Can Plastics Make Boys Have Feminine Qualities?
Posted: Monday, November 16, 2009
by Asher Ricard
Talk about the news from the weird. Today, the BBC is reporting on a study released by the University of Rochester that shows that chemicals in plastics can alter the brains of boys and make them "more feminine."
I have to admit I had to pick my bottom jaw off the ground. Really?
"Males exposed to high doses in the womb went on to be less likely to play with boys' toys like cars or to join in rough and tumble games, they found," the BBC reports.
Apparently, toys have been banned containing Phtalates, but these are still found in plastic furniture and packaging. The researchers found that two phthalates DEHP and DBP can affect play behaviour.
Boys exposed to high levels of these in the womb were less likely than other boys to play with cars, trains and guns or engage in games like playfighting.
Here are my thoughts on this. Not that you really cared. But seriously, is this something to be concerned about. A boy who has feminine qualities is no different from any other boy. In fact, I would say they might grow to be better husbands.
Second, there were 74 boys tested. Do we really believe this is a big enough group to research? How many of those boys come from fathers who have feminine qualities? it looks like all that was researched was a survey on what toys the boys played with.
As a parent, I do not think I would be as concerned about this. I understand any time a child is exposed to any type of chemical, there is a risk, but really is this what are fears are turning to?
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Asher.Of possibly more concern is testing in rats. When the rat mothers were exposed to small amounts of phthalates (the stuff that makes plastic soft enough to be made into water bottles), the male offspring were born with a smaller distance between the anus and the penis. This is considered to be physical feminization because females naturally have a smaller distance between the anus and the urethral opening.I'm not one to want to spread fear. There is enough of that already. But I do think that there is reason for concern here. Phthalates also occur in just about all scented products (in this case, it helps the scent "stick").Conventional wisdom says that human mothers should refrain from using caffeine, tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy. I think it would also be prudent to stop using bottled water and any kind of fragrance.Feminine behavioral characteristics in males might not be cause for concern, but physical feminization certainly is.Dianne
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