My Sex Chromosomes are Irrelevant
And why I’m done arguing on this point
Every trans advocate has heard a variation on these words, usually delivered with the smug satisfaction of one convinced they’ve made an unassailable argument:
“You can’t change your chromosomes. XY=male, XX= female. Period.”
These words are frequently used to deny the legitimacy of trans people. They tell us that no matter what social, legal, or medical options we’ve pursued to better align our bodies and presentations with our genders, we will always and forever be the sex we were assigned at birth. (Though the people making these arguments rarely use the term “assigned”, more likely referring to us as “born” or “genetically” male or female.)
In countering this argument, I’ve pointed out that no one can know for sure what chromosomes they have without genetic testing, which is rarely performed without a specific reason for doing so. I’ve also explained that intersex variations on XX and XY exist, and linked to experts like Julia Serano who show that sex determination is far more nuanced than most people realize.
