Free Radicals (2019)

Free Radicals

MEAT THE END Is it time to stop eating animals and embrace a plant-based diet?

THE KILLER HOAX Why the anti-vax argument is still going strong DAIRY MEGA-FARMS Who pays the price for cheap milk?

MONTHLY May 2019

POISON & ANTIDOTE

How illegal drugs could pave the way for ground-breaking mental health treatments Issue 3/3 £Priceless

TRANS GENERATION

Western gender stereotypes – have we got it all wrong?

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX The impact our hang-ups could have on mental health

Free Radicals EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Isabella Brown, Poppy Colbourne, Gabriela Gonzalez Susarte Tanaka, Megan Harrington, Sarah N’Guio, Liz Williams

MANAGING EDITOR Angela Rivers a.rivers@bathspa.ac.uk

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

CONTENTS 04

Stephen Moss s.moss@bathspa.ac.uk

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Jason Bennett j.bennett2@bathspa.ac.uk We take great care to ensure all elements of Free Radicals are accurate. However, we accept no liability for any misprints or mistakes that appear. Please note prices may vary from retailer to retailer and from region to region. It will be assumed any letters sent to the magazine are intended for publication unless otherwise stated. Next month’s contents is subject to change.

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Front cover image by Sharon McCutcheon

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The war on drugs

Gabriela Gonzalez Susarte Tanaka discovers how illegal drugs are being used in pioneering mental health treatments

Let’s talk about sex

Making the most of pleasure hormones – we shouldn’t be ashamed of having a good time, says Poppy Colbourne

Meat the end

Isabella Brown investigates how switching meat to a plant-based diet could save eight million lives by 2050

Dairy mega-farms

The drive for cheap food is harming the welfare of both animals and farmers, explains Liz Williams

The killer hoax

Megan Harrington asks why the anti-vax debate has learned nothing from history, and traces the movement’s origins back to smallpox

Trans generation

Sarah N’Guio examines whether Western psychiatry is failing to address the real issues facing transgender children

A killer and the cure Research advancements in illicit drug treatments have sparked a new dialogue surrounding their dangers and uses when treating mental health

4 | Free Radicals | May 2019

MEDICINE

© photo by Joshua Coleman on Unsplash

Vilified party drugs may be paving the way towards the understanding of treatment resistent conditions

There was a time when the Beatles took acid and sang about it, when the term psychedelic conjured up the imagery of anti-establishment hippies and pretty patterns. Now your weird uncle takes the chance to ramble on about his misspent youth and the good old days (before the rave drugs quadrupled in dosage and started killing unsuspecting teenagers that is).

A reality check is in order, illegal drugs are not all bad. In fact, they may hold the key to the understanding and development of new treatments for mental illnesses.

Infamous party drugs like Ketamine and Ecstasy have gotten increased media attention over the past few weeks, this time it’s not over another tragic teenage death, instead, the possibility of treating a debilitating and sometimes treatment resistant condition – depression.

Recent advances in psychiatric treatment could pioneer a change in the attitudes towards psychedelic drugs. A long-standing hiatus in research could be coming to its end.

Paving the way for further research into the area of illegal drugs and mental health is Esketamine, a variant of the infamous party drug and dissociative hallucinogenic, Ketamine.

This development may also influence an advancement towards other Ketamine inspired treatments. The party drug’s reputation was earned with its association to violent instances, suicide and the slow disintegration of internal organs that can eventually lead to death. Nancy Lee’s drug death was one such case, the sadness of which went largely unreported, sadder still may be that Ketamine related deaths are not unheard of in her city of Brighton. Her body deteriorated over the course of eight

years, until she died at the age of 23. Nancy suffered with depression and ironically, selfmedicated with Ketamine, however like many depressed British kids – and even her close friend Kayleigh Jukes, who also died of a drug overdose – she abused the drug. The death of Eleanor Rowe at Boomtown festival in 2013 influenced the drug’s upgrade for a Class C to a Class B banned substance after ‘mounting evidence of its physical and psychological harm’; including irreversible bladder damage, leading some users to become incontinent and to have the organ removed.

However, if the ‘war on drugs’ has taught us anything it is that people will do drugs, regardless of the warning signs. A higher classification is to teens a warning that they must be sneakier.

In fact, Michael Linnell (co-ordinator May 2019 | Free Radicals | 5

© Photo found on Pxhere

[r] Psylocybin is a hallucinatory substance found in mushrooms which has recently been undergoing clinical trials for the potential treatment of PTSD and depression.

Although not itself toxic, recreational mushroom use has been associated with dissociation and paranoia [opposite] Similarly, the psychoactive drug Marijuana is not toxic but has been linked to cases of schizophrenia

of UK DrugWatch) has said that there are more young people than it is known using heroin and other hard drugs, who are reluctant to engage with treatment services.

Surely, increasing minimum sentences for non-violent, mentally unstable drug users does nothing to fix this epidemic.

A suggestion, which may be ludicrous to consider, is that these drugs are themselves the poison and their antidote.

That they can both kill and cure.

While its potential for abuse is well documented, little is known of Esketamine’s medicinal long-term effects. Which is one of the reasons why the recent FDA approval was greeted with scepticism. Many researchers believed that the trial findings were unconvincing, while some suggest that rules were bent for the drug’s approval.

Are these the sceptics, unable to let go of stigma and fear in order of progress?

30 years, this may have swayed the committee meeting in favour of its approval. Advisory council member Steven Meisel says ‘Ketamine is a nasty drug’ yet he was convinced by a survey which found that participants were willing to risk the possible side effects of the drug – hallucinations and dissociative effects – as their depression was so intolerable. Meisel’s position on the matter highlights the object of most weight – that here are sufferers of the illness who would try anything to feel better.

It is almost shameful to consider that psychedelic drugs, which were proposed by Albert Hoffman to be of psychopathological use in the 1930’s have been denounced out of the research sphere, criminalised and vilified. What remains is a sense of negligence, a hollow attempt at protecting the illusion of order among those who hold the purse strings of society.

Stigma surrounds the term psychedelic,

There are more young people than it is known using heroin and other hard drugs, who are reluctant to engage with treatment services Esketamine’s main appeal is its fastacting effects. Unlike other antidepressants, Esketamine works in hours rather than weeks.

