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They're Not "Transgender Mice"

But They're Not "Transgenic" Mice Either, As Some Scientists Claimed

President Trump told Congress that the federal government is paying for 
research to make "transgender mice." That's wrong. But his critics were 
incorrect, too.

Last night, President Trump told Congress that federal dollars are being 
spent to make "transgender" mice.

Some scientists countered online that the mice are not "transgender, " but, 
rather "transgenic, " referring to a genetic technique that changes the DNA 
of laboratory animals. Scientists create transgenic animals by inserting or 
deleting genes-or introducing other remarkable modifications that cover an 
incredible array of functions and implications. This powerful technique is 
used to study countless diseases and scientific questions.

EVERYONE is wrong. (not really... Trump was trolling Congress)

The mice in the studies everyone is talking about were neither transgender 
nor transgenic.

This all started when a member of Congress made a spectacle of these studies 
at a hearing in February. That's why it is quite clear which subset of 
studies were being referenced in President Trump's speech. He said the 
government is spending $8 million on making transgender mice. The government 
spends hundreds of millions of dollars on projects that use transgenic mice 
to study dozens of diseases and biological mysteries.

The studies being misunderstood here do indeed concern INJECTING SEX HORMONES 
into laboratory animals like mice and monkeys. Scientists are studying the 
behavioral and biological effects that result from CHANGING THE HORMONAL 
PROFILES of these animals.

INJECTING FEMALE MICE WITH TESTOSTERONE does not make them transgender. It 
makes them masculinized. The inverse is true for male mice given estrogen or 
testosterone blockers.

It may be splashy and salacious, but studies like these are actually often 
well-worth doing for any number of reasons. Plenty of biologists can tell you 
why it's important that we understand the endocrine system, the reproductive 
system, and related scientific questions. But let's at least understand what 
is really happening in these particular labs.

In the end, we want to fund science, not cut it. To get there, I'd rather 
scientists spend their time demystifying why experiments involving CHANGES IN 
SEX HORMONE PROFILES of animals are worthwhile than mis-characterizing 
(albeit likely unintentionally) what is actually happening in these research 
projects.

I imagine there is a large population of taxpayers that has no earthly idea 
why we ought to be funding these endeavors. Worse, if you described these 
studies to them, I think many of them would, at least initially, not see the 
utility. But, through thoughtful conversations and explanations, I think many 
(and maybe even most) people might end up supporting science that initially 
seemed frivolous, if not downright off-putting.

Look, worse mistakes have been made by science communicators and I think 
those dunking on the President had reason to be suspicious that he got 
something wrong. That's because he and his allies don't seem to have any idea 
what science is or why it matters. And, yes, the President was wrong. But he 
was not entirely off-base, I suppose. Scientists are indeed masculinizing 
female mice and monkeys and feminizing male mice and monkeys. That does not 
make the animals "transgender, " and clearly President Trump doesn't 
understand why these experiments have value. If he's curious-and I'm sure he 
ain't - I'd be glad to tell him.

Regardless, it's always good to correct the record so that we can spend our 
energy on the right fights.