Cisgender Person Definition: Understanding Gender Identity

What is a Cis Person (or Cisgender)?

A cis person, or cisgender, is an individual whose gender identity corresponds to the one assigned at birth. Simply put, if you were declared “boy” at the maternity ward and you feel like a man today, then you are a cis man.

What is the origin and utility of the term “cis”?

This word is neither an insult nor a compliment; it is a technical term, just like “trans.” It comes from the Latin “cis,” meaning “on the same side,” as opposed to “trans,” “on the other side.” Its utility is simple but crucial: it allows us to name the norm. Without the word “cis,” we are left with “trans” people on one side and “normal” people on the other. And this false opposition is not only hurtful but also invisibilizes the fact that the cis experience is one experience among many.

What is Cisgender Privilege?

Being cis means benefiting from immense privilege, that of never having to question the legitimacy of one’s gender. It means living in a world where your body, your identity documents, the pronouns used for you, and others’ perception of you are, most of the time, in perfect alignment. It is a fluidity, an ease of being in the world that trans people do not have. Becoming aware of this is not about feeling guilty; it is simply about showing empathy and lucidity. It is understanding that your experience is not universal and that for others, asserting who they are is a daily struggle.