May 28, 2005

• Just saying 'phthalates' sounds gay.
• For some time now, scientists have been on the lookout for testosterone suppression in human beings, since studies have shown other vertebrates are adversely affected by many manmade chemicals in watersheds and food chains. Human beings may not choose to reduce their numbers, but nevertheless a decline in human population may come to pass simply because manmade contaminants have become so ubiquitous. Phthalates are merely one more item in the litany of destructive changes we're making, wittingly or not, to the world.
• Hmm, well, the news stories I've read seem to indicate that these are physical anomalies, which may have nothing to do with "queerness", and that they may correct themselves with time (especially the peri-anal distance.) Yes, the effect of chemicals on humans can be extreme, but the poster has jumped to yet another conclusion. (I would have done links, but am in an incompetant mood. There are lots of them if you Google for "phthalates.") And, AcutallySettle, my guess is that you'd have no patience with babies, no matter what their physical setup was.
• Agreed: since the effects now being observed are in human babies, it's impossible to draw any conclusions about what behaviours they may exhibit as adults. There will be more studies made, I'm sure.
• It's really just pronounced "thalates" despite the odd spelling. And it's interesting that this is the second chemically-related thread of the day, when the fact is there are thousands of chemicals that are just as bad for you that don't make the news.
• Yes, but people pay attention when the chemicals might shrink their bits and pieces.
• The only problem with this theory is that gay men have statistically larger genitals than straight men. If phthlate contamination was an promoter of developmental changes that led to feminine imprinting or homosexuality, the oppposite effect would be observed. Observed data != theory, therefore theory loses out.
• gay men have statistically larger genitals than straight men More proof that God isn't a woman and has it in for us. *sigh* Seriously, though, I wonder if this is a retardation of the foetuses' development? IIRC, foetuses develop as females first (or rather, the female form is the default gender), and only grow male genitals later on. So smaller genitals means that the foetus isn't developing as quickly as it's supposed to?
• Might want to reset the sarcasm meter path.
• Gay men have statistically larger genitals than straight men Speak for yourself. And if we're talking statistics, let it be known that my penis redefines "standard deviation."
• the_bone: So that'd be on the left side of the bell curve? A z-score of -4?
• My penis is the bell curve. (OK, I suck at math humor)
• Human beings may not choose to reduce their numbers,... I <3 Bees. Who said optimism is dead?
• gay men have statistically larger genitals Feminization of males doesn't necessarily mean gay men. It could be referring to transsexuals. In this case environmental factors are some of the major theories.
• Result may be males with low sperm counts and/or with malformed sperm. This is what's been observed in other critters, anyhow. What the effects on libido and partner selection may be, no one, I think, can actually say with certainty at this point. Jerry, should there be a sizable drop in human population, whatever the cause, it's probable it would ease pressure on other species of plants and animals for a time, other factors being equal. I would like to be optomistic about a decline in human birth-rate, but this is not how I'd like to see such a thing come about, given a choice. I'd prefer it be a voluntary thing, as I think most folk would. Don't know that we're going to be given a choice, though, widespread as the use of phthalates is. Personally I'm axcquainted with a number of people who've had trouble conceiving offspring -- which makes me wonder if it's possible phthalates have already been affecting significant numbers of folk.
• That's been a disturbing ocurrence I've seen lately with friends and acquaintances too - young, healthy couples with the means, preparation and desire of having kids, experiencing all kinds of troubles to even get pregnant. Meanwhile, unprepared, broken, not-quite-healthy-living teens and twentysomes get storked by sneezing. Sheez.

• Gay men have statistically larger genitals than straight men

  Gay Genitals™ Not just larger, statistically larger.