Men an Endangered Species - Essay Example

Men an Endangered Species Introduction The connotation that men are susceptible to extinction is to heated debates as well as accelerated research by scientists. Several researchers indicate that men are facing a threat of becoming extinct due to several reasons. Some of these reasons are scientific while others are sociological. Scientific reasons assert the possibility of gradual extinction of the male chromosomes while the sociological reasons deem the loss of social roles. This paper analyzes in detail the various reasons as to why men are an endangered species. Reasons why Men are an Endangered Species Various studies indicate that there is an increase in the decline of men power of fathering children and males are really declining. In addition, these studies indicate that in about three decades ago, more male babies were being born compared to female babies. However, this trend seems to change and the number of born male babies is gradually declining. Still another problem is that many of the male babies born today have defective sex organs. There is also an alarming increase of young men with prostate and testicular cancers, which eventually makes them infertile (Diamond, 8). In addition, there are increasing numbers of men committing suicide while others ere dying in homicides and wars. Consequently, this causes a significant decrease of men in the population. The tendency of the reduced births of male children then accelerates this problem causing further decline. Another reason for extinction of males is the loss of vital social roles, which render the males psychologically extinct (10). The major reason why men are an endangered species is that of loss of the reproductive power. Several studies indicate that men are increasingly having reduced sperm count due to various environmental toxins. The toxins that make men infertile include Teflon, pesticides, plastic, cosmetics and hormones found in food. In addition, some men, especially in many parts of Africa are vulnerable of loosing their reproductive potential due to taking illicit homemade brews. In addition, contact with feminine chemicals in the womb can endanger male productiveness (Perloe, 1). Baehr adds that for the last forty years, sperm counts have been reducing globally, and the present rate is approximately 2 percent annually. This threatens the productivity of men in the near future if the trend continues. The major reason is that men are consuming a lot of estrogen from plastic liners of cans, some paints, and even soy-based foods (1). Another explanation for the threatened extinction of men is that there is lose of testosterone and a significant rise in estrogen as men age. When men start producing more estrogen, which is the main female sex hormone they are likely to become more feminine or womanly. On the contrary, as a woman age there is an equal fall of their hormones levels hence little or no major changes. The rise of estrogen levels and the falling testosterone in older men could also explain why there is a sudden attraction to members of their own sex even if it had not occurred before. This premise implicate that as older men become more feminine, there is an increase in susceptibility of the extinction of the male species (Parker, 2). Several studies also indicate that there is a threat for the extinction of the Y chromosome, which majorly determines the male sex. These studies deem that the Y chromosome had approximately 1,400 genes on it three hundred million years ago, and presently it has only got 45 left (Perloe, 2). Possibly significant genes from the Y chromosome will adopt habitation on another chromosome (3). In the 1970s, scientists developed a method of separating X and Y-chromosomes from sperm. The assertion behind its development was to make couples naturally choose males (the Y chromosome). This trend however becomes the opposite since 2 to 1, selects baby girls over baby boys (Baehr, 2). However, the only reason why scientists are not sure if men are susceptible to extinction is that the genetic reduction might have stopped approximately six million years ago (Hadziosmanovic, 2). Another major reason asserting for the susceptible extinction of the male species is the loss of social and reproductive roles by men. Presently, it is evident that most women are able to perform most of the traditionally men-oriented tasks. In several developed nations, women are starting to be more in various professions such as medicine and law compared to men. In addition, women are increasingly attaining equality in reimbursement and opportunities in the labor force (Diamond, 5). Men also become susceptible to extinction since they are gradually loosing their reproductive role. With the introduction of in vitro fertilization, human cloning, sperm banks, homogenous marriages, sperm free fertilization of eggs with somatic cells, as well as sex sorting methods, there future reproduction role of men in society will decline (6). Several other studies deem that other chemicals might actually imitate the implications of estrogen. This means that the masculinity of older men would not only be susceptible to natural increased estrogen levels but from other chemicals that may have similar effects as estrogen. Particularly 'Xeno-Oestrogens' are chemicals that have a detrimental effect to the masculinity of older men. These chemicals are continually increasing in their occurrence and have been in constant increase since the 1960’s (Parker, 9). The major complex issue in this case is that 'Xeno-Oestrogens' might widely occur in various common products. These include washing-up water, various solvents, shrink-wrap, soymilk and other soy products, different common drugs, pesticides, herbicides as well as detergents. These chemicals are also widely present in low levels of water pollution. For instance, scientists have found that fish in polluted waters behave like females physiologically (10). Conclusion There has been extensive research and several debates concerning the susceptibility of extinction of the male species. Proponents of this premise assert that there is overwhelming evidence that support this connotation. These reasons include the gradual extinction of the Y chromosome, reduced sperm counts as well as rise in estrogen levels in older men. Other reasons include the loss of social and reproductive roles by men due to increased awareness of women and artificial forms or fertilization respectively. Moreover, other chemicals that mimic the effects of estrogen for instance 'Xeno-Oestrogens accelerate this susceptibility.' These chemicals are present in most of the common products that men use presently. Works Cited Baehr, T. Endangered Species: The End of Men. 2010. Web. Diamond, Jed. Are Men an Endangered Species? 2004. Web. Hadziosmanovic, Emin. Men: An endangered species? 2005. Web. Parker, Mike. Are Masculine Men in Danger of Becoming an Endangered Species? 2007. Web. Perloe, Mark. Men Are an Endangered Species. 2009. Web. Read More