Soy boy
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/003-soymilk.jpg/220px-003-soymilk.jpg)
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 is often targeted at perceivedsocial justice warriors,vegans,[10]social liberals,and similar groups.[11]The term has also been used in online debates about the fashion appeal ofcargo shorts.[12]
Soy boys are often depicted as feminized and unathletic, usually withglassesand a poorly groomedbeard,and having a characteristic open-mouthed smile called a "soy face" or "soylent grin",[13][14]a pun on the 1973 dystopian filmSoylent Green.
Diet and men's health[edit]
While there is some evidence that phytoestrogens may affect male fertility, "further investigation is needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn".[15]Several review studies have not found any effect of phytoestrogens on sperm quality[5]or reproductive hormone levels.[4][15]
Soy is rich in nutrients and likely to provide health benefits, especially when it replaces red or processed meat.[9]Avoidance of red and processed meat was found to lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction.[16][17]Higher soy intake is also associated with lower risk for prostate cancer.[18][19]
See also[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
- Beta male (slang)
- Neckbeard (slang)
- Cuckold
- Incel
- Low-T
- Sardanapalus
- Sissy
- Sexism
- Soylent (meal replacement)
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.
- ^abReed, 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.doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.12.019.ISSN0890-6238.PMID33383165.
- ^abMessina, 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.
- ^ab"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.
- ^abCederroth C. R.; Auger J.; Zimmermann C.; Eustache F.; Nef S. (2010)."Soy, phyto-oestrogens and male reproductive function: a review".International Journal of Andrology.33(2): 304–316.doi:10.1111/j.1365-2605.2009.01011.x.PMID19919579.
- ^Bauer, Scott R.; Breyer, Benjamin N.; Stampfer, Meir J.; Rimm, Eric B.; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Kenfield, Stacey A. (2020-11-13)."Association of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study".JAMA Network Open.3(11): e2021701.doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.21701.ISSN2574-3805.PMC7666422.PMID33185675.
- ^La, Justin; Roberts, Natalie H.; Yafi, Faysal A. (2018-01-01)."Diet and Men's Sexual Health".Sexual Medicine Reviews.6(1): 54–68.doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2017.07.004.ISSN2050-0521.PMID28778698.
- ^Yan, Lin; Spitznagel, Edward L. (April 2009)."Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis".The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.89(4): 1155–1163.doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27029.ISSN1938-3207.PMID19211820.
- ^Applegate, Catherine C.; Rowles, Joe L.; Ranard, Katherine M.; Jeon, Sookyoung; Erdman, John W. (2018-01-04)."Soy Consumption and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis".Nutrients.10(1): 40.doi:10.3390/nu10010040.ISSN2072-6643.PMC5793268.PMID29300347.