Cis does not mean heterosexual

[GraphicViolets]

I just wanted to correct a mistake I see pretty often on this forum. Cisgender means the opposite of transgender, its people who feel comfortable with the gender they were assigned as a baby. Heterosexual means liking people of the opposite sex. Often they're used together with like "cishet people" which just would mean heterosexual cisgender people aka people who are both the gender they were assigned at birth and they like the opposite sex.

Since I'm here I might as well clear up a couple more things,
Trans people are not "transgendered", that implies that thats something that happens to them rather than something they are.
Likewise you should avoid saying transmen or transwoman as it implies that that is their gender separate from men and women. Instead it should be trans men and trans women, as its a adjective, just one trait that they have

 

[Sabretooth]

Thank you for this post.

Furthermore, 'transgender' is an adjective, not a noun. This is something I wish Indian English-language media organisations would pick up, as they continue using it as a noun even when they're writing articles in support of transgender rights.

 

[cmdiego]

Thank you for this information and I will keep it in mind.
I have often wondered what cis meant as I started seeing it used without any context I could pin down. I did read an explanation some months ago, but I will try to remember your extra information.

 

[Squid Bunny]

Also:

It isn't and will never be a slur.

 

[Link]

I guess this is where being familiar with organic chemistry comes in handy, because I was actually aware of the meaning. Good to get the word out, though.

 

[darz1]

Thanks. I did not know this

 

[Raccoon]

woah today I learned that people were confused about this

regardless, good and important thread OP

 

[Flannel_and_Assam]

Also:

It isn't and will never be a slur.

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I can hear the cries of a thousand TERFs.

But I live in Britain so that's normal.

 

[Nappuccino]

Many good points about the subtle implications people aren't aware of regarding these words.

Thank you for this post.

Furthermore, 'transgender' is an adjective, not a noun. This is something I wish Indian English-language media organisations would pick up, as they continue using it as a noun even when they're writing articles in support of transgender rights.

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Wait . . . I'm struggling to think of how that would even read in a sentence.

 

[McScroggz]

Being informed is always a good thing. Thanks OP.

 

[GraphicViolets]

woah today I learned that people were confused about this

regardless, good and important thread OP

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tbh i just assumed some people might not have heard of it till recently where i noticed multiple people making this mistake on this forum.
I coulda just corrected them there but I'd rather not put them on the spot and i figured I'd try to have other people also potentially learn

Many good points about the subtle implications people aren't aware of regarding these words.

Wait . . . I'm struggling to think of how that would even read in a sentence.

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it would be like "the transgender got hrt" or somethign like that
ofc it should be "the transgender person got hrt"

i really don't understand how that comes up in for native english speakers but it does seem to occasionally around here

 

[Sabretooth]

Wait . . . I'm struggling to think of how that would even read in a sentence.

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Hiding in case:

"The government announced a 20% quota for transgenders...", "In Delhi, transgenders protested against the new law...", "Alicia, who is a transgender, believes that..." etc.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

Learned something new everyday.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

Thank you, OP.

 

[Nappuccino]

Hiding in case:

"The government announced a 20% quota for transgenders...", "In Delhi, transgenders protested against the new law...", "Alicia, who is a transgender, believes that..." etc.

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Oooof. God that sounds so bad. I hope they update their style guides soon and squash that usage

 

[neon/drifter]

I didn't know this and thank you!

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

This seems like a good opportunity to point out that binary trans people can be straight (heterosexual) as well. Do people actually say "hetcis"? 🤔 "Cishet" is far more common in the parlance of the trans community, both in person and online. In my experience anyway.

 

[GraphicViolets]

This seems like a good opportunity to point out that binary trans people can be straight (heterosexual) as well. Do people actually say "hetcis"? 🤔 "Cishet" is far more common in the parlance of the trans community, both in person and online. In my experience anyway.