Hope for those with treatment-resistant conditions is hard to come by and since Esketamine is the first new antidepressant in 6 | Free Radicals | May 2019

inferring hallucinogenic, out-of-this-world experiences, hippies and anti-government movements of the 60s. This sheltered perception has impeded progress in the development of new treatments. Following a stream of unethical findings and side effects in

the 1970’s, a hiatus on research was enforced, deeming many psychedelic substances as having no medicinal use, making research illegal in the west. Unintended negative consequences of the current drug policies include uncontrolled substances – both in quantity and quality. It is never clear whether you are truly buying what you paid for.

The pitfalls of drug control Drugs have been known to be ‘cut’ or bulked up with harmless agents such as flour, sugar, starch and salt, however, there are times when the substances are cut with potentially harmful or fatal agents such as fentanyl and rat poison. The illegal status of these drugs means that they can only be bought and sold from irreputable sources. Strengths and concentrations of drugs are undocumented, producers, suppliers and dealers often too careless to keep note; producers strive to increase the strengths in order to compete with each other, putting unsuspecting lives at danger. On top of this, drugs like Ketamine increase user tolerance rapidly, demanding higher quantities to reach the same effects – further endangering the body.

As a result, researchers who dare go into this area are putting their reputations on the line, reveals Robin Carhart - Harris (from the imperial college London). Yet, against all odds the field is showing a slow and persistent renaissance with foundations such as the Multidisciplinary Association

© Photo by Esteban Lopez on Unsplash

MEDICINE

for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Beckley foundation who have been at the forefront of global drug policy reform and scientific research into psychoactive substances. The consistency of this minority influence may be finally taking effect.

Although the new antidepressant is exciting for psychiatrists and patients with treatment resistant depression, Esketamine will have to be administered at an approved clinic, after which the patient will have to stay for two hours and would not be allowed to drive until after having slept overnight.

Dr. Walter S. Dunn (a professor of psychiatry and a member of the FDA) believes that Esketamine may be ‘paving the way for a new class of drugs’ in depression treatment.

Claudia Kieffer, a victim of treatment resistant depression happened upon the drug Ketamine as an anaesthetic. She reported that instantly ‘it was like a spring breeze’ had blown through her head. Following this experience, she sought out the drug and enrolled in a clinical trial study investigating the potential benefits of Ketamine in treating depression. She spoke of Ketamine as having an antidepressant effect that no other treatment – not even 13 rounds of electric shock therapy – had achieved.

The Beckley foundation has initiated research into Lysergic acid Diethlamide (LSD) micro-dosing. Micro-dosing is the term for taking a very small amount of a drug bi-daily, the effects are non- hallucinogenic, the user does not feel high. Due to legislation, drug

use is heavily controlled, participants are asked to administer the drug themselves. Bar codes on the envelopes are scanned later in the study to indicate which pills were placebo.

of the anti-drug stigma that often withholds progress in medicinal areas. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical substance in cannabis which has medical benefits, it won’t get you high, yet the

She spoke of Ketamine as having an antidepressant effect that no other treatment – not even 13 rounds of electric shock therapy – had achieved Psylocybin is a hallucinogenic drug derived from (magic) mushrooms and is ongoing research as a possible treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methyl​ enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA) is a stimulant often associated with the rave scene. It is currently under research and has shown promising results in treating anxiety.

In the past decade, the psychedelic renaissance has seen ongoing studies and clinical research findings. However, these are often carried out underground and with little funding and careful manoeuvres around loopholes in the law. There is still stigma around all kinds of drugs, however what is promising is that there seems to be a level of curiosity around the medicinal uses of previously stigmatised drugs, for example, Cannabis has been shown to help treat severe forms of epilepsy in children and adults, and treat nausea after chemotherapy. The misinformation around cannabis is reflective

clinical research to support the mass anecdotal evidence of its benefits is lagging behind, in this case it seems that pop culture is ahead of medicine - where weed smoking is accepted.

Given the long and complex history of psychedelics it is no surprise that progress is slow. It is healthy, commended even that we maintain a sceptical attitude towards these advancements, the long-term effects of which are largely unknown. The ‘hype’ around these potential treatments can often be carried by pop culture and trends, it is easy to be swept up by the optimism and overlook the careful consideration that the use of such drugs require. Although these are undeniably a series of exciting developments in science and in the treatment of mental health issues, the movement highlights the lack of knowledge that remains. We should stay curious about psychedelic drugs and place them where they belong: in the scientific future rather than in the hippy past.

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 7

We should not be ashamed of giving ourselves a good time.

Our bodies release pleasure hormones when we have sex and masturbate so why are not making the most of this?

LET’S TALK 8 | Free Radicals | May 2019

Photo by Jan Zhukov on Unsplash

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

K ABOUT SEX Is our fear of sex as a conversation having a detrimental impact on the youth of today? It is time we grabbed this topic by the balls and took back our global mental health

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 9

Photo by Omurden Cengiz on Unsplash

I am twenty years old. Before I moved out of my family home, I distinctly remember being terrified that my parents would walk in on me exploring my own body. Even now, two years later, I still wake up in hot sweats at the memory. Shockingly, this is not a new sensation exclusive to my generation. In fact, my parents and grandparents also experienced this fear, so why is it still being reinforced?

Maybe it’s because parental attitudes have hardly changed. On the popular parenting forum Mumsnet, countless worried mothers preach the same message: “Do not talk about sex with pre-teens, and if you have to tell your teenagers, scare them out of it!”

Yet, we have long known that there is a link between a person’s quality of life and sex. However, there is still a taboo when even using the word masturbation. Are our great British stiff upper lips and conservative views of the bedroom having negative consequences on the younger population?

I believe the answer is yes, and for many different reasons. The act of exploring one’s body and the understanding of the most intimate actions a human can perform with

issues interfere with this process and as such their sex life. This statistic should not just be accepted and we all move on with our lives.

No one should feel uncomfortable in their own skin and no one should doubt their worth

“Do not talk about sex with pre-teens , and if you have to tell your teenagers, scare them out it!” Mumsnet users share their views on ‘the talk’ another is imperative to our well-being and confidence in day to day life. Nevertheless, children are being told and reinforced by their parents that any sexual act, even thinking about sex, is terrible and should be avoided at all cost.

