Trans Twitter found a new character this weekend in author Sandra Newman. What was her crime, you might ask? Similar to the recent graphic novel-turned-TV show “Y: The Last Man,” Newman’s new book “The Men,” due out in June, centers on the all-too-familiar “what if chromosomes were the only thing that REALLY determined gender” plot. And the, you know, inherent transmisogynistic violence that comes with that. 

While Newman explained that trans people did exist in the book (how and where?) trans people were still, understandably, pissed off.

The ridicule started immediately: 

But the main problem with all this is that–pushing aside the gender essentialism and TERF-ish assumption that a world without a Y chromosome would be “better and kinder”–it’s a lazy premise that throws trans people completely under the bus yet again: specifically trans women, who already have to face discrimination and violence daily. 

Trans author Lilah Sturges poked fun at the concept by simply reversing it: 

Basically, everyone is fed up with the idea that chromosomes hold some grand secret to world peace at the expense of trans women’s lives. 

For a final word on the subject, let us refer to Gretchen Felker-Martin’s expert commentary:

I’ve been saying this since the unbelievably stupid Mad Max: Fury Road came out and dammit if it isn’t still true.

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