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you're right and i misremembered it. thanks :D

as a side note when i first saw the phrase "cishet" i thought it was pronounced like "sih shet" rather than "cis-het" and it took me way too long to figure out where the term came from

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

Also:

It isn't and will never be a slur.

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What? There are people who think cisgender is a slur?

 

[TheGreatDirector]

This seems like a good opportunity to point out that binary trans people can be straight (heterosexual) as well. Do people actually say "hetcis"? 🤔 "Cishet" is far more common in the parlance of the trans community, both in person and online. In my experience anyway.

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Did you mean to type non binary trans people?

 

[Eugene's Axe]

Thanks for that clarification. In the past I looked up on Google and by the definition I thought it implied being heterosexual.

 

[Tathanen]

you're right and i misremembered it. thanks :D

as a side note when i first saw the phrase "cishet" i thought it was pronounced like "sih shet" rather than "cis-het" and it took me way too long to figure out where the term came from

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Wow that's how I read it until these posts too, TIL.

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

These are important tings!

I recently made the "transwoman - trans woman" mistake and had it explained to me. Our use of language can have harmful effects without us even knowing. Always good to keep learning, so we're more mindful in our everyday interactions.

Also, has the pronoun preference always been available under each member tag? That's super neat!

What? There are people who think cisgender is a slur?

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Some people really get in their feelings being called cishet....

It's the weirdest thing ever.

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

People really get in their feelings being called cishet....

It's the weirdest thing ever.

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So, it's like the TERF is a derogatory pejorative nonsense?

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

So, it's like the TERF is a derogatory pejorative nonsense?

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Lol yea kinda. 'How dare you simply call me what I am in the nicest way possible!'

 

[GraphicViolets]

So, it's like the TERF is a derogatory pejorative nonsense?

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Its more like white people being upset for being called white. The issue for them is primarily getting a label rather than being the understood default.

Tbh I did think cishet was meant to be derogatory at first but thats largely because the only things worth pointing out that cishet people do as a group is be hetero/cis-normative largely again because they're seen as the default

 

[Necromanti]

Did you mean to type non binary trans people?

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My mind autocorrected to 'nonbinary', but no, I don't think so. Terms like 'straight' or 'gay' kind of only work within that binary assumption and show their limitations for nonbinary people who don't predominantly identify with one gender over any other. Like with 'pansexual' or 'asexual', I've seen people who use terms that describe their attraction without anchoring it to their gender (e.g. 'androphilic').

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

Lol yea kinda. 'How dare you simply call me what I am in the nicest way possible!'

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They're basically yelling I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

 

[Inugami]

Also:

It isn't and will never be a slur.

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Was going to post this.

Remember if you ever see someone who thinks cis is an insult, it's because they use trans as one.

 

[TheGreatDirector]

My mind autocorrected to 'nonbinary', but no, I don't think so. Terms like 'straight' or 'gay' kind of only work within that binary assumption and show their limitations for nonbinary people who don't predominantly identify with one gender over any other. Like with 'pansexual' or 'asexual', I've seen people who use terms that describe their attraction without anchoring it to their gender (e.g. 'androphilic').

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Ah, gotcha.

 

[KillLaCam]

Had no idea

 

[GamerJM]

This is probably giving people too much good will but whenever I see "transwoman" I immediately assume someone's keyboard fucked up and missed a space input.

 

[jman912]

"cis-" and "trans-" are prefixes from Latin meaning "this side of" and "the other side of", respectively.

 

[Kyuuji]

Nice OP.

I'll also add that gender and sexuality are distinct as some people still trip up and think they're intertwined. Issues of sexuality are different from issues of gender and one doesn't necessitate the other.

Still sometimes see people using "straight" as a descriptor for not being trans, or conflating trans women with male homosexuality.

 

[hjort]

This is probably giving people too much good will but whenever I see "transwoman" I immediately assume someone's keyboard fucked up and missed a space input.