If the comments on Mumsnet are anything to go by, it’s no wonder the mental health of teenagers has decreased in the last ten years. So with a decade of poor mental health under our belts, what can be done to correct this toxic mindset?

The Canadian Mental Health Association predicts that 20% of the population will struggle with some form of mental health illness within their lifetime. This poses a conundrum as depression and anxiety, two of the most common types of mental illness, lower the libido and as such reduce people’s sexual activity. The dopaminergic reward system is a part of the brain that rewards actions and makes us more likely to repeat it. It does this by using dopamine, the ‘happy’ hormone, as a transmitter. One activity this system rewards is sex, making us want to repeat it because we associate it with happiness. But almost all of the drugs used to treat patients with mental health 10 | Free Radicals | May 2019

because masturbation makes them feel good. It is vital we tackle this stigma before it gets as far as causing substantial mental health illnesses to the next generation. It is generally thought that sex is just something our bodies are doing, but a lot takes place in our brains. So, as important as it is to promote sex and sexual exploration, we also need to discuss risk and protective factors. Mental health illnesses like ‘mania’ can be associated with intentionally seeking risky situations, for example having unprotected sex with a stranger. So to counteract this, we need to be promoting SAFE sexual health.

Projects such as the ‘C’ card are brilliant ways of reinforcing good sexual behaviour by providing free contraception for 16-25yr olds, taking away the cost factors that may interfere with young people being able to take part in safe sexual acts. We cannot nor should we try and stop consenting teenagers and adults from having sexual relationships.

Therefore, we need to be open-minded and supportive of these sexual experiences.

It is important to come together as a society to promote inclusion and compassion for those suffering from mental illness.

This is a global epidemic, so how can

we be so naïve in neglecting the role of sex within our conservative western world?

This sexual discrimination is not something that starts and stops with my generation. It is common knowledge that the rise of social media and Photoshop has been taking a toll on all women’s self-esteem and overall body confidence. Chronically low self-esteem causes people to not only doubt their-own attractiveness and self-worth, but also their partner’s views of them and their perceived desire to be with them. It was found on the website SANE Australia that a majority of forum members spoke about the impact of this lowered self-esteem on their relationships as opposed to themselves.

This suggests that as a species we care more about how our loved ones perceive us rather than our own mental well-being.

A study published to the Archives of Sexual Behaviour found that high body appreciation acts as the best defence against ‘age-related changes in sexual satisfaction’ among women with clinically significant sexual function difficulties. This raises the question that growing body appreciation would, in turn, provide a promising intervention against sexual dysfunction in adult women.

Thereby, ensuring a collective rise in mental and sexual health of the overall population, remember it takes two to tango. So when you see your mum or partner why don’t you compliment her. You may think she always looks beautiful but sometimes it really makes someone’s day when you tell them.

What is there to fear?

So why is the country and the world not talking more about the benefits of sexual relationships? As a society, we are obsessed

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

with fear, the fear of unwanted pregnancies and catching STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections). You need only watch one episode of the Jeremy Kyle show to hear him scream at young, if not dysfunctional parents, to ‘put something on the end of it’. As a society in general, we have more of a reactive view of these cases. We look at the spread of STIs like a rising statistic rather than being proactive and focusing on how we can lower the potential future spread. You need only read the Daily Mail headlines to see how as a country we are so focused on the negatives.

Imagine the difference if we decided to look at the positive side for a change.

It’s essential that everyone is informed about the risks of sexual activity; however, reinforcing this message with disturbing pictures of oral herpes may not be the most beneficial route to go down. Health psychologists refer to this method as ‘Protection Motivation Theory’; the idea is that fear can motivate an individual to change their behaviour. Yet, a more beneficial method would surround the ‘Theory of Planned Behaviour’ focusing on people’s intentions and is based on an individual’s behaviour, values and what they deem normal. Therefore, it is vital that we start telling people what the norm is; 60% of men and women use a condom every time they have sex. On top of this two-thirds of women aged 20-24 take the oral contraceptive pill. We are already a very safe population, so by making these statistics common knowledge, people will be more likely to hop on the bandwagon and take up safe sex practices.

But if it was as simple as reciting some facts and being more open about sex then why is there such a huge social stigma? Illness due to sex and mental health is judged more

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

[l] The vast majority of the population use condoms every time they have sex promoting the importance of safe sex [r] Couples should not be torn apart due to mental heath illnesses born from a society of fear [opposite] You can have fun on your own. Masturbation is a great way to get to know yourself

critically, but why is this the case? Professor Conley at the University of Michigan stated, ‘as a culture, we have decided that sex is something dangerous and to be feared’ and so, children’s sexuality should be ‘micromanaged’.

We are putting our own and other people’s mental health at risk. Shaming people for natural healthy acts and explorations like sex and masturbation is as ludicrous as shaming someone for enjoying food. We

sex and have no interest in self stimulation, and that is ok too. In a study by Professor Anthony Bogaert at Brock University, found that one percent of the total population in America identified themselves as asexual; meaning that they have no interest in sexual relationships at all. Most of these people still have healthy lives and relationships but sex is not really on their radar. So, there is no need to pressure anyone into sex. It is an important

60% of men and women use a condom every time they have sex. On top of this two thirds of women aged 20-24 take the oral contraceptive pill need both to be healthy and happy. Just because we have grown up in a culture that shies away from talking about the genitals and what we can do with them, it doesn’t mean we should continue this tradition.

So how can we help? If you are a parent talk to your kids. I know it’s awkward having ‘the talk’, but let them know that there is nothing to be embarrassed about believing masturbation and sex are good. Schools should emphasise safe sex practices as part of the sex education programme. If you have a friend or family member who seems to be withdrawn, then talk to them. It is likely they are ashamed of their mental illness and are struggling.

A simple ‘are you ok? I am here if you need to talk’ could be the difference between the person seeking help and suffering in silence.

Now it is important that as open-minded and understanding as we want to be about sex and masturbation, we must bear in mind that there are people who don’t want to have

part of life for those that desire to have it but, if sex does not float your boat, then do not feel like you must be having regular sexual experiences to be fully happy and healthy.

