Please don't reply to a bad comment by making the thread even worse.

The evidence is here:

- epigenetic changes - https://www.whatisepigenetics.com/fathers-exposure-phthalate...

- less masculine men - https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-men/2009/11/1...

- exposure during women's pregnancy lowers child's iq - http://time.com/3625352/phthalates-iq-toxins/

- obesity and epigenetic changes in rat models - https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/nutritio...

With the latter most link, it looks like supplements can help prevent effects.

Can someone explain why this comment was flagged to death (I vouched for it)? These are all mainstream publications. It's not exactly a controversial claim that the sperm counts and testosterone levels of US men are in decline. In fact, it's backed up by years and years of epidemiological data. I'm not convinced by the parent's assertion that these trends have "feminized" men, but low testosterone levels are associated with sundry negative health outcomes (heart disease, depression, etc), with significant evidence for causality.

The comment author's original (GP) comment had some extraneous political references, but nothing flag-worthy. I'm fairly liberal, and yet I'm disappointed by how many fellow liberal react irrationally to Jordan Peterson's name. Disagreement is fine, but this urge to aggressively shut down any discussion of issues like gender relationships, or the role of men and women in society, is not a healthy thing for our society. Yes, neo-Nazis don't merit a platform, but counter to what he may have read from your Twitter pals, Peterson is far from being a neo-Nazi (and has routinely railed against Nazis both old and new).

I can have a rational discussion with my strongly feminist wife about these issues, even when we disagree. Yet people are shutting down for a comment for providing well-sourced data on the decline of testosterone levels and sperm counts. Frustrating.

The comment you are replying to is not currently flagged to death. The GP is and probably because of framing.

I post as openly female on HN. I appear to be the only woman to have spent time on the leaderboard.

In my experience, you can successfully have good discussion about such issues here, but you really need to meet a high bar of etiquette to do so, basically.

Thank you for the feedback. I generally don't post, so this helps me learn the rules & etiquette.

I'm not sure why your response was downvoted, either. My opinion is that people are far too quick to flag and downvoted on HN at the present time.

For the record, I upvoted your comment above.

It's a big forum. There is going to be a certain level of Eternal September going on.

It's not flagged to death because I vouched for it.

Well, then, the system works.

Fingers crossed!