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I bet I make that mistake often, 'cause in my native language we're supposed to string words together like that without a space inbetween, and the difference between 'transwoman' and 'trans woman' is not self evident to everyone, like for instance people who may be used to grammar functioning differently. We're an international community after all, and people making honest mistakes when it comes to things like this is to be expected.

 

[davepoobond]

I don't think I've ever seen a gay/lesbian person referred to as cisgender

 

[Inugami]

I don't think I've ever seen a gay/lesbian person referred to as cisgendered.

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Neat... I'm not sure what you're trying to get at with this anecdote.

I imagine in most cases, day to day, cisgendered people aren't called cisgendered no matter their sexual orientation. It's the 'default' in society, which is part of what this thread is about.

 

[Homura]

Heterosexual means liking people of the opposite sex.

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Isn't this also incorrect?
Attraction can be romantic and/or sexual so an heterosexual person is sexually attracted by people of the opposite sex but could also be romantically attracted by only people of the same sex.

 

[Kyuuji]

Isn't this also incorrect?
Attraction can be romantic and/or sexual so an heterosexual person is sexually attracted by people of the opposite sex but could also be romantically attracted by only people of the same sex.

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I assume "like" in the OP is intended as shorthand for sexually attracted to but you're right if we're using it to make a point around sexual attraction and romantic attraction. It's indeed possible for people to not have the two aligned.

 

[Kyuuji]

What? There are people who think cisgender is a slur?

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To give one recent example:

William Shatner says being called a 'straight white cis man' is a way of 'harassing and debasing' him

‘Star Trek’ actor said term was a ‘slur’ only ever used for ‘negative reasons’

www.independent.co.uk

William Shatner says ‘straight white cis man’ is a ‘slur’ that ‘harasses and debases’ him

Across tweets stretching several days, William Shatner sparred with LGBT+ Twitter users over the term cisgender, often shortened to cis.

www.pinknews.co.uk

 

[RedHoodedOwl]

To give one recent example:

William Shatner says being called a 'straight white cis man' is a way of 'harassing and debasing' him

‘Star Trek’ actor said term was a ‘slur’ only ever used for ‘negative reasons’

www.independent.co.uk

William Shatner says ‘straight white cis man’ is a ‘slur’ that ‘harasses and debases’ him

Across tweets stretching several days, William Shatner sparred with LGBT+ Twitter users over the term cisgender, often shortened to cis.

www.pinknews.co.uk

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Picard Facepalm!

 

[hateradio]

Glad that there's more awareness.

Cis(ho)mo . . . I kinda like that.

Although I have been questioning my binary gender expression recently.

"cis-" and "trans-" are prefixes from Latin meaning "this side of" and "the other side of", respectively.

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What if you're non-binary? What's "either/or side of"?

 

[Clefargle]

CisBi male here

Glad to see more nuance around these topics

 

[hobblygobbly]

I just wanted to correct a mistake I see pretty often on this forum. Cisgender means the opposite of transgender, its people who feel comfortable with the gender they were assigned as a baby. Heterosexual means liking people of the opposite sex. Often they're used together with like "cishet people" which just would mean heterosexual cisgender people aka people who are both the gender they were assigned at birth and they like the opposite sex.

Since I'm here I might as well clear up a couple more things,
Trans people are not "transgendered", that implies that thats something that happens to them rather than something they are.
Likewise you should avoid saying transmen or transwoman as it implies that that is their gender separate from men and women. Instead it should be trans men and trans women, as its a adjective, just one trait that they have

Click to shrink...

I know all these points you say already, but I don't know/understand the last point. Maybe it's because English is my third language but, is that just a spelling thing? I mean if you are physically saying it, how is it any different? I don't understand lol. If I say transmen and trans men, i don't know what the different is in when talking, or how to make tbhat distinction in talking.

 

[Sanka]

Something that confuses people too is people who identify as trans and non-binary.