No-one should feel isolated for something that is natural and they shouldn’t suffer on their own. If you or a loved one is suffering from a mental health issue then there are many government-funded websites and charities that you can contact and you will not be judged for anything you say. Sex is an important part of adult life, whether that be physical intercourse or self-stimulation, you must not feel guilty about it. But, if you are asexual and have no desire for sexual relations that is alright too. We are responsible for our societal norms and we can change them if all of us band together; it is possible to change the way we view sex. It is important that everyone feels comfortable in their own sexuality, and as a society we should regard mental health as a human right, not a privilege.

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 11

There are over 20,000 edible plants in the world, meaning the opportunities to make and eat exciting creations are endless

Meat the end In 2015 the World Health Organisation deemed processed meats as a class one carcinogen. Putting some of the nation’s favourite foods such as bacon, sausages, ham, canned meats and hot dogs alongside tobacco, asbestos and plutonium as there is strong enough evidence that they can cause cancer.

It’s therefore no surprise that in recent times we have seen a huge rise in veganism.

According to research from The Vegan Society, there are thought to be 3.5 million vegans in the UK as of April 2018, compared to just 540,000 just two years before. Although people may choose to reduce their meat consumption for various reasons such as ethical and environmental, the discovery that less meat and more veg could save up to 8 million deaths by 2050 is nothing but alarming.

As someone who was brought up on meat and dairy for three meals a day, seven days a week, the initial thought of a vegetarian alternative was sickening. Why would I want 12 | Free Radicals | May 2019

to mock something I love? The answer to that question is why not? There is no need to change your meals when you don’t have to. Before going vegan, typical meals I ate included spaghetti bolognaise, sausage and mash, curry and pizza. Now, I still eat the same foods, just with alternatives. In the recent rise of the veggies, the Vegan Society reported the demand for meat-free products has increased by 987%, making alternatives such as tofu, veggie sausages, burgers and dairy-free cheeses easier to get and people can still make the tasty meals they’re familiar with.

The news that red and processed meats can cause cancer is no joke. Yet for some reason it doesn’t seem to be taken very seriously.

Considering that tobacco is taxed, with warning labels, behind shop counters and only available to over 18s - it’s shocking to remember that both cigarettes and sausages are class one carcinogens when we feed one of them to our children. On the other hand,

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Think going vegan is all about eating salads and hugging trees?

Evidence is showing we should be living a little more plantbased to escape an early death

NUTRITION

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 13

it’s of course argued that meat is good for us.

Not only are most of us familiar with it, it’s generally affordable, and a great source of protein, iron and vitamin B12. Nutritionist Lesli Bonci says that if you’re going to give up red meat fully, you need to be prepared to work harder to get nutrients like these in your body.

‘But what about protein?’ is quite often the first sentence from people’s lips once you tell them you’re going vegan. Protein is an essential nutrient that we must get from our diet for growth and repair of tissues in the body. The good news is that we only require 45 grams a day of protein as a 19-50-year-old woman, or 56 grams a day for men. Currently, the population are getting more than their necessary daily dose of protein. Vegan foods high in protein are plentiful, such as seitan at a stunning 75g per 100g, tofu and other 14 | Free Radicals | May 2019

soy products, beans and whole grains such as bread and pasta. Even if you’re body-building or weightlifting, getting sufficient protein in the diet doesn’t have to be an issue. Even the world’s strongest man - Patrick Baboumian, has been following a vegan diet since 2011,

known example of this is soy. A few years ago it was easy to find fake news on the internet with people becoming concerned with eating soy because of its hormones, with many saying it caused ‘man boobs’.

Not only has this now been debunked, but

University of Oxford experts revealed this month that just one slice of bacon or one lamb chop can increase our risk of bowel cancer by around 20% and he can lift a car above his head!

Sadly, some myths surrounding veganism have managed to spread themselves around, mostly by those who are a part of the meat and dairy industry and have felt threatened by the rise of an ethical competitor. A well-

it also turns out that the hormones in soy, called phytoestrogens, actually reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer, and other types of cardiovascular diseases. Soy is also high in fibre, iron, magnesium, potassium, protein and zinc, so dairy farmers trying to

NUTRITION

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash

Meat increases the risk of heart disease, cancers, strokes, type II diabetes and obesity. So aren’t we better off without it?

scare us into thinking soy is bad for us, could actually be doing some harm to our health.

Will I get all my vitamins?

As you might remember from childhood - fruit and vegetables are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals, hence why our parents were so keen for us to eat them. However, there are a few nutrients on a vegan diet that could be missed if you’re not careful.

All of my childhood nutrition knowledge came solely from the Petit Filous advert informing us that “calcium makes the bones grow stronger”. Dairy foods are of course high in calcium, but ironically it turns out that people that consume the highest amount of dairy, also have the highest rates of osteoporosis - you may know this as weak and fragile bones. A study following

100,000 people for 20 years found that the more milk people drank, the higher the rates of heart disease and cancer, and that’s because animal protein leaches calcium from the bones. If you’re hoping to avoid some of the deadly consequences of dairy; there are lots of vegan sources of calcium including green leafy veg, beans and fortified foods such as vegan milk and cheese alternatives.

Vitamin D is found in small amounts in animal products such as milk, cheese and beef, however most of the population struggle to get enough - that’s why supplements are recommended for everyone (not just vegans) between October and March. We get plenty of vitamin D from sunlight during the summer, but during the winter try upping your levels with fortified breakfast cereals.

Vitamin B12 is probably the hardest nutrient to get in our diet. It’s found in the soil, so back in the day, animals would graze the land and therefore meat and animal products would contain B12. But now, most of our animals don’t get that opportunity, so animals are injected with B12, slaughtered, then we eat the B12-containing meat. Sounds strange, right? When we could just supplement the B12 ourselves. Or if supplementation isn’t your cup of tea, there’s a range of fortified foods including nutritional yeast - nutty, cheesy flakes that can go in sauces, sprinkled on vegetables or used in vegan cheese making.

One nutrient that people are always low on is fibre. In fact, the UK population only averages 18 grams per day, when we really need 30 grams a day. It’s really important that we eat more fibre as it is strongly linked to reducing your risk of heart disease, strokes, type II diabetes and bowel cancer. Fibre-rich foods can also helps us lose and control our weight as they keep us fuller for longer, which also helps reduce the risk of a number painful illnesses. Something people seem to forget is that fibre is only found in plant foods - there is absolutely zero fibre found in anything that comes from an animal. That’s why it’s vital to up our vegetable levels, and thanks to all the new vegan products on the market, eating healthily has never been more exciting.

