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Does birth control make you gay? Internet mocks BIZARRE theory as studies suggest there might be some truth to it

Social media users mocked the theory and wrote, 'I’ve taken birth control before and I’m still straight, who writes this nonsense?'

Netizens mock bizarre theory that claims birth control pills can alter sexual partner attraction and mate preferences. The oral contraceptive pill that causes changes in sex hormones in women can now turn them gay, claims a study. Anonymous women claim, starting or stopping birth control woke up a part of their sexuality that had "been asleep for years." However, the medication is known to work by suppressing the body's natural production of sex hormones and replacing them with synthetic versions.

These altered hormones may re-wire brain circuits related to love and sex, according to Dr Sarah Hill, a psychologist who specializes in women's health at Texas Christian University, as reported by Daily Mail. "The way that our hormones affect our brain is by nudging our preferences or behavior this way or that way. Sometimes it might nudge you into a direction that wouldn't necessarily agree with what your brain would do outside of that," Dr Hill said. "But these nudges aren't generally so big they’re going to lead you to be an absolutely different person and desire an absolutely different type of mate," she added.

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The University of Stirling in the UK conducted research in 2013 to study whether women might choose different more or less masculine-looking partners when they are on the pill than otherwise. The study recruited 55 straight women and used a computer program in a lab that allowed them to change human features in photographs of different men and women. They could adjust a myriad of facial features such as jawlines and cheekbones to make people in the photos look more masculine or feminine as per their preference.

After the first session, 18 women were prescribed a daily birth control pill while the rest were not. However three months later when both groups returned for the attractiveness test. The women who were not on the pill showed no differences in the set of images they created. But the women who had gone on the pill preferred images of males with less masculine features than their non-pill-taking counterparts, reported the source. However, another study published in 2018 by University of Glasgow researchers found that women that generally preferred masculine faces were stable regardless of whether they took the pill or if they were ovulating. "The jury is still out" on whether the pill can cause significant shifts in sexuality, Dr Hill said.

Internet users mocked the theory and wrote, "I’ve taken birth control before and I’m still straight. Who writes this nonsense?" Another user wrote, "Didn’t work for me, dammit. I want my money back! Oh wait, it’s free in the UK. Still. It’s the principle…" "Excusemewhatpardon..." read a tweet. One user simply shared a gif that read, "I'm done. Goodbye."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.