People who have been protesting in Minnesota and other US cities have been exposed to chemicals shown to disrupt the menstrual cycle and possibly affect pregnancy.
We've grown accustomed to the idea of tear gas being deployed against our own citizens in the street, but it has some side effects that I was not aware of until recently.
Today, I will dig into adverse reproductive health outcomes as a consequence of exposure to tear gas.
Well that's depressing, you might say. But the research also shows something very cool and underreported about trans people: trans men and transmasculine non-binary people were out in the streets protesting George Floyd's murder by the police in 2020. A survey of people exposed to chemical agents conducted by Planned Parenthood included 293 "genderqueer, transgender male, and other" participants, for example.
While I was able to feature some amazing transfeminine activists doing great work in Minnesota, it seems transmasculine folks are more often working behind the scenes. It's not always a good thing to be more visible as a trans person, but transmasc invisibility is real.
Rey Katz
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What does tear gas do to the menstrual cycle?
Anecdotally, exposure to such chemicals messes up the menstrual cycle. Some activists report continuous bleeding or breakthrough bleeding if they were taking hormonal medication (birth control or testosterone) to suppress their period.
Researchers surveyed adults who reported exposure to tear gas during 2020 Portland, OR protests. 54.5% of 1650 respondents with a uterus reported menstrual changes.
In 2023, researchers with Planned Parenthood and the University of Minnesota examined reproductive outcomes in 1,276 adults who were exposed to chemical agents used by law enforcement.
The majority of respondents (83%) reported at least one adverse reproductive health outcome following exposure to chemical agents used by law enforcement in 2020 and 2021, which included uterine cramping (69%), early menstrual bleeding (55%), breast tenderness (30%), and delayed menstrual bleeding (19%).
These studies included survey results from people with a uterus, including cis women, trans men, and genderqueer or non-binary people.
Some trans women and transfeminine people on gender-affirming hormone therapy have a menstrual cycle (physical symptoms without bleeding). I would have been interested to see their exposure to chemical agents studied as well.
Although this is not mentioned in the study, my guess is that people of all genders, including cis men, likely suffer hormone-disrupting effects from tear gas. It's just less obvious and more difficult to measure for people who can't bleed or get pregnant. We are not as different from each other as many people think.
The 2023 study included 19 pregnant participants. Their higher than average rate of miscarriage raises questions about the safety of tear gas during pregnancy, but, the sample size is too small for any proven conclusions.
Rey Katz
Restrict hormone replacement therapy, but expose the public to endocrine disrupters?
The same lawmakers who are attempting to prevent trans people from accessing gender-affirming hormone therapy, and prevent people from receiving reproductive healthcare like birth control or abortions, are okay with chemicals in the street that mess up the reproductive system.
And it's not just protesters who are potentially exposed to these chemicals. Releasing tear gas in residential neighborhoods and commercial districts means that bystanders or people who live and work nearby would also have some exposure.
Is it safe to protest?
Well, no, of course not, protesting comes with risks. But many things are not safe but we do them anyway because they are important. I can't tell you what to do, but knowing what I know now, I personally would avoid protesting in the streets if I was pregnant. I would be willing to accept the risks of chemical exposure otherwise. But you need to make your own decision about what is right for you.
Amplify Respect is a newsletter to uplift and inform trans folks and allies.
If you find it helpful to learn how to talk about a trans family member, how to promote your work as an LGBTQ+ creator, or how to write about trans people respectfully, you should subscribe.
What do you think? Please let us know in the comments.
