Michelle Rodriguez isn’t one to turn down an exciting new movie role, especially when it challenges gender and sexuality norms.

But rather than empower the LGBT community, Rodriguez’s new role has stirred up some serious controversy.

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The actress stars in in upcoming thriller (Re) Assignment, which was reportedly originally titled Tomboy: A Revenger’s Tale. Rodriguez plays Frank Kitchen, a transgender hitwoman who is involuntarily given sexual reassignment surgery by a “rogue surgeon” called The Doctor. The film tells the story of what happens when Rodriguez’s characters sets out to seek revenge after receiving this botched, “forced” surgery.

When news broke of the Fast and Furious actress’ role, the LGBT community responded in a big way, claiming that the film is offensive to sexual reassignment surgery, which helps so many. The trans-centric plotline is therefore using a manufactured story for the sake of entertainment, rather than focusing on an inspiring or real account of the transgender community that has become an integral part of Hollywood in recent years.

In response, Rodriguez reportedly defended her role. "If anything, it's freakin' promoting it," she said. "Thank Kris Jenner for becoming who he became. And now you have a popular subject matter that nobody wanted to make a movie about, and now everybody's on it." The 38-year-old actress’s blunder of mistaking Kris Jenner for Caitlyn Jenner certainly didn’t help her case either.

Many transgender people and activists took to Twitter to voice their outrage over Rodriguez’s role, explaining that it’s transphobic, offensive and more. “We are at a crucial moment in the public’s understanding of transgender issues, and stories like these have the potential to undermine the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve,” a GLAAD spokesperson responded.

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Check out a first look at the actress’s movie ensemble below: