Transgender individuals are taking to Reddit to express their anger at DNA testing companies for not being “trans-inclusive.” Several posts from the r/Trans subreddit that have gone viral feature trans people sharing screenshots from their results stating “there is a problem with the gender reported for [their] sample.”
Among the posts attracting attention include one made by a Reddit user with the handle u/Awkward-Afternoon-59. The user revealed that he had marked his gender as “female,” but received a response from MyHeritage stating that there was a discrepancy in the information they had been provided.
MyHeritage is a service that provides information on ancestry, but also enables users to upload their DNA information in an effort of finding “matches” and reconnect with distant relatives who may have also used the service.
“I took a DNA origin test. There is no peace for trans people,” he wrote. “Why do they force me to say I am a male? Gender is NOT the same as biological sex! Now, I have two options. Disable my public profile, making myself unfindable by relatives on that PAID service, or humiliate myself.”
In addition to providing a screenshot noting a problem with the gender u/Awkward-Afternoon-59 recorded on the MyHeritage test, the company stressed that because it is committed to quality control, it was able to detect that the biological sex indicated by the DNA did not match the reported gender for the person who took the test.
“If you gave the DNA test to someone else,” the screenshot reads, “please reassign [the kit number] to that person and confirm his/her profile settings are correct. If you used it yourself, please double check that your gender as listed in your account settings matches your biological sex.”
The post garnered over 2,600 upvotes and nearly 300 comments from other users agreeing the test was “transphobic.” Other users also indicated that they had similar experiences with other DNA testing companies.
As a result of the outrage, many X users ridiculed the subreddit for being disappointed that DNA accurately reflected biological sex.
Screenshots of one post were shared by commentator Jack David on X (formerly Twitter), pointing to the disillusionment required to get angry at a DNA testing company for requiring accurate data on biological sex.
“Imagine getting mad at a DNA testing company because the results they sent you were based on biological reality and not your delusional feelings,” he wrote.
One user replied with a sarcastic quip, writing: “(What they’re expecting) ‘Just got back my DNA report. Turns out I’m 10% unicorn, 20% satin panties, 40% underage anime character, & 30% Wiccan Priestess! I always knew I was magical.'”
Others, like gender critical commentator Sall Grover, highlighted that “there is no escaping the reality of biological sex.”
“It’s almost like DNA tests don’t lie,” added @Lgb_Republic.
Although other testing companies, like 23andMe, reportedly offer the option to list both biological sex and gender identity, the help center on the MyHeritage website stresses that if a user is transgender, the system will “find a discrepancy in the sex identified by the lab and your self-reported gender” to guarantee accuracy with “your genetic traits.”
