Environmental Protection Agency concluded in 2013 that atrazine has no consistent effects on development in amphibians. [8]

According to Lambert and Packer: [2]

A direct link between EDCs and sex-reversed frogs has been observed only in the laboratory, not in the wild. What’s causing sex reversal in these wild frog populations is not yet clear, but our latest data suggest that natural temperature variation, occurring independently of urbanization or climate change, may be a catalyst.

In 2015, American conspiracy theorist and radio personality Alex Jones claimed that atrazine had caused a majority of frogs in the US to become homosexual, and that the US government was waging a "chemical warfare operation" to increase rates of homosexuality and decrease birth rates. [12] [13] This claim goes far beyond what was reported in the scientific literature. [14] [15] A quote from Jones's monologue, "I don't like 'em putting chemicals in the water that turn the friggin' frogs gay!" subsequently became an internet meme. [1]

The idea of a link between atrazine and sexual development was later revived by American environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during his 2024 presidential campaign. In various podcast appearances, Kennedy claimed that atrazine contamination was causing widespread delayed puberty or precocious puberty in the Midwest, and speculated that it was causing "sexual confusion" and "gender confusion" in children. [16] Kennedy's theory was criticized in various popular media outlets. [5] [17]

Scientific consensus, as summarized in a 2016 review in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, is that there is "no persuasive evidence that the rate of same-sex attraction has varied much across time or place". [18] In contrast to claims about chemicals in the water, the effects of hormones on sexual orientation appear to occur at the prenatal stage, during organization of the brain. [18] Endocrine disruptor exposure during fetal development has been shown to affect sexual differentiation of the brain in animals, [4] however any effect on human sexual orientation or gender identity requires further research. [4] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual orientation</span> Pattern of romantic or sexual attraction

Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns are generally categorized under heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality, while asexuality is sometimes identified as the fourth category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biology and sexual orientation</span> Field of sexual orientation research

The relationship between biology and sexual orientation is a subject of on-going research. While scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation, they theorize that it is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences. However, evidence is weak for hypotheses that the post-natal social environment impacts sexual orientation, especially for males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phthalates</span> Any ester derived from phthalic acid

Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Note that while phthalates are usually plasticizers, not all plasticizers are phthalates. The two terms are specific and unique and cannot be used interchangeably.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endocrine disruptor</span> Chemicals that can interfere with endocrine or hormonal systems

Endocrine disruptors, sometimes also referred to as hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals, or endocrine disrupting compounds are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine systems. These disruptions can cause numerous adverse human health outcomes, including alterations in sperm quality and fertility; abnormalities in sex organs‚ endometriosis‚ early puberty‚ altered nervous system or immune function; certain cancers; respiratory problems; metabolic issues; diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular problems; growth, neurological and learning disabilities, and more. Found in many household and industrial products, endocrine disruptors "interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for development, behavior, fertility, and maintenance of homeostasis ."

"Gay bomb" is an informal term referring to a hypothetical non-lethal psychochemical weapon about which the United States Air Force speculated. The unconventional idea involved the potential dispersion of sex pheromones among enemy forces, with the intent of generating mutual sexual attraction among them, causing mass confusion and panic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atrazine</span> Herbicide

Atrazine is a chlorinated herbicide of the triazine class. It is used to prevent pre-emergence broadleaf weeds in crops such as maize (corn), soybean and sugarcane and on turf, such as golf courses and residential lawns. Atrazine's primary manufacturer is Syngenta and it is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States, Canadian, and Australian agriculture. Its use was banned in the European Union in 2004, when the EU found groundwater levels exceeding the limits set by regulators, and Syngenta could not show that this could be prevented nor that these levels were safe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anogenital distance</span> Distance from midpoint of the anus to the genitalia

Anogenital distance (AGD) is the distance from the midpoint of the anus to the genitalia, the underside of the vagina, the clitoris or the scrotum. It is considered medically significant for a number of reasons, in both humans and other animals, including sex determination and as a marker of endocrine disruptor exposure. It is regulated by dihydrotestosterone, which can be disrupted by phthalates common in plastics.

