Vegan activists say chemical pollutants cause homosexuality and people are confused

Apparently vegan activists are now experts on gender theory.

Last week, Pembrokeshire Vegan Organic – a Facebook group whose manifesto claims to stand against animal cruelty and synthetic chemicals in farming ­­– released a bizarre, now-deleted statement which was met with a slew of one-star ratings.

The confusing post begins, rather boldly, with the statement: “When people understand that sexual development problems are caused by synthetic chemical pollutants, then they can accept how teaching gender in schools is promoting the most backwards and corrupt system possible.”

The statement is immediately misguided – from the very first line, the physical effects of chemicals and the societal effects of education are interlinked.

Things get weirder:

The promotion of gay and trans is the promotion of sexual development disorders, caused by environmental pollutants and media and educational manipulation.

One thing to note is that the language of ‘promotion’ recurs often in homophobic rhetoric; the implication is that there’s some militant gay army marching the streets, Harvey Milk-style, and poaching innocent heterosexuals for sadistic conversion therapy.

The next paragraph further implies that the “promotion” of homosexuality at schools tries to hoodwink innocent kids into thinking transgender and homosexuality are “natural and healthy lifestyle choices”.

This, they say, isn’t true.

Much work has been done to disprove the idea that homosexuality in particular is a ‘lifestyle choice’. Trans people aren’t playing make-believe when they get dressed to face the world, and there is no ‘gay lifestyle’ – surprisingly, we don’t all snort poppers to Kylie on a weekly basis.

In case you were concerned this post was starting to sound discriminatory, Pembrokeshire Vegan Organic wants you not to worry – they’re not trying to encourage attacks or hatred of the LGBT+ community.

None [sic] should be attacked for being gay and transgender, if people are not harming anyone else, we should all be free to live how we like.

How progressive, right?

Well, no; they round off their statement by clarifying that the LGBT+ community is “unnatural and unhealthy”, and that trans people in particular are suffering from an “environmental developmental disorder.”

Thankfully, people saw through the bizarre statement and read it as what it is: discrimination.

“Ranty and self-righteous at best, inciteful of hatred at worst,” wrote one reviewer. “I would say this is a page set up to wind people up,” wrote another.

Many critics homed in specifically on the bizarre idea that chemical pollutants somehow make you gay or trans. “Saying trans and gay people are created that way because of chemical pollutants? F*ck off, forever,” stated one justifiably angry reviewer, before adding a final sucker punch:

BONUS: I’m also vegan, assh*les.

The page moderators have responded to some comments, mainly to clarify that they aren’t homophobic – a statement seemingly called into question by their removal of the post. Regardless, it seems from reading the comments that the clear discrimination has discouraged several well-meaning vegans from associating with the page.

As one user succinctly summarised:

I hate this page for the fake trollop it’s peddling. If you dislike gay and LGBTQ people then at least be transparent with your hatred, and stop grouping vegans into your horrid little mantra.

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