History is riddled with examples of the human tendency to lump blame on entire groups for our societal ills. The Nazis are perhaps the most infamous instance of this tragic phenomenon, with their brutal scapegoating of the Jewish people resulting in one of the worst atrocities in human history. Other examples include the Salem Witch Trials, the Armenian Genocide, and the Red Scare. The list is regretfully long and painful, highlighting the enduring and dangerous nature of this collective impulse.

Similarly, as society grapples with the complexities of “gender identity,” many are eager to find a group to blame for what they see as a confusing and destabilizing ideology. In the search for culprits, fingers are pointed in many directions. Some blame the “pesky” feminists who, in their insistence on equality between the sexes, have supposedly blurred the lines between male and female to the point of near interchangeability. Others look to the gay rights movement, questioning whether the legal recognition of same-sex marriage has somehow opened the floodgates to a new era of social permissiveness. And still, others point to transexuals and gender dysphorics, who they feel are forcing us to play along in a game of make-believe. In this charged atmosphere, blame is being cast far and wide.