chemical castration

[ kem-i-kuhl kas-trey-shuhn ]

noun

1. a drug-administered alternative to surgical castration that, instead of removing the gonads, chemically reduces the drive or ability for sexual activity and is useful in the treatment of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer. In a number of countries, convicted child molesters and other sex offenders may be subject to chemical castration as part of their judicial sentence:

   Psychiatrists and other medical personnel were called in to discuss whether his sexually deviant behavior could be effectively dulled by chemical castration.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chemical castration¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

I know that the side effects of hormone treatment, horrifyingly referred to “chemical castration,” can be permanent.

From Los Angeles Times

Agenda 47, the campaign’s policy blueprint, calls for revoking President Joe Biden’s order expanding gender-affirming care for transgender people; Vought uses even more extreme language, decrying the “transgender sewage that’s being pumped into our schools and institutions” and referring to gender-affirming care as “chemical castration.”

From Salon

While Louisiana and a few other states, including California, Texas and Florida, have long allowed chemical castration, the option to punish sex offenders via surgical castration — which is far more intrusive — appears to be the first in the country, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures and prisoners’ advocacy groups.

From New York Times

A handful of states — including California, Florida and Texas — have laws in place allowing for chemical castration, but in some of those states offenders can opt for the surgical procedure if they prefer.

From Seattle Times

Louisiana’s current chemical castration law has been in place since 2008, however very few offenders have had the punishment passed handed down to them — with officials saying from 2010 to 2019, they could only think of one or two cases.

From Seattle Times