>>76305166 (OP)
Overreach: The claim that steroids are a common “gateway” to the alt‑right is plausible but unsubstantiated with empirical prevalence rates.
Instead:
Normalization effect is real—online fitness culture glamorizes AAS use, lowering perceived risk
Psychosocial vulnerabilities—young men drawn to regiment, control, male affirmation—can be exploited, making them fertile to ideological messaging.
Lack of data—we need controlled studies measuring whether AAS users disproportionately adopt extremist beliefs.
Bottom line:
The article identifies real and concerning trends: AAS normalization among teens, social media supply channels, links to misogynistic echo chambers.
But it extrapolates from cultural overlaps to ideological causality without sufficient evidence.
We urgently need data-driven research—both on the health risks of AAS and on the prevalence of political radicalization among users—before accepting the gateway hypothesis.
In short: valid red flags about health and social media influence—but ideological claims exceed supporting evidence.
