Banning the term "cis"

[OlennasWimple]

Apologies if this had already been done, but can MNHQ consider banning the term "cis", given how horrifically offensive so many users of MN find it?

I don't think I need to set out the background and reasoning to this request (but can do so if it would help!)

[RJnomore1]

All - what the he'll are you on about?

[MyCatWasRightAboutYou]

everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/being-called-cis-is-not-oppressive/
People getting all up-in-arms without even understanding what it means.
Ridiculous.

[MonkeysWAGMug]

I'm a woman. No need for prefix or suffix or any other shit. I find cis offensive.

[Starspread]

Dutch i think this is getting to the heart of it TBH - for me, trans women are women. A subcategory of women sometimes, in the same way as sometimes needing to specify 'Bangladeshi women' or 'mothers' or 'female politicians'. For others, they believe trans women are not and never will be women, so they need a separate category that makes it clear trans women are not included under the 'women' umbrella.

[msgrinch]

If anyone referred to me as cis is report them. I'm a woman in the real sense. So sick of labels for everything. Your a woman or if needed a trans-woman.

[AllTheFluffyAnimals]

Venus - I think in that situation I can. Obviously it's not the same, for example my identity as a woman is probably more important in how the world relates to me than the precise arrangement of who I happen to fancy. I experience discrimination as a woman and discrimination for being bi though, and I also experience privilege for being cis and for passing as straight (except for I suppose when I am with my girlfriend but even then people seem to see us as friends but that's a whole other issue)

[venusinscorpio]

Oh well, you've totally slayed the argument with your link from "Everyday Feminism" (aka the most ridiculous "feminist" blog I can think of) But run off and hide the thread the minute you face any real opposition. That's impressive. I know perfectly well what it means, thanks.

[VestalVirgin]

People getting all up-in-arms without even understanding what it means.

Oh, I understand very well what is meant by it. They mean to imply that I identify with patriarchal oppression just because I suffer from no delusions about my biological sex.

I am not cis, and I will not be called cis. I am a woman.

They can make up their ridiculous words to describe themselves, but their freedom ends where mine begins.

I am not cis.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I deeply dislike the term cis, I am a woman. Not a "cis" woman. I am biologically emphatically female, I don't need a prefix for that.

[PortiaCastis]

We are individuals we do not need labels latin or otherwise.

[SonicSpotlight]

I am a woman because that's what sex I am. I didn't choose a gender. Gender is what pushes pink at girls and tells them to be nice and agreeable and makes fun of boys for liking pretty things and tells them crying is for wimps. Gender is created by society.

[ParanoidGynodroid]

'Trans/cis/tall/blonde/disabled/whatever' = sub categories within 'woman'

What the fuck is a subcategory within woman? There are none. A woman is a woman.

[VioletBam]

MNHQ will never ban the word cis because they are educated, reasonable people.

When they come on this thread to clarify that, the people who are against the word ought to do themselves a favour and do some reading.

It's so far from offensive, it's laughable that this awful thread has been started.

[Starspread]

Wait wait wait. Is this a thing? Is this why people hate the word cis, because they think it means someone who's totally bought in to shitty limited patriarchal definitions of what women are allowed to be/think/feel/look like?

[GarlicStake]

what's wrong with using "woman" and "trans woman"?

The whole point of 'cis' is so that transwomen can call themselves women - thus pushing female women into another category, which then needs a name.

I'm another "fuck that, I don't want it." I'm a woman. Transwomen are trans women.

I consider myself misgendered as cis I identify as a person. The dictionary says that, as an adult human female, I am a woman.

If you're not an adult human female, have another descriptor please. This one's ours.

[PortiaCastis]

I hate the word cis because it is a label and a label i neither want nor need.

[noeffingidea]

I don't agree with the word 'cis' but I'm happy with the current policy on mumsnet, ie any user can request to have it deleted if they object to it being used re themselves.
I don't see the point in blanket banning words. If you don't agree with something then challenge it.

[AllTheFluffyAnimals]

So a pysically disabled white middle class woman faces exactly the same issues as a mentally ill Asian working class woman because there are just women and no sub categories?

[Dutchcourage]

They are not 'women' though star as they are biologically differnt. Adding a name to bio women so trans women can claim the title of just 'women' is wrong.

Bangladesh women are women as go for the rest of your examples. It's just a discription. They were all born women. Nothing can change that it's DNA.

Trans women is a discription of a man changing/wanting to change in to a women. Which is what they are. And there is nothing wrong with that. I thus think this boils down to some trans men and sympathisers doing their best to distance them selfs from the fact they were originally men.

It gives women a label they don't need. They haven't changed anything.

I

[Somerville]

I find it hugely offensive. Especially as the only time I hear it used in RL is not as a sub category, as some pp are trying to justify it. I've only heard it used as a reclassification. And I don't need to be reclassified. Woman works just fine.

The person who says it around me a lot is trans and only ever refers to women as cis-women. Funnily enough, that person doesn't refer to men as cis-men. They get to stay as just men.

I wasn't allowed to object to being referred to as a cis-woman at the company at which we both worked. But HR sent round emails asking ciswomen to be more sensitive as the person was feeling excluded by mentions of periods, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Anyway, that's why when I see women referred to as cis on here it immediately offends me. If it were just used as shorthand in discussions of trans issues it might not. But being reclassified by other people in my RL was massively unempowering and it is not acceptable.

[GarlicStake]

Well, Star - Anyone who deems themselves transgender has, by definition, bought into gender claptrap.

I'm not having any such numpty renaming my biological status!

[LucyBabs]

What reading violet please do enlighten us.

You personally might feel cis isn't offensive but there are many who do find it offensive..

[LauraAshleyDuvetCover]

MyCat I have a degree specialising in organic chemistry and have a Latin A-level. I understand exactly what cis means thank you.

If I don't use it 'correctly' in the subject of gender it's because I don't think you should take a word and use it in a way that makes it difficult for people to use it legitimately. Admittedly I don't often talk about molecular stereochemistry with people other than chemists but a) it's unnecessary for you to have a word in the first place and b) make your own up, don't steal somebody else's!

I might be wrong, but I thought trans in gender use was short for transition? So cis isn't even the logical opposite.

[noeffingidea]

allthefluffyanimals what have issues got to do with anything? The word 'woman' is a biological descriptor.

[venusinscorpio]

You don't want people to label you in a way you don't like? You want your personal feelings and identity to be validated by the wider world? Then have the self-awareness and empathy not to impose labels on others that they don't accept.