 

[Kyuuji]

I know all these points you say already, but I don't know/understand the last point. Maybe it's because English is my third language but, is that just a spelling thing? I mean if you are physically saying it, how is it any different? I don't understand lol. If I say transmen and trans men, i don't know what the different is in when talking, or how to make tbhat distinction in talking.

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Adjective + Noun

You don't need to focus as heavily on the vocal side. Just say "trans women" as you usually would.

Writers shouldn't use "transman" or "transwoman." The word trans is an adjective that helps describe someone's gender identity, and it should be treated like other adjectives. Merging the adjective and the noun risks suggesting that a trans man or woman is more (or less) than just a man or just a woman, which goes against how many trans people identify themselves.

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Why you should always use "transgender" instead of "transgendered"

It's not just about being polite.

www.vox.com

Among those who do refer to themselves as trans women, many see it as an important and appropriate distinction to include a space in the term, as in trans woman, thus using trans as merely an adjective describing a particular type of woman; this is in contrast to the usage of transwoman as one word, implying a "third gender".

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Trans woman - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Juna]

Glad that there's more awareness.

Cis(ho)mo . . . I kinda like that.

Although I have been questioning my binary gender expression recently.


What if you're non-binary? What's "either/or side of"?

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By the most useful definition trans people is everyone whose gender identity is not the same as the one assigned at birth.
Since most of us come from cultures where only binary identities are assigned, being non binary makes you trans by default.

 

[Kyuuji]

By the most useful definition trans people is everyone whose gender identity is not the same as the one assigned at birth.
Since most of us come from cultures where only binary identities are assigned, being non binary makes you trans by default.

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Not exactly and completely on the final part. Though colloquially trans can mean everything outside of the binary there are lots of non-binary people who don't see or identify themselves as trans. Thus the assumption that all people that are non-binary are trans is a problematic one as it incorrectly assumes the identity of others. Something to be aware of and even Stonewall is careful to make the distinction:

IS NON-BINARY THE SAME AS TRANS?

No. While the term trans generally encompasses people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth, some non-binary people don't see themselves as trans. It's always important to respect the language someone uses to define themselves.

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10 ways to step up as an ally to non-binary people

14 July is International Non-Binary People’s Day, which aims to celebrate the wide range of people worldwide who identify as non-binary. But do you know what it means to be non-binary? And do you know how you can better support non-binary people? Here are some ideas! ...

www.stonewall.org.uk

If people that are non-binary do identify as trans then obviously no issue in those cases.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

My mind autocorrected to 'nonbinary', but no, I don't think so. Terms like 'straight' or 'gay' kind of only work within that binary assumption and show their limitations for nonbinary people who don't predominantly identify with one gender over any other. Like with 'pansexual' or 'asexual', I've seen people who use terms that describe their attraction without anchoring it to their gender (e.g. 'androphilic').

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Yes, my comment was in regards to trans people within the binary. Brining non-binary trans people into the discussion makes things more complicated. 😅 This is the first time I've heard of terms like "adrophilic" and such to describes one's orientation. I'll have to research that. It's complex a topic, especially since some non-binary people lean into binary conventions like non-binary lesbians for example.

Not exactly and completely on the final part. Though colloquially trans can mean everything outside of the binary there are lots of non-binary people who don't see or identify themselves as trans. Thus the assumption that all people that are non-binary are trans is a problematic one as it incorrectly assumes the identity of others. Something to be aware of and even Stonewall is careful to make the distinction:

10 ways to step up as an ally to non-binary people

14 July is International Non-Binary People’s Day, which aims to celebrate the wide range of people worldwide who identify as non-binary. But do you know what it means to be non-binary? And do you know how you can better support non-binary people? Here are some ideas! ...

www.stonewall.org.uk

If people that are non-binary do identify as trans then obviously no issue in those cases.

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This is a good point to bring up. I usually only say "non-binary trans" when in the same breath I use "binary trans" which I realize has its issues.

 

[dadjumper]

Good thread.