Survey at work using the term cis woman

[SuzanneRogers]

So I filled all the survey, very happy at work, public secror.
Note that this survey is outsourced by another survey organisation.

Then I come to the last bit please describe your role in the organisation, did that, and then how would you describe your sex or gender?

( Can’t remember exactly how the question was phrased )but the only option for women was “cis woman.”

Quite cross about this and I’m not sure how to best articulate this to my managers who, to be fair never use this term and will not have had any input to designing the survey. Any input welcome.

If a transwoman identified as a woman wouldn't they just tick the women box anyway? This is confusing.

I am a woman and no that's not what I meant yiyr interpretation is bonkers I say what I mean thanks

'Cis' is the language of an ideology to which I do not subscribe.

In the same way as I ignore demands to include compelled pronouns in email signatures, I would be ignoring a survey which shows a ridiculous level of institutional capture.

Theres no need for militant campaigns asking people to be personable. Everyone is as amicable to a stranger as the next person regardless of their outward appearance, it's human decency.

Or raping someone and demanding to be called she and her in court by their victim then begging to be put in a women’s jail because they’re donning a bad wig and a pink dress.

Same.

It’s not my religion or belief. And it harms women and children so no thanks.

I can't really be bothered to pick through all the typos and almost complete lack of punctuation to try to make sense of your post, but I started mine by saying there isn't just one type of trans-identifying person.

Silly me, I must have got it all wrong because Hunnymonster1 has a lovely friend who "js" trans. My mistake.

As soon as someone starts throwing insults like handmaiden about I feel completely disengaged with any point they might be trying to make.

I don't think the quality of the wig or the dress should come into it

It's not just about words though. It's the connotation and the desire to 'fix' (level up?) things that the majority of us don't think are broken. I don't want womanhood and all that it entails reduced to an identity, we don't need downgrading language, it's a backward step for women as far as I'm concerned.

Cis has only recently become de rigueur as a prefix to man or woman. We all know what a man and a woman are, there are however lots of people who don't know what 'cis woman' or 'cis man' refers to!

No religion is an accurate description of an atheist in a question about religion. Belief systems do not have to be a religion. I may believe veganism is the only sensible way to save the planet but that's not a religion.

I do actually. I care because I think language matters, it affects the way we think, and the way others think about us, it affects our emotions, as women it affects our standing in society.

If you look at the history of repressive regimes one of the first things they do is immediately seize control of language media , newspapers, radio, tv etc . They control the information that goes out, they monitor the language that is used, and in many cases they change the language that is used to describe both current and historical events. Especial care is given when describing those who oppose repressive regimes. People who fail to respond to the new use of language are vilified, their motivations are seen as suspect, others are encouraged to isolate them, shame them and report them.

Now, I am not for a moment suggesting that the T movement is as repressive as say, the Taliban, Putin, or Mao’s China in the cultural revolution, but some of the methodology it employs is surprisingly similar, in terms of how it has weaponised media outlets both print and online, the response to criticism, how shame and isolation is used to silence opposing voices, how individuals who speak out are threatened and bullied.

So yes, things as small as objecting to the word cis, or not getting caught up in pronoun angst are greater than they seem, because they represent a pushback . Pushbacks fail when there is only one person pushing, but effective when there is a crowd of pushers . It’s not about transphobia, it’s about not being railroaded into a way of thinking by a very vocal minority who have adopted clever tactics which for a time blindsighted a lot of us.

If a convicted rapist decides they're trans on conviction they should be fast tracked for surgery.

I agree it's a shame as there's loads of intelligent conversation that could be had

Yes but that's why the survey has said trans women and cis women to separate its aload kf balcony really but it's got usual mumsnet lot upset

It's far far far from semantics. It's a deliberate strategy to change language to normalise an ideological belief that is not accepted by the majority. It's been done before and works, and those pushing the agenda well know it. Not surprised that you make it all about posters having issues with Trans people though. Default position to close debate.

Me too! Brilliant @saynotofondant thank you.

No one should be forced to have surgery that's barbaric

There are some things you can't let the little things go. You just can't.

The options should be man, woman, other with a please specify box.

You should be aware that cis is very offensive as it excludes people who don't identify with a gender.

Then a trans person may have the same issue as the OP. They don't identify as transwoman they identify as woman. So OP you could go back to the designer of the survey and say it's not transwoman and ciswoman it's just woman.

What is a woman because according to your own belief some men are women?

So I have no idea what you are when you call yourself a woman.

That's what happens when you mangle language. Congratulations. Women no longer have a word to describe ourselves which doesn't include a bunch of men.

And before you start with Cis the word cis woman has also been used to include a male person see Imane Khelif. So regardless of whether we agree with it on a ideological basis cis woman does not only mean female women.

I know, but they've decided they're trans (picture a head tilt and a smile here).