Soy boy
Soy boyis apejorativeterm sometimes used in online communities to describe men perceived to be lackingmasculinecharacteristics. The term bears many similarities and has been compared to the slang termscuck(derived fromcuckold),nu-maleandlow-T( "low testosterone" ) – terms sometimes used as insults for malefemininityby online communities.[1][2][3]
The term is based on the presence of thephytoestrogenisoflavoneinsoybeans,which has led some to claim that soy productsfeminizemen who consume them, although this is a discredited conspiracy theory with no scientific evidence for the correlation between consumption of soyphytoestrogensandtestosteroneorestrogenlevels[4]or sperm quality.[5]
Biology
[edit]Soy productscontain high amounts ofphytoestrogens.[6][7]As they are structurally similar toestradiol(the majorfemale sex hormone) and have activity at the estrogen receptor,[8]concerns have been raised that it may act as anendocrine disruptorthat adversely affects health.[7]The Harvard School of Health, however, notes that "there are many factors that make it difficult to construct blanket statements about the health effects of soy."[9]
Usage
[edit]The term is often used as an epithet byinternet trolls.It often targets perceivedvegans,[10][11]social liberals,and other groups. The term has also been used in online debates about the fashion appeal ofcargo shorts,[12]having a feminized and unathletic look, and an alleged smile called a "soy face" or "soylent grin",[13][14]which is a pun on the 1973 dystopian filmSoylent Green.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^Hosie, Rachel (30 September 2020)."Soy Boy: What is this new online insult used by the far right?".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-05-24.
- ^Gleeson, Jules Joanne (3 February 2018)."An Anatomy of the Soy Boy".New Socialist.Retrieved27 November2020.
- ^Beck, Chris (18 January 2020)."The Rise of Nu-Males and Soy Boys".Splice Today.Retrieved2022-08-08.
- ^Reed, Katharine E.; Camargo, Juliana; Hamilton-Reeves, Jill; Kurzer, Mindy; Messina, Mark (2021-03-01)."Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies".Reproductive Toxicology.100:60–67.Bibcode:2021RepTx.100...60R.doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.12.019.ISSN0890-6238.PMID33383165.
- ^Messina, Mark (May 1, 2010)."Soybean isoflavone exposure does not have feminizing effects on men: a critical examination of the clinical evidence".Fertility and Sterility.93(7): 2095–2104.doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.03.002.PMID20378106.
- ^Thompson, Lilian U.; Boucher, Beatrice A.; Liu, Zhen; Cotterchio, Michelle; Kreiger, Nancy (June 17, 2006). "Phytoestrogen content of foods consumed in Canada, including isoflavones, lignans, and coumestan".Nutrition and Cancer.54(2): 184–201.doi:10.1207/s15327914nc5402_5.PMID16898863.S2CID60328.
- ^abRietjens I. M. C. M.; Louisse J.; Beekmann K. (June 2017)."The potential health effects of dietary phytoestrogens".British Journal of Pharmacology.174(11): 1263–1280.doi:10.1111/bph.13622.PMC5429336.PMID27723080.
- ^George G. J. M. Kuiper; Josephine G. Lemmen; Bo Carlsson; J. Christopher Corton; Stephen H. Safe; Paul T. van der Saag; Bart van der Burg; Jan-Åke Gustafsson (1 October 1998). "Interaction of Estrogenic Chemicals and Phytoestrogens with Estrogen Receptor β".Endocrinology.139(10): 4252–4263.doi:10.1210/endo.139.10.6216.PMID9751507.
- ^"Straight Talk About Soy".The Nutrition Source.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.2018-08-06.Retrieved2024-03-07.
- ^Cunningham, Brent (18 September 2019)."Plant-based meat and the knock-down, drag-out fight for the American diet".Vox.Retrieved27 July2020.
- ^Reynolds, George (October 25, 2019)."Why do people hate vegans?".The Guardian– via www.theguardian.com.
- ^Jennings, Rebecca (April 18, 2019)."The latest debate on right-wing Twitter: are cargo shorts for 'real men' or 'soy boys?'".Vox.
- ^Abascal, Luis (4 July 2021)."Basado, charocracia, chad o pesetas y cunetas: así habla el Team Facha".Elplural(in Spanish).Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2021.Retrieved22 Sep2021.
- ^Klee, Miles (2020)."'Soy Face' Is Real, and It's Annoying — It Just Needs a Better Name ".Mel Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 1 October 2021.Retrieved22 Sep2021.