Xenoestrogens are a type of xenohormone that imitates estrogen. They can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds. Synthetic xenoestrogens include some widely used industrial compounds, such as PCBs, BPA, and phthalates, which have estrogenic effects on a living organism even though they differ chemically from the estrogenic substances produced internally by the endocrine system of any organism. Natural xenoestrogens include phytoestrogens which are plant-derived xenoestrogens. Because the primary route of exposure to these compounds is by consumption of phytoestrogenic plants, they are sometimes called "dietary estrogens". Mycoestrogens, estrogenic substances from fungi, are another type of xenoestrogen that are also considered mycotoxins.

Gender incongruence is the state of having a gender identity that does not correspond to one's sex assigned at birth. This is experienced by people who identify as transgender or transsexual, and often results in gender dysphoria. The causes of gender incongruence have been studied for decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obesogen</span> Foreign chemical compound that disrupts lipid balance causing obseity

Obesogens are certain chemical compounds that are hypothesised to disrupt normal development and balance of lipid metabolism, which in some cases, can lead to obesity. Obesogens may be functionally defined as chemicals that inappropriately alter lipid homeostasis and fat storage, change metabolic setpoints, disrupt energy balance or modify the regulation of appetite and satiety to promote fat accumulation and obesity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environment and sexual orientation</span> Field of sexual orientation research

The relationship between the environment and sexual orientation is a subject of research. In the study of sexual orientation, some researchers distinguish environmental influences from hormonal influences, while other researchers include biological influences such as prenatal hormones as part of environmental influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone Hayes</span> American biologist

Tyrone B. Hayes is an American biologist and professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is known for his research in frogs, concluding that the herbicide atrazine is an endocrine disruptor that demasculinizes male frogs, causing them to display female characteristics. Hayes is an advocate for the critical review and regulation of pesticides as well as other chemicals that may cause adverse health effects. He has presented hundreds of papers, discussions, and seminars on his research's conclusion that environmental contaminants have played a major role in the global amphibian decline as well as being linked to the many health disparities that occur in minority and low income populations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuroscience and sexual orientation</span> Mechanisms of sexual orientation development in humans

Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender, or none of the aforementioned at all. The ultimate causes and mechanisms of sexual orientation development in humans remain unclear and many theories are speculative and controversial. However, advances in neuroscience explain and illustrate characteristics linked to sexual orientation. Studies have explored structural neural-correlates, functional and/or cognitive relationships, and developmental theories relating to sexual orientation in humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prenatal hormones and sexual orientation</span> Hormonal theory of sexuality

The hormonal theory of sexuality holds that, just as exposure to certain hormones plays a role in fetal sex differentiation, such exposure also influences the sexual orientation that emerges later in the individual. Prenatal hormones may be seen as the primary determinant of adult sexual orientation, or a co-factor.

Xenohormones or environmental hormones are compounds produced outside of the human body which exhibit endocrine hormone-like properties. They may be either of natural origin, such as phytoestrogens, which are derived from plants, or of synthetic origin. These compounds can cause endocrine disruption by multiple mechanisms including acting directly on hormone receptors, affecting the levels of natural hormones in the body, and by altering the expression of hormone receptors. The most commonly occurring xenohormones are xenoestrogens, which mimic the effects of estrogen. Other xenohormones include xenoandrogens and xenoprogesterones. Xenohormones are used for a variety of purposes including contraceptive & hormonal therapies, and agriculture. However, exposure to certain xenohormones early in childhood development can lead to a host of developmental issues including infertility, thyroid complications, and early onset of puberty. Exposure to others later in life has been linked to increased risks of testicular, prostate, ovarian, and uterine cancers.

Sex is influenced by water pollutants that are encountered in everyday life. These sources of water can range from the simplicity of a water fountain to the entirety of the oceans. The pollutants within the water range from endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) in birth control to Bisphenol A (BPA). Foreign substances such as chemical pollutants that cause an alteration of sex have been found in growing prevalence in the circulating waters of the world. These pollutants have affected not only humans, but also animals in contact with the pollutants.

