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]
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
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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
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Higgins, Tucker (September 14, 2018). "Alex Jones' 5 most disturbing and ridiculous conspiracy theories". CNBC. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b Contreras, Russell; Holzman, Jael (July 5, 2023). "Fringe gender-chemical theory goes mainstream". Axios.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Atrazine Updates | Pesticides | US EPA". September 30, 2015. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Segalov, Michael (June 8, 2017). "A Quick Refresher: The Truth About Water Making You Gay". Vice. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ Kacala, Alexander (August 7, 2018). "Infowars' Alex Jones has a long history of inflammatory, anti-LGBTQ speech". NBC News. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Perret, Meg (June 9, 2020). ""Chemical Castration": White Genocide and Male Extinction in Rhetoric of Endocrine Disruption". NiCHE. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Brownworth, Victoria A. (June 21, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: The Shaming of a Legacy". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ a b 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.
