Cisgender, often shortened to “cis,” describes individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth, such as someone assigned male at birth who identifies as a man (All Gender Access Toolkit, n.d.). Cisgender individuals’ gender identities may match the cultural expectations and roles associated with their assigned sex (APA, 2023; SafeZoneProject, n.d.), but do not necessarily the term cisgender is not indicative of gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, or how one is perceived in daily life (Trans Student Educational Resource, TSER, n.d.).
Framing & Perspectives
Individuals who identify as historical categories of “man” and “woman,” now called “cisgender” individuals, are simply two options from a more diverse selection of possibilities. As an adjective, it is meant to those ‘who identify as their sex assigned at birth’ derived from the Latin word meaning ‘on the same side’ (All Gender Access Toolkit, n.d.; Transstudent, n.d.). Despite some might perceive it as an insult, for instance in a discussion about trans issues – one would differentiate between women who are trans and women who are not by saying trans women and cis women (TSER, n.d.). Additionally, Cissexism describes the systemic prejudice and preferential treatment in favor of cisgender people, e.g., the assumption of a therapist that the male-perceived client has a girlfriend (TSER, n.d.). This is rooted in the assumption in individuals and institutions, that everyone is cisgender, and leads to the invisibility of non-cisgender identities (The Conversation Journal, 2018).
Relevance
The term “cisgender” was introduced to create a more inclusive language and to bring awareness to different gender experiences. Distinguishing cisgender identities helps clarify the difference between sexual and gender identity and emphasizes that everyone’s relationship with their body and sense of self is unique. This term also draws attention to the fact that trans*, intersex, genderqueer, and non-binary individuals often face greater societal disadvantages, including higher levels of abuse (The Conversation Journal, 2018).
Keywords: Gender Identity, Cultural Expectations, Gender Roles, Cis-sexsim, Inclusive Language
Connected Terms: Acronym “LGBTQIAPN+”, Queer, AFAB/AMAB, Body Image, Bodily Autonomy, Gender-Based Violence, Queer Theory, Transgender, Woke, Body Liberation
References
All Gender Access Toolkit. Retrieved September 18th 2024, from https://www.goodnightoutcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/toilets.pdf
APA Dictionary of Psychology (2023). Cisgender. Retrieved September 18th 2024, from APA Dictionary of Psychology
SafeZoneProject (n.d.). Retrieved September 18th, 2024, from LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Glossary of Terms » The Safe Zone Project
The Conversation Journal (2018). Explainer: what does it mean to be ‘cisgender’? Retrieved September 18th, 2024, from Explainer: what does it mean to be ‘cisgender’? (theconversation.com)
Trans Student Educational Resource (TSER) (n.d.). Definitions. Retrieved September 18th 2024, from https://transstudent.org/about/definitions/