Although meat already has many of these nutrients readily available for us - is it really worth it following the news that even government guidelines for meat still increase our cancer risk? University of Oxford experts revealed last month that just one slice of bacon or one lamb chop can increase our risk of bowel cancer by around 20%.

The 2017 American documentary ‘What the health’, also revealed that those who eat less animal products experience less cases of cancers, type II diabetes, high cholesterol,

and are of healthier weights. Not only can vegan diets help to prevent diseases, but they’ve also been used as treatment and have even reversed symptoms and saved lives.

What about a meat tax?

Considering all that’s been said, it’s no surprise that there is a debate over a potential tax on red and processed meat, following the introduction of the sugar tax last year. The benefits are of course; improved health, living longer and less pressure and financial stress on the NHS. The meat tax is supported by Dr. Neal Barnard from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, who was outraged by McDonald’s handing out free bacon during ‘bacon hour’ in January. He suggested that McDonald’s should be giving out a free colorectal cancer screening with every free side of cancer-causing bacon.

It might sound practical, however attempts from the government trying to tell the public what to do don’t always go down well. Dr. Barnard angrily protesting outside of a McDonald’s branch is unlikely to change customers minds especially when they love bacon and the consequences are not immediate, and not even guaranteed. Instead, maybe we should be focusing on educating people over the dangers of these products and inviting them to make wiser food choices.

The tax may end up targeting foods consumed heavily by those on lower incomes, pushing them further into poverty. On the other end of the scale, the tax may not work, as it’s uncertain that it will discourage meat-lovers from buying their favourite foods - especially those who are wealthier.

If you have thought about reducing your meat intake but don’t know what to do, a good place to begin with is lowering your intake e.g. if you eat meat 7 days a week, have a go with a meat-free day, or even just a meatfree meal if you’re not ready. Try replacing the meat in your meal with an alternative.

For example, if you’re having pie and mash, how about replacing the pie with a Linda McCartney Deep Dish Country Pie? Or the next time you’re planning on making a lasagne, Naturli’s Plant Based Mince tastes just like the real thing. One thing you definitely won’t need to worry about is variety in your diet; instead of the same animal foods, what about swapping them out for one of the 20,000 edible plants in the world. Did you know that only 20 plant species make up 90% of our food?

Overall, going vegan is a great opportunity to improve our health and learn more about food and cooking. You’ll be eating less bad saturated fat from animals whilst picking up more beneficial nutrients from plants.

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 15

DAIRY M 16 | Free Radicals | May 2019

Photo by Stijn te Strake on Unsplash

FARMING

MEGA-FARMS The pastoral landscape of days gone by is under threat as never before. Liz Williams investigates the effects of the rise of mega-farms, where cows are kept indoors and out of sight for their entire lives

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 17

Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash

As you look out of the window of your car or cross-country train nowadays, you are far less likely to see dairy cows than in the last century.

Gone is the bucolic picture of cattle grazing in a lush field of grass, dotted with wildflowers and framed by hedgerows alive with birds. In the 1950s there were 200,000 dairy farms in Britain. Now there are fewer than 10,000.

This is despite the overall amount of milk being produced almost doubling in the past 50 years. How is it possible? Careful breeding has increased individual cows’ yields dramatically, and farming practices have been transformed with the introduction of intensive factoryfarms of up to 1,000 cows, nestled carefully behind hedges or hillocks and largely out of sight. But all this change comes at a price.

With intensive dairying comes a serious cost to animal welfare. To produce milk, a cow must have had a calf. Yet allowing this calf to suckle naturally deprives a farmer of income so the calf is removed at birth.

The cow knows she has ‘lost’ her calf. She is capable of emotions. Three months later she will be artificially inseminated again to

animal vet, says mastitis has “a huge welfare impact” on the cow. He highlights the knockon effect too, because a cow with mastitis will “produce less milk, get pregnant less

cows only makes the situation worse for them, as they are unable to rest comfortably.

Shockingly, some mega-farms even tether the cows by the neck in restrictive stalls for 24 hours a day so that they cannot turn around, exercise, socialise or even scratch themselves.

Some mega-farms even tether the cows by the neck in restrictive stalls for 24 hours a day so that they cannot Farmer suicides But spare a thought too for the farmer. The exercise, socialise or even scratch themselves Office for National Statistics shows that we ensure that she produces milk for at least 9 months out of every 12. The calf meanwhile will be reared away from its mother to enter the milking herd in its turn if it is female, or most likely shot if it is male.

Cows under “intense strain”

A dairy cow’s natural lifespan should be 20 years. But modern dairy cows in intensive herds are lucky to reach five years old before being ‘culled’ due to insufficient milk production. Expecting a cow to produce up to 10 times their natural production, says Richard Smith, an organic farm manager, means cows have to be fed “large amounts of protein… (which) puts them under intense strain”. Helen Lambert, an independent animal welfare consultant sums up what this vicious cycle of unnatural nutrition and demanding milking means for the cow. She is “constantly starving”.

Intensive herds which are kept indoors all their lives are denied the opportunity to express normal behaviours like grazing or running. They also become more prone to bacterial infections in overcrowded conditions.

These can include mastitis, which any human mother who has been unfortunate enough to suffer knows only too well, is an especially painful condition. Richard Laven, a large 18 | Free Radicals | May 2019

quickly….and even when mastitis is apparently mild [is] more likely to be culled early”.

Most cows reared on a non-intensive farm, with summer access to natural grazing, will need to be fed some concentrates to supplement their grass and hay diet. However, on intensive farms with zero-grazing, this high-protein food is given continuously. The unnatural diet produces excessive acid in the cows’ guts which can lead to diarrhoea.

Naturally, the cow becomes weak which reduces her milk yield and she becomes a drain on the farm’s resources. As if this was not bad enough, diarrhoea can also cause laminitis and lameness. Both these conditions not only cause significant pain for the cow but if not successfully treated, they will lead to the cow becoming expendable, only fit for the abattoir.

Lameness can also be caused by the additional weight of the larger udders and increased milk production that has been bred into dairy cows, as well as prolonged periods of standing on concrete floors.

These floors may be cheap to install and maintain in intensive dairy farms but are unforgiving and slippery for cows. There is no respite from the pain when the cow is never turned out onto grass meadows.