Antiandrogens in the environment have become a topic of concern. Many industrial chemicals, including phthalates and pesticides, exhibit antiandrogen activity in animal experiments. Certain plant species have also been found to produce antiandrogens. In animal studies, environmental antiandrogens can harm reproductive organ development in fetuses exposed in utero as well as their offspring.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen which was previously used clinically to support pregnancy, has been linked to a variety of long-term adverse effects in women who were treated with it during pregnancy and in their offspring.

Kelly K. Ferguson is an American public health researcher who is a Senior Investigator in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. She leads the Perinatal and Early Life Epidemiology Group, which studies how maternal exposure to chemicals impacts pregnancy and development. In 2021, she was awarded the inaugural Lou Guillette Jr. Outstanding Young Investigator Award.

Mini-puberty is a transient hormonal activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that occurs in infants shortly after birth. This period is characterized by a surge in the secretion of gonadotropins and sex steroids, similar to but less intense than the hormonal changes that occur in puberty during adolescence. Mini-puberty plays a crucial role in the early development of the reproductive system and the establishment of secondary sexual characteristics.

References

  1. 1 2 Higgins, Tucker (September 14, 2018). "Alex Jones' 5 most disturbing and ridiculous conspiracy theories". CNBC. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Lambert, Max; Packer, Melina (June 10, 2019). "Perspective | How gendered language leads scientists astray". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Savic, Ivanka; Garcia-Falgueras, Alicia; Swaab, Dick F. (2010), Savic, Ivanka (ed.), "Sexual differentiation of the human brain in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation" (PDF), Progress in Brain Research, Sex Differences in the Human Brain, their Underpinnings and Implications, 186, Elsevier: 41–62, doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53630-3.00004-X, hdl: 20.500.11755/c2c649ef-4f57-472e-94fc-2e686c53c57b , ISBN   9780444536303, PMID   21094885 , retrieved August 13, 2023, Recent data show that environmental compounds during early development may interfere with sexual differentiation of the human brain. Plastic softeners, that is, phthalate esters, are pervasive environmental chemicals with anti androgenic effects. Exposure to these compounds is accompanied by reduced masculine play in boys (Swan et al. 2010). Higher prenatal polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) levels were related with less masculine play in boys, while higher prenatal dioxin levels were associated with more feminized play in boys as well as in girls (Vreugdenhil et al. 2002). The effect of such environmental endocrine disruptors on sexual differentiation of brain systems should be further studied in future.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Cocchetti, Carlotta; Rachoń, Dominik; Fisher, Alessandra D. (2020), Pivonello, Rosario; Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia (eds.), "Environmental Impact on Sexual Response" (PDF), Environmental Endocrinology and Endocrine Disruptors: Endocrine and Endocrine-targeted Actions and Related Human Diseases, Endocrinology, pp. 312–328, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-38366-4_11-1, ISBN   978-3-030-38366-4 , retrieved August 18, 2023, In particular, the hypothalamus and other sexually dimorphic brain areas are highly sensitive to endogenous sex hormones, and this may determine their vulnerability to EDCs' exposure during critical periods. This evidence could lead to hypothesize a possible etiological link between prenatal exposure to EDCs and the development of sexual orientation and core gender identity. Indeed, Bejerot et al. (2011) suggested a hypothetical link between EDCs and gender dysphoria, speculating about a possible role of phthalates (Bejerot et al. 2011). Phthalates are contained in many plastics, and their environmental concentrations have significantly increased in the last few years. Fetal exposure may lead to an increased androgen exposure, increasing the risk of developing gender dysphoria. However, this specific association has never been evaluated before and most of our knowledge is based on data from rodent studies. For this reason, more systematic investigations are required to establish EDCs' interference with sexual differentiation of the brain in determining sexual orientation and gender identity.
