An older lesbian asked me recently what 'cis' means, which inspired me to share an explanation of the meaning of cis or cisgender.
Cis is not an insult and not a slur, despite being banned on 'X'. But people have strong feelings about the words we use to describe gender, including this one.
For some of my unfiltered opinions on how people describe gender, check out:
Rey Katz
What is the meaning of cis or cisgender?
Cisgender means not transgender. Cis is commonly used as a short form of cisgender. That's all it means - if you're not trans, you're cis. If you're cis, you're not a trans person.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines cisgender as "of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex the person was identified as having at birth."
Merriam-Webster's blog explains, "If your birth announcement still feels accurate to your gender, then you're cis."
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Trans activists started using the term "cisgender" to have a declarative word to refer to people who aren't trans. A word that doesn't have the implications of normal, regular, better, worse, etc.
Julia Serano, author and trans activist, was most likely the first to include the term cisgender in print, in her book Whipping Girl published in 2007. Serano shares a record that the term "cisgender" was first coined by Carl Buijs, a transsexual man, in 1995.
The words "cis" and "trans" come from Latin prefixes often used in science, meaning "on the same side as" and "on the opposite side as," respectively. Molecules can be referred to as cis and trans, based on the orientation of their atoms.
So it's all very scientific, at least until the internet gets angry.
Cis is pronounced "sis." Maybe that's where some of the ire comes from - people don't like being called something that sounds like "sissy" or "sister." But it's just one of the many words in the English language that sounds similar to something else. Person sounds like "purse," for example, but that doesn't mean I'm calling you a bag.
But the bigger reason conservatives don't like the word "cis" is because using the word acknowledges the existence of trans people. If there were no trans people, the word "cisgender" would not exist either, which is the point they are trying to make.
But, like, trans people exist. And throwing a tantrum about words is not going to change that fact.
Can you be non-binary and cis?
Some non-binary people are also trans, and some are not. Either way is okay. This is based on what feels comfortable and accurate for each individual to describe themselves.
So sure, you can be non-binary and cis. Some people are non-binary women, or non-binary men, and rather than thinking that is some kind of a contradiction, instead consider that each of these words may be an imperfect way of describing someone's identity.
Okay, fine, but what is cis-het?
I have to admit, I've pretty much only heard this term on podcasts. It doesn't come up much in conversation. But let's break it down.
Cis-het is a very shortened form of cisgender and heterosexual. Cisgender, as we just learned, means a person is not trans. And heterosexual means a person is primarily attracted to people of a different gender than themselves. For example, a woman primarily attracted to men can be heterosexual. A straight, not-trans person would be another way of saying cis-het.
How different are cis and trans people?
We're all human. We all need air, water, food, a safe place to sleep, and community. We have mostly the same DNA. We all have some combination of hormones in our bodies.
Rey Katz
Some people aren't sure if they are cis or trans. That's okay! We aren't as different from each other as society has tried to make us believe.
Amplify Respect is a newsletter to uplift and inform trans folks and allies.
If you find it helpful to learn how to talk about a trans family member, how to promote your work as an LGBTQ+ creator, or how to write about trans people respectfully, you should subscribe.
What do you think? Please let us know in the comments.