Inadequate bedding for intensively farmed

now spend half as much on food as we did in the 1950s, which has dramatically affected their profits. Nowadays they are squeezed between the ever-present threat of catastrophic diseases such as foot-and-mouth and bovine tuberculosis which decimate milking herds; the global over-production of milk driving down prices; and UK supermarkets paying farmers less per litre of milk than it costs to produce.

Tom Levitt, writing in the Independent, says this last alarming state of affairs results from the supermarkets selling milk “too cheaply as part of their price wars”, the unethical so-called ‘loss-leader’ tactic to attract customers. It should be a sobering thought that more than one farmer a week dies by suicide in the UK. Notwithstanding welfare issues, intensive dairying also affects milk quality.

Approximately half of milk production ends up being drunk in various forms, but the rest ends up in cheese, butter, yogurt and many different processed foods. Dr. Santhanam Sundar, a consultant oncologist, focussed on the potential danger of intensive systems which rely on routinely giving cows “various synthetic substances … to enhance production” which are then passed on to us in their milk. These include antibiotics, painkillers and hormones, which Dr. Sundar suggested may even increase our own risk of developing certain cancers.

FARMING

The growing reliance on antibiotics, especially in mega-herds, has been linked to the serious increase in antibiotic resistance to human diseases. Antibiotic Research UK point out that only two new antibiotics have been developed since the 1970s, and there are “more and more deaths from antibiotic resistant bacteria”.

According to Lizzie Rivera in the Evening Standard, milk from intensively farmed cows compares very poorly with that produced on organic farms. These farms must meet the EU Organic Regulation standard. For example, in dairying there are strict welfare conditions and cows live a natural life outdoors during the grazing season. Their meadows are free of synthetic chemicals. Over winter, the cows are kept in well-ventilated, straw-bedded sheds with room to rest or move around at will. Compared to intensively-produced milk, organic milk, she says, “has 68% higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which help to maintain a healthy heart….[and] more Vitamin E and beta-carotene, which are essential for a healthy immune system”.

Climate change

If our own health were not reason enough to question the wisdom of drinking intensivelyproduced milk, there are far-reaching implications for our wider environment.

Supporters of mega-farms claim that by keeping big herds inside they are able to produce more milk using less land, but this is disingenuous. Cows are notorious for burping methane. Increased herd sizes mean increased methane, which is a greenhouse gas heavily implicated in climate change.

In terms of climate change too, grass fields and the soil play a valuable role storing

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Photo by Ryan Song on Unsplash

[l] A happy cow on an organic farm produces better milk [r] Soy beans grown in Brazil are popular as cattle feed but have questionable eco credentials [opposite] Chewing the cud in comfort: impossible on an intensive farm

carbon. Meadows help protect soil fertility and provide homes for the wildlife that is under threat in Britain’s countryside. But, says Ian Johnston, “The story of industrial agriculture is all about externalising costs and exploiting nature”. Rather than rearing cows naturally, allowing them to graze, food concentrates must be provided. For this, farmers are turning more and more to soy products.

However, the soy has to be grown somewhere, and there is mounting concern that much of the soy imported into the EU for cattle feed comes from Brazil. Richard

These units also produce huge amounts of slurry waste, far too much to be spread on adjoining fields as would be the natural method if smaller numbers of cows were grazing naturally. All too often, this waste finds its way into watercourses, poisoning rivers. One remedy on a Devon mega-farm has been to create a huge ‘slurry lagoon’ capable of holding 20 million gallons per year, but there have been reports of farm workers being overcome by fumes and drowning in these slurry pits.

Is there a better way to produce milk?

Charlotte Cunningham, writing in Farmers

The story of industrial agriculture is all about externalising costs and exploiting nature… rather than rearing cows naturally Young, for the Sustainable Food Trust, says that the environmental and social degradation that has been caused by intensive soy agriculture in the Amazon rain-forest and Cerrado savannah areas are well known.

Perhaps less well-known however, is the fact that soya oil extraction requires toxic chemical solvents such as hexane, nickel and aluminium. Residues from these chemicals, as well as from the Roundup that is widely used as a weedkiller on genetically-modified soy, not only cause pollution in Brazil itself, but may well contaminate our food supplies.

Intensive farming also creates problems for those who have to live in close proximity to the farms. A large indoor unit in Wales was implicated in the high levels of ammonia and other unpleasant smells local residents had to endure

Weekly, advocated the introduction of once-a-day milking which has been shown to significantly improve herd health and welfare.

Although less milk is produced, overheads such as feed bills and veterinary costs including the use of antibiotics, are reduced. It also has a positive effect on farmers’ mental health by improving their work-life balance.

Consumers could buy ‘pink’ veal from retailers such as Waitrose, produced by rearing male calves for several months in high-welfare units. Supporting outlets such as Pret a Manger who only use organic milk in their drinks or buying our milk direct from local farms committed to grass-fed dairying would also help. But perhaps the most difficult, yet effective, action would be in reducing the amount of dairy, in all its forms, that we consume.

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 19

The killer hoax

The first vaccination inoculated people against smallpox. This is what the changes look like when human skin tissue is infected with the variola virus

If you can trust a doctor to set a broken bone or perform surgery on vital organs, why do people not have the same faith in medicine when it comes to vaccinations? Edward Jenner introduced the first successful vaccination in 1796, taking preventative measures against smallpox. From this moment onwards, the anti-vaccination movement began.

The Anti-Vaccination Movement in Early England: In the 18th and 19th Century, the idea of getting vaccinated was met with a greater sense of fear than smallpox itself. Their discomfort stemmed from their general distrust in medicine, claiming that it was ‘unchristian’ as it came from an animal.

Working class citizens had little control over anything in their lives, so it appeared as though vaccinations were another form of control. The lack of understanding and knowledge held by the general public during 20 | Free Radicals | May 2019

this time led to suspicions of the vaccine’s efficacy, some believing that smallpox was a result of decaying matter in the atmosphere and therefore couldn’t be cured by vaccines.

As the government put in place mandatory vaccination policies with penalties for refusal, the law was met with heavy resistance.

This created the first two anti-vax groups — ‘The Anti Vaccination League’ and the ‘Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League’.