  5. 1 2 Contreras, Russell; Holzman, Jael (July 5, 2023). "Fringe gender-chemical theory goes mainstream". Axios.
  6. ↑ Hayes, Tyrone; Haston, Kelly; Tsui, Mable; Hoang, Anhthu; Haeffele, Cathryn; Vonk, Aaron (2002). "Feminization of male frogs in the wild". Nature. 419 (6910): 895–896. doi:10.1038/419895a. ISSN   1476-4687. PMID   12410298. S2CID   4364535.
  7. ↑ Hayes, Tyrone B.; Khoury, Vicky; Narayan, Anne; Nazir, Mariam; Park, Andrew; Brown, Travis; Adame, Lillian; Chan, Elton; Buchholz, Daniel; Stueve, Theresa; Gallipeau, Sherrie (March 9, 2010). "Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107 (10): 4612–4617. Bibcode:2010PNAS..107.4612H. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0909519107 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   2842049 . PMID   20194757.
  8. 1 2 "Atrazine Updates | Pesticides | US EPA". September 30, 2015. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  9. ↑ Renner, Rebecca (2008). "Atrazine Effects in Xenopus Aren't Reproducible". Environmental Science & Technology. 42 (10): 3491–3493. Bibcode:2008EnST...42.3491R. doi:10.1021/es087113j. ISSN   0013-936X. PMID   18546678.
  10. ↑ Jooste, Alarik M.; Du Preez, Louis H.; Carr, James A.; Giesy, John P.; Gross, Timothy S.; Kendall, Ronald J.; Smith, Ernest E.; Van Der Kraak, Glen L.; Solomon, Keith R. (July 1, 2005). "Gonadal Development of Larval Male Xenopus laevis Exposed to Atrazine in Outdoor Microcosms". Environmental Science & Technology. 39 (14): 5255–5261. Bibcode:2005EnST...39.5255J. doi:10.1021/es048134q. ISSN   0013-936X. PMID   16082954.
  11. ↑ Segalov, Michael (June 8, 2017). "A Quick Refresher: The Truth About Water Making You Gay". Vice. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kacala, Alexander (August 7, 2018). "Infowars' Alex Jones has a long history of inflammatory, anti-LGBTQ speech". NBC News . Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  13. ↑ Hayes, Tyrone B.; Khoury, Vicky; Narayan, Anne; Nazir, Mariam; Park, Andrew; Brown, Travis; Adame, Lillian; Chan, Elton; Buchholz, Daniel; Stueve, Theresa; Gallipeau, Sherrie (March 9, 2010). "Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107 (10): 4612–4617. Bibcode:2010PNAS..107.4612H. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0909519107 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   2842049 . PMID   20194757.
  14. ↑ Renner, Rebecca (2008). "Atrazine Effects in Xenopus Aren't Reproducible". Environmental Science & Technology. 42 (10): 3491–3493. Bibcode:2008EnST...42.3491R. doi:10.1021/es087113j. ISSN   0013-936X. PMID   18546678.
  15. ↑ Perret, Meg (June 9, 2020). ""Chemical Castration": White Genocide and Male Extinction in Rhetoric of Endocrine Disruption". NiCHE. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ Turner, Abby; Kaczynski, Andrew (July 13, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly suggested that chemicals in water are impacting sexuality of children". CNN Politics. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  17. ↑ Brownworth, Victoria A. (June 21, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: The Shaming of a Legacy". Philadelphia Gay News . Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  18. 1 2 Bailey, J. Michael; Vasey, Paul L.; Diamond, Lisa M.; Breedlove, S. Marc; Vilain, Eric; Epprecht, Marc (2016). "Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science". Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 17 (2): 45–101. doi: 10.1177/1529100616637616 . PMID   27113562. S2CID   42281410. The most common meaningful controversy across time and place has concerned the extent to which homosexuality is socially influenced and, more specifically, whether or not it spreads as a result of contagion and social tolerance. There is no good evidence that either increases the rate of homosexual orientation, although tolerance may facilitate behavioral expression of homosexual desire.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.