Cisgender: Definition, Importance, and Usage for Better Inclusivity

What is Cisgender?

Cisgender (often abbreviated as cis) is a term describing a person whose gender identity corresponds to the sex assigned to them at birth. The prefix “cis-” comes from Latin and means “on the same side,” as opposed to “trans-,” which means “on the other side.”

How to understand the term Cisgender?

What is gender identity?

This refers to a person’s internal and personal sense of being a man, a woman, both, neither, or elsewhere on the gender spectrum.

What is sex assigned at birth?

This is the designation (male, female, or intersex) given to a person at birth, usually based on the observation of external genitalia.

A cisgender person is therefore someone who identifies as the gender assigned to them at birth