One single line in The Ed Gein Story is ‘putting people in danger’ because of its inaccuracies

One single line in The Ed Gein Story on Netflix is being called out for its inaccuracies, and how dangerous this might be. Creator Ryan Murphy shows famously get called out a lot, as he’s known for taking true stories and adding his own touch, which can run away from real life a bit.

In a few scenes in the recent series, we’re shown things Ed Gein imagined, which were predominately made up. For example, there’s no evidence Ed Gein ever knew who war criminal Ilse Koch actually was.

In one scene, Ed was shown to have ordered three radios to his hospital, and used one to have a conversation with transgender woman and trans rights activist Christine Jorgensen. This never happened in real life. During this conversation, Gein told Christine he thought they were similar, but instead Christine branded Gein a gynephile.

A gynephile is a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to women or femininity. “You’re what they call a gynophiliac, you so eroticise the female body that you wish to put it on, to be inside of it. That’s not an identity, that’s sexualisation,” Christine said.

via Netflix

But, transgender writer and cultural critic, Mey Rude, has said this storyline got it wrong, and said the term has been confused. Writing in a column for Out Magazine, Rude said the show meant autogynophile, which is someone who is aroused by the idea of cross-dressing and being cross-gender.

The column added: “Labelling him as a ‘gynephile’, what Brennan [co-creator] and Murphy have confused with ‘autogynophile’, could lead to serious ramifications for real-life trans women at a time when politicians are scapegoating trans people.

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“Unfortunately, by doing this, Brennan and the show are not only repeating and amplifying TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) talking points. They are potentially putting real-life trans women in danger. In 2025, the word ‘autogynephile’ is used in the same sentences where trans women are labelled as groomers and pedophiles. It’s used by politicians who are banning healthcare and access to public spaces for trans people, and it’s used in conversation therapy.” The column said the show plays into “harmful narratives” .

The show in general isn’t very well reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s currently the worst rated of all Monsters seasons, with a score of just 19 per cent. “A show that hates itself,” one critic simply said. Another, really quite vividly, added: “In execution, the series is high on its own farts. Which is fitting, because The Ed Gein Story has all the impact of a wet one.”

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.