Rep. Nancy Mace discovered herself on the heart of a social media firestorm after railing in opposition to so-called “trans mice” and introducing laws geared toward ending federal funding for sure animal analysis, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Critics shortly piled on after her submit obtained a group notice explaining that “trans mice” are usually not transgender animals however moderately transgenic mice utilized in scientific analysis.
The South Carolina congresswoman sparked backlash after posting a picture of a mouse touching a human hand alongside the message: “NO TRANS MICE.”
“Animals shouldn’t be used for radical transgender experiments,” Mace wrote on X. “This isn’t science. That is ideological cruelty paid for by the American taxpayers.”
She promoted her proposed TRANS MICE Act, writing: “Our TRANS MICE Act ends it. No federal funds could also be used to conduct, assist, or fund analysis geared toward altering an animal’s organic intercourse. No hormones. No surgical procedures. No taxpayer {dollars} spent mutilating animals within the title of transgender ideology.”
Mace’s submit was quickly hit with a group notice explaining that “trans mice” refers to transgenic mice, a typical scientific time period unrelated to transgender points.
“‘Trans mice’ refers to transgenic mice, not transgender mice,” the notice said. “Transgenic mice are outlined as mice which have included overseas DNA into their genome, permitting for the examine of gene perform and illness mechanisms, significantly in most cancers analysis.”
Somewhat than backing away from the controversy, Mace insisted critics had misunderstood her argument.
“This submit shouldn’t be about transgenic mice. It’s about federally funded transgender-related experiments on animals,” she wrote. “The invoice known as the Transgender Analysis on Animals Now Stops and Cash for Ideological Cruelty Eradicated Act, also called the TRANS MICE Act.”
She added that the group notice was addressing “a totally completely different matter,” although many on-line observers remained unconvinced.
The web responded mercilessly.
Journalist Molly Jong-Quick wrote: “Transgenic mice are laboratory animals which have had overseas DNA, similar to a human gene or a selected genetic marker, artificially inserted into their genome. They’re used for scientific testing.”
Others had been far much less charitable.
“As somebody who works with transgenic mouse fashions for most cancers analysis, that is objectively one of many funniest issues I’ve seen a real-life politician submit,” one person wrote.
“The dumbest member of Congress, which is actually saying one thing,” one other critic declared.
Another person added: “It is depressingly humorous that these folks do not perceive the phrase transgenic. Transgenic analysis is how we now have mass-produced insulin. No one is making trans’gender’ mice. Wtf.”
One commenter mocked the confusion with a language lesson: “Translation: Not transgender. Transmission: Not transgender. Transportation: Not transgender. Transatlantic: Not transgender. Transgenic: Additionally not transgender. English is difficult.”