Soy boy

Soy boy is a pejorative term often used in online communities to describe men lacking masculine characteristics. The term bears many similarities and has been compared to the slang terms cuck and low-T ('low testosterone'), two other terms popularly used as an insult for male femininity by online communities.[1][2]

The term is based on the presence of phytoestrogen contained within soybeans, which have led some to conclude that soy products feminize men who consume them.

History

Soy products contain a high amount of phytoestrogen.[3][4] As it is structurally very similar to estradiol (the major female sex hormone), concerns have been raised that it may act as an endocrine disruptor that adversely affects health.[4] While there is some evidence that phytoestrogens may affect male fertility, "further investigation is needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn".[5] Several review studies have indeed not found any effect of phytoestrogens on sperm quality[6] or testosterone levels.[5]

The earliest archived use of the term soyboy as a pejorative on 4chan was submitted to a thread on the /TV/ (television & film) board on April 18, 2017.[7]

Usage

The term is often used as an epithet by internet trolls.[8] It is often targeted at perceived social justice warriors, vegans,[9] and similar groups with males who display "feminine" traits and values.[10] The term has also been used in online debates about the fashion appeal of cargo shorts.[11]

Public perception

Mic published an op-ed by writer Chris Caesar titled "How 'soy boy' became the alt-right's new favorite insult."[12] Also on October 27 2017, The Daily Dot published an article titled "'Soy boys' is the far-right's newest favorite insult."[13]

See also

References
  1. Hosie, Rachel. "Soy Boy: What is this new online insult used by the far right?". The Independent.
  2. "An Anatomy of the Soy Boy". New Socialist.
  3. 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. PMID 16898863. S2CID 60328.
  4. Rietjens IM, 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. PMC 5429336. PMID 27723080.
  5. Cederroth CR, Auger J, Zimmermann C, Eustache F, Nef S (2010). "Soy, phyto-oestrogens and male reproductive function: a review". International Journal of Andrology. 33 (2): 304–16. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2605.2009.01011.x. PMID 19919579.
  6. 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. PMID 20378106.
  7. Castrodale, Jelisa (September 19, 2018). "A Brief History of Jerks Using Tofu-Eating as an Insult".
  8. "Are you a soy boy?". Metro. October 28, 2017.
  9. Cunningham, Brent (18 September 2019). "Plant-based meat and the knock-down, drag-out fight for the American diet". Vox. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  10. Reynolds, George (October 25, 2019). "Why do people hate vegans?" – via www.theguardian.com.
  11. Jennings, Rebecca (April 18, 2019). "The latest debate on right-wing Twitter: are cargo shorts for 'real men' or 'soy boys?'". Vox.
  12. Caesar, Chris. "How 'soy boy' became the alt-right's favorite new insult". Mic.
  13. "'Soy boys' is the far-right's newest favorite insult". The Daily Dot. October 27, 2017.
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