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True story.
By Shannon Ullman — Written on May 07, 2020
Either the world is becoming so progressive that fish are now identifying as transgender or the hormones in contraceptive pills are seriously questionable.
In all seriousness, transgender fish are probably not good for the environment.
What makes it even scarier, especially for me (a hardcore pescatarian), is that people may be eating these things, causing the contraceptive hormones to be passed along.
According to a recent study, one-fifth of male fish have become transgender due to chemicals from birth control pills being flushed.
Researchers found that many male river fish are starting to produce eggs and exhibit female characteristics.
Aside from just being strange, this could greatly affect the fish population as the sperm quality is plummeting.
Another issue is that their behavior is less aggressive and competitive than usual, which may lower their chances of breeding successfully.
These problems aren’t being caused by contraceptive pills alone.
In fact, the study shows that plastics, cleaning agents, and cosmetics are all responsible for the shift in gender.
Charles Tyler, a professor at the University of Exeter, will be giving a keynote lecture on the offspring of these transgender fish and how they can be even more vulnerable to chemical exposure in the waterways.
When speaking of some of these vulnerabilities, Tyler said, "Using specially created transgenic fish that allow us to see responses to these chemicals in the bodies of fish in real time, for example, we have shown that estrogens found in some plastics affect the valves in the heart."
Researchers say that while looking at 50 different sites, about 20 percent of freshwater male fish have become transgender and show female characteristics.
Around 200 chemicals from sewage plants as well as anti-depressant drugs have been shown to alter the behavior of fish as well.
These findings were presented by Tyler at the Fisheries Society 50th Anniversary Symposium at Exeter University.
The event’s organizer, Dr. Steve Simpson, believes that this occasion will give "fish biologists from around the world a chance to exchange ideas and discuss how to protect dwindling fish populations in rapidly changing seas and rivers, before it is too late.”
During the event, discussions about coral reef destructions, climate change, and power cables in their relationship to dwindling fish populations took place as well.
If this is alarming to you, remember, ladies: throw your pills out, don't flush them!
Shannon Ullman Shannon is a freelance writer and budding journalist who has been traveling the world for more than 10 years.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on July 12, 2017 and was updated with the latest information.