Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson claimed that when it came to explaining gender identity, basic principles of biology — such as the XX and XY chromosomes that make humans either female or male, respectively — were “insufficient.”
Tyson made the remarks during an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith for his “K[no]w Mercy” podcast in May, but a short video clip of their exchange — particularly Tyson’s take on gender — began circulating on Monday.
WATCH:
“Today I feel 80% female, 20% male. I’m going to put on makeup”
Neil deGrasse Tyson defends the pseudoscience of Woke gender studies. pic.twitter.com/4G8KxnTaEs
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) July 31, 2023
“Apparently, the XX/XY chromosomes are insufficient because when we wake up in the morning, we exaggerate whatever feature we want to portray the gender of our choice. Either the one you’re assigned, the one you choose to be—whatever it is!” Tyson said.
“And so now, just to tie a bow on this, I say to you, somewhere I read — somewhere, I think I read — that the United States was a land where we have the pursuit of happiness,” Tyson continued. “Suppose no matter my chromosomes today, I feel 80 percent female, 20 percent male. Now I’m gonna, I’m gonna put on makeup. Tomorrow, I might feel 80 percent male. I’ll remove the makeup and I’ll wear a muscle shirt. Why do you care? What businesses is it of yours to require that I fill your inability to think of gender on a spectrum?”
Critics quickly began to call Tyson out over his take on the issue, arguing that people cared because it wasn’t just about muscle shirts and make-up — and suggesting that it was glossed over the reality that children were being subjected to dangerous and irreversible treatments in their attempts to change biological realities.
“A lot of mornings I don’t put on makeup. I’m still a woman. And a gender dysphoric person’s right to ‘pursue happiness’ doesn’t mean they get to demand that the rest of the world play along. I always kind of thought @neiltyson was in the class of educated idiots. Now confirmed,” The Daily Wire’s Megan Basham commented.
“Look, Neil, if it were just about people wanting to put on a dress and makeup, nobody would give a s***. Wear what you want. But it doesn’t stop there. You also want to give children surgery and dangerous drugs, compel speech with pronouns, and make it a hate crime to disagree with you. And that cannot stand. You need to go back to talking about the universe and lay off this divisive nonsense,” another said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP
Look Neil, if it were just about people wanting to put on a dress and makeup, nobody would give a shit. Wear what you want.
But it doesn't stop there. You also want to give children surgery and dangerous drugs, compel speech with pronouns, and make it a hate crime to disagree… https://t.co/dqoTelTF2d
— UNDΘΘMΞD (@Undoomed) August 1, 2023
The Blaze host Steve Deace quoted the book of Revelation, saying, “And all who worshipped the beast marveled at the beast, and said who is like the beast and who would make war with it? The beast was given proud words and blasphemies to exercise his authority.”