The movement snowballed, with word of mouth spreading their anti-vaccination ideals, whilst pamphlets were printed showcasing anti-vaccination propaganda such as ‘Death The Vaccinator’ and ‘The Vaccination Monster’. The Leicester Demonstration March in 1885 became one of the most well-known demonstrations for this cause — between 80,000-100,000 people marched with banners, a child’s coffin, and an effigy of Jenner. In fact, as a result of the anti-vaccination propaganda, the ‘Vaccination Act of 1898’ removed the

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Why are anti-vaxxers still around? Trace the rise and fall of the anti-vaccination movement from the origins to now

MEDICINE

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 21

penalties and included a ‘conscientious objector’ clause, exempting those who did not want to ‘risk’ getting vaccinated.

Anti-vaccination activity continued, the ideals still being upheld by the 1970s, where the safety of the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine was called into question. Again, anti-vaccination groups started popping up — such as the Association of Parents of Vaccine Damaged Children (APVDC) in the UK. The misconception regarding the safety of the vaccine was caused because of the varying opinions of medical practitioners.

Gordon Stewart published a case report linking neurological disorders to DTP, however, the JCVI launched a study that disproved this. The conflict of opinions created confusion, mistrust and a lack of confidence in vaccinations.

22 | Free Radicals | May 2019

The Father of the AntiVaccination Movement:

One of the most well known vaccination controversies was regarding the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Andrew Wakefield is best known for this controversy, as he published a fraudulent research paper claiming there was a like between the MMR vaccination and autism. This sparked a large drop in the MMR vaccinations as the (now discredited) paper received widespread, highprofile media coverage. Despite the study being small and scientifically weak, it received a lot of attention as it was published in The Lancet, which is a prolific medical journal.

Struck off the medical register in 2010, the now discredited doctor volleys against vaccinations, receiving attention in America due to his friendship with US

President, Donald Trump. Wakefield then founded an autism initiative — ‘the Autism Media Channel’ — in Austin, Texas. This produces videos which then ‘assert’ a link between autism and the MMR vaccine.

Many people who do vaccinate themselves and their family often ask why others still believe that vaccinations cause brain disorders when the World Health Organisation (WHO) reassure that the MMR vaccination has no link to autism. The anti-vaccination activist, Wakefield, is a perfect example, as he is now seen as the ‘father of the anti-vaccination movement’, convincing people to shun the vaccination in fear.

Populism in Politics:

Anti-vaccination beliefs have also been used as a tool in politics — populist parties thrive

MEDICINE

This poster was part of the anti-vaccination propaganda in the 19th Century.

It shows ‘devil’ doctors feeding unvaccinated children to a creature made up of diseases

has followed right from Jenner to now. An estimated 169 million children worldwide missed out on the first dose of the measles vaccine in 2010-17. The fact that in this day and age people are still refusing to vaccinate themselves or their children poses a huge risk factor, which has led to global outbreaks.

If a child is too young to vaccinate and is passed on measles by someone who refuses the vaccine, you have put both yourself and the child in jeopardy. Not only is this a selfish mentality, it is a dangerous one which could result in the death of a young, unvaccinated child. An estimated 110,000 people, the majority children, died from measles in 2017.

This has increased by 22% from the year before — why are we moving backwards as the world of medicine is improving?

The tools used by anti-vaxxers in the

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on the public’s distrust of elites and experts.

They use these opinions to back-up the idea that vaccinations are being misconstrued as a good thing. The unrepresentative political system further enforces vaccine hesitancy and is another reason why anti-vaxxers still believe they cause brain disorders.

The rise of vaccines sceptics follow the rise of populism. For example, in Italy the Five Star Movement raised concerns about the MMR vaccine and autism. This resulted in a increase from 840 cases of measles in 2016 to 5000 in 2017. The evidence shows a strong correlation between votes for populist parties and doubts of vaccine effectiveness.

Victorian Era has bled into the current movements against vaccines in the world today. The same tactics are employed to elicit fear and anger, turning people against vaccinations. The beliefs are passed down between the generations, which has led to an endless cycle of anti-vaxxers.

This shows that the anti-vaccination movement is still around because humankind refuses to learn from their mistakes. We do not accept things if we do not understand them, and for a lot of people the science behind vaccines are too complex. The accuracy and understanding has improved immensely since Jenners’ time, so why are there still doubts that vaccines help save lives?

The Misconception of Vaccines

The delusion regarding the ‘risk’ of vaccines May 2019 | Free Radicals | 23

Childhood: A time to be what ever you can be within the realms of your imagination

24 | Free Radicals | May 2019

CULTURE

Trans generation

© Freepik.com

Western gender stereotypes – have we got it all wrong?

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 25

The terminology

In the UK we have been raised to believe that gender assigned at birth signifies certain interests, clothing preferences, abilities and sexual preferences. Consequently gender is often incorrectly thought of as synonymous with sex. With so little being known about the lasting impact of treatments such as beta blockers and reassignment surgery, and little understanding of the causes of the medically recognised disorder, it is vital to clarify the definitions and quash general confabulation of terms used to communicate about the issue:

© The butterfly, ITV

In the UK the NHS treats transgender children as young as 12 with drug therapies, and GPs will prescribe hormone blockers to delay the onset of puberty when a patient is 16.

A recent BBC documentary, presented

by Louis Theroux, aimed at exploring the astounding differences in treatment of transgender children within the US and the UK, brought to light many issues surrounding childhood gender disorder and the international controversy concerning the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of what is currently recognised as a fast rising phenomenon.

In the past five years statistics have revealed a staggering 1000 per cent increase in the number of British children seeking NHS gender treatment. With very little concrete evidence surrounding the treatment methods adopted, and the use of medication such as hormone suppressors, it is perhaps time to explore the epidemic through a somewhat more psychological lens.

they align or don’t align with what they understand their options for gender to be.

Gender role: This has been identified as a public display of gender identity conveying societal ideals of how boys and girls are expected to behave and is determined by the prevailing cultural norms.

Gender dysphoria in children – if a child’s gender expression, gender role behaviour and gender identity do not conform to the traditional norms they can be diagnoses with a mental disorder called gender dysphoria.

Criteria given by the American Psychiatry Association for diagnosing are as follow: the patient exhibits a strong and persistent cross-gender identification and distress which

Studies illustrate that the problem may neither be the child nor the family but the cultural norms that they finds themselves born into Sex: biological sex refers to the anatomic and reproductive structures we were born with. This is determined by karyotype, gonads, and external genitalia.

