What's wrong with 'Cisgender'

[ASugar]

As someone who identifies as a cisgender woman and works in sexual health, I am honestly confused as to why so many females (sex term) who identify with being women (gender term) dislike the term Cisgender?

Now I'm not here to tell you what to say, I am genuinely curious.

However, here is my opinion for those who may be interested.

Cisgender just means you are not transgender. That your sex links you your gender and you assign any gender terms (ie. Pronouns, Gender identity, sometimes gender expression but not always, etc). I personally don't like to think that just because I was born with a vagina means I am a woman because I know many men with vaginas and women with penises. Additionally those who don't have a gender identity, then that would mean you wouldn't use women and men as they're gender terms (according to medical professionals). It would make you non binary or agender.

I understand that the term 'Cis' has been used to insult others which for that I am sorry.
My view is that if you can't allow trans women to be accepted in society and identified as women (without the need for 'trans' infront of it constantly) then we should be using cisgender. It is a medical term that professionals such as the NHS recognize. But I understand that is just my opinion.

I probably won't be commenting as I can imagine this will be filled with comments and I don't want to disrespect anyone's views. Just a cisgender woman who wants to understand more...

And as always I would appreciate if you respect my view as I'm going to be respecting all of yours.

Do all people who dont believe that their sex and gender align get a diagnosis?

Does gender dysphoria mean you can identify as whatever gender you wish? I thought it was where someone felt they had a different gender to their birth sex. Is it any different to someone saying they feel their age/race/disability status is different to what their biology determines?

Rather *dont align?

@vimtosogood

Is your brother interested in women or men? Would a gay man or a straight woman be bigoted for having no interest in a "man's vagina"?

He has a cis hetrosexual girlfriend and she doesn't mind

Fair enough OP you don’t need to disclose your age of course.

Can you answer my other two questions?

I totally respect that you respect and believe your brother when they tell you who they are. I wish you would do the same for us.

Does your brother wish to surgically transition? Does that not make you sad for him, that he wants to be put his body (which you said is not wrong) through something like that? Apologies if I have used any incorrect terms, that is not my intention.

OP, if it is possible for a male to identify as a woman, it is possible for a white person to identify as a black person, or vice versa. Tanning/dyes, bleaching cream (ie used for Vitiligo).

It is as medically possible as it is for a man to identify as a woman.

It's just that one is not as prevalent or commonly practiced as the other.

@ASugar
“ Sorry for not answering sooner. I do not agree with the idea people can be transracial. That's all I really have to say on that topic.”
There must be a reason you don’t agree with this though?
Can you not accept it might be the same reason that people have a hard time coming to terms with your premise that saying you’re a woman means that you literally are?

In the English language, which I presume we are all speaking, man means human adult male.

That is a fact. You can check it in seconds.

Woman means human adult female. Again, its a fact.

Sister refers to a female relative. Linguistically, that would be the correct term for any female offspring of your parents.

Words do change and evolve. These ones have not. Although they are apparently now offensive when used correctly .

In the English language, one cannot be both a male and a woman, or female and a man. Or female and a brother.

Report away ASugar but bear in mind your deletions mean people are being silenced for speaking the truth, rather than lie to appease someone we have never met.

I missed this earlier.
why do we have to know the gender of our child? Shop in stores where clothes are described by gender? Etc.

Of course what we know is the sex of our child. Whenever someone starts a thread elsewhere on MN talking about 'gender reveal', someone will correct that to sex. They're using it as a euphemism.
As to clothes and toys being described as being for boys or girls - that's something we campaign against. 'Let toys be toys' grew out of a thread by MN feminists who object to children's full potential being stifled by gender stereotypes.

@Strikemepink

Fair enough OP you don’t need to disclose your age of course.

Can you answer my other two questions?

I totally respect that you respect and believe your brother when they tell you who they are. I wish you would do the same for us.

Does your brother wish to surgically transition? Does that not make you sad for him, that he wants to be put his body (which you said is not wrong) through something like that? Apologies if I have used any incorrect terms, that is not my intention.

Yes he does. And no it doesn't upset me. I have so far helped him fund his transition and it's been life saving for him.

Interesting about his cis hetero girlfriend who ‘doesn’t mind’. Were they together before he decided to transition?

You can be born female and be transgender. You can be born male and be transgender.

Exactly

@Strikemepink

Interesting about his cis hetero girlfriend who ‘doesn’t mind’. Were they together before he decided to transition?

No they were not.

Were they together before he decided to transition

Why does that matter, what has how long anyone's been together got to do with anything?
People can stay with partners who are transgender, they don't always automatically leave if that's what you're getting at.

Thanks for answering about your brother’s transition, I truly do hope that it brings him the peace or whatever it is he is seeking.

@Mockolate

You can be born female and be transgender. You can be born male and be transgender.

Exactly

Has anyone said otherwise? Transgender people exist, and are born (and remain) one of male or female so, well, duh.

Interesting question, can a trans woman identify as a cis woman? If not, why not? Because it’s a fact that cis is to “be aligned with the gender allocated at birth?”

It used to be a fact that being born with a penis meant you were a male.

Now I am actually not a TERF, not full on anyway, I do believe that people can be born in the wrong body, and it must be horrific. I do, however, believe that this is far less common than we are seeing today.

The word is transGENDER. Not transsex.

And we’ve long since agreed that ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ are two different things.

People can change their gender to their heart’s content - since the concept is utterly meaningless, anyway.

You can’t change your sex.

Gender is not biological.
Being a woman in terms of gender isn't.
But you can change your gender.

So, sorry...what is gender?

@Mockolate

Were they together before he decided to transition

Why does that matter, what has how long anyone's been together got to do with anything?
People can stay with partners who are transgender, they don't always automatically leave if that's what you're getting at.

I wasn’t getting at anything and certainly wasn’t trying to suggest that partners would automatically leave. But surely being in a relationship with someone who makes such a big change is going to have an impact on the other person in the relationship and I was thinking about that. Obviously I’m happy that the OP’s brother is happy in a relationship. I just can’t get my head around it being a heterosexual one.

Interesting question, can a trans woman identify as a cis woman?

If trans women would like to appropriate the words cis woman they are welcome to it.

I reject it and will use woman.

@emilyfrost

The fact of the matter is that if your sibling was born with a penis, they are a man and are your brother. If they were born with a vagina, they are a woman and are your sister.

There is no “misgendering”. No amount of delusion or unnecessary surgery will change that.

Incorrect.

Yes, on twitter you will find many transwomen who identify as ciswomen or/and female.

Making any distinction between the two groups can be considered transphobic (and make you a TERF)