PETA Envy: Animal Rights Group Warns Mothers About Chicken Causing Their Male Children To Be . . . Well . . . Less Of Roosters

I have previously criticized the nonprofit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for its over-the-top commercials. While (as many here know) I am a big animal rights advocate, PETA often goes for sensational and shocking publicity that undermines the cause, in my view. One such example is the latest message from PETA to mothers that “eating chicken can make your kid’s dick small.” The video ends with, “Worried about the size of your kid’s pecker, moms-to-be? Don’t eat chicken!” Given the currently debate over the size of Donald Trump, PETA appears to be pitching the same basis for refusing to eat poultry.

The basis for the size-matters pitch is a 2008 study on the impact of phthalates, chemicals used for plastic and personal products. However, the study does not refer to chicken or poultry and the suggestion is that phthalates (which are more commonly used in such as detergents, hair sprays and raincoats) can contaminate poultry through the chicken feed or its packaging.

I understand how these pitches bring notoriety to PETA, which seems entirely driven by a desire for controversy. However, while it may attract donors from the extremes, it paints the entire animal rights movement as wing nuts and wackos. It is a sad legacy of the PETA leadership that they have reduced this organization to virtual graffiti level and trash talking discourse. That says much more about the people running PETA then the animals that needed to be protected.