Gender: Gender is a social construct consisting of the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and femininity. Depending on the context, these characteristics may include biological sex, sex-based social structures, or gender identity. This is often used to refer to cultural rules, ideologies and expected behaviours for individuals of diverse phenotypes.

Gender identity: refers to the internal perception of one’s gender, and how they label themselves, based on how much 26 | Free Radicals | May 2019

can manifest as a repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that one is, the other sex; and/or as a strong and persistent desire to engage in activities typical of the other sex.

Transgender: this umbrella term is used to describe people who move away from the gender assigned to them at birth, essentially violating societal conceptualizations of what it means to be a man or woman.

Sexual orientation: this refers to how and with whom a person acts on their affectionate, intimate and erotic desires.

Generally, a person’s sexual identity is in relation to the gender to which they are attracted. We often use terms such as heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual to refer to a person’s attraction to a certain gender.

The theory

Cultural misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding the complex concept that is gender are often pointed out as the main culprit for the discomfort and uncertainty surrounding the validity of current treatment methods for gender identity disorder in children. The lack of clear understanding of terminology surrounding gender, sex and identity has also often been highlighted as problematic for the professionals, parents and the children dealing with body dysphoria (Body Dysmorphic Disorder).

At present no definitive theories of transgender development exist, however it is the role of psychiatrists to diagnose and treat this phenomenon currently recognised as a disorder, not a mental illness. Surprisingly however, under current diagnosis criteria, it is not a necessity for a child to insist that he or she is or desires to be the other sex, or to even be uncomfortable with his or her own biological sex to be diagnosed with body dysphoria.

In the UK, once a child under 18 is thought to have gender dysphoria, they are referred to a specialist child and adolescent gender identity clinic where professionals carry out detailed assessments to help determine the required treatment course. Under NHS care the treatment of gender dysphoria in children is arranged with a multi-disciplinary team, consisting of different healthcare professionals such as mental health professionals and paediatric endocrinologists (specialised in hormone conditions in children).

Depending on the child’s needs treatment options can include family hormone therapy (hormone suppressors), child psychotherapy, family counselling and regular monitoring.

© unsplash.com/@sharonmccutcheon

[l] Too young to decide? Callum BoothFord (pictured on the previous page) played a lead role in the threepart ITV drama sharing the journey of the family of an 11-year-old boy who begins to realise that she is a trans boy

In terms of transgender children, one viewpoint grounded in psychological research is that these simply are children, who must integrate the gender attributions of society and its binary constructs. It is suggested that feelings are matched with certain brain templates of similar and different, which are critically more important and central than biological sex at a young age. Thus, children essentially must identify as a member of one of the two socially accepted groups- boys or girls -with which they feel more similar and less different.

The issues

Gender identity disorder remains a widely debated topic, as the aetiology, definitions and ethics of treatments differ cross-culturally.

Clearly gender identity formation is a complex biological and psychological process, unique to each of us, involving a variety of genetic, hormonal and environmental factors.

Generally, gender development is thought to begin at the time of conception and be determined by sex chromosomes.

Thereafter comes the environmental influence. Within western culture parents tend to begin making arrangements as soon as the sex of the child is known; buying gender specific clothing (commonly pink for a girl and blue for a boy), gender specific toys, furniture and ultimately planning a gender specific life for the unborn child.

After birth, the child’s gender elicits specific parental responses: girls are fine featured and delicate, whereas boys are stronger and therefore given less obvious protection. Gender stereotypes also transpire from the interaction between parents and children, since caregivers often encourage sex-typed activities. Traditionally accepted

©image obtained at Children First, Cananda your copright line in here

CULTURE

gender related behaviours are consequently reinforced within the home and education setting through inclusion and praise, whereas ‘unacceptable’ gender behaviours are stigmatized. At a fundamental level, children are encouraged to believe that there is a clear cut boundary between sex; that men and women are different and have different sets of behaviours and responsibilities.

Actually a man/woman binary approach of gender is far too simplistic, as it exists on a spectrum, where individuals may identify with varying degrees of masculinity, femininity, both or neither.

A western world epidemic

In many cultures, such as the Samoa, a much higher degree of social tolerance has been reported. A group of biological males known as fa’afafine partake in feminine behaviour and are sexually attracted to straight men. Samoan men, who perform masculine tasks and have masculine behaviour are considered straight; but their sexual activity is not limited to intercourse with women. Western concepts of male homosexuality therefore are non-existent.

Additionally, within some American Indian groups, individuals who identify as being of one sex but take on the opposite sex features are recognized as ‘two-spirited’ beings. The Navajo refer to two-spirits as nádleehí (one who is transformed); among the Lakota they are known as winkté (indicative of a male who has a compulsion to behave as a female),and in Ojibwe, hemaneh is a term used to refer to people seen as half man, half woman. Unlike in the UK or the US where medical interventions would be sought for these individuals, in native American cultures two-spirited people are venerated and given very high spiritual

rankings. Within these communities people are valued for their contributions to the tribe, regardless of the gender attributes they exhibit.; a natural act of love and acceptance that seems to occur without judgment.

Although body dysphoria is a universal phenomenon Studies of non-Western cultures have often revealed variations in models of gender and in the understanding of gender deviance. Hence the problem may neither be the child nor the family but the cultural norms that a person finds themselves born into.

Halt medical intervention

Within western medicine, psychiatry has a long history of pathologizing human diversity, including race, ethnicity and sexual orientation (see .Szasz, 2008). Thus, the readiness of western psychiatrists to prescribe treatments for behaviours, that though unconventional, might not be disorders is questionable.This article doesn’t intend to underplay the ordeal of children dealing with the complexity of gender identity and exploration of the self.

On the contrary it is an attempt to highlight the cultural and social connotations attached to the subject matter, advocating the notion that we as a nation must be more informed and thoughtful when making decisions about the lives of children who do not adhere to gender norms presented by society.

Just as other cultures have been identified to vary in their definition of gender roles and shown varying degrees of tolerance for atypical gender behaviours, we in the western world must question the limitations of our rigid social norms and its impacts on future generations before attempting to stop puberty and offer therapy aimed at finding which of the binary genders on offer you will be assigned to.

May 2019 | Free Radicals | 27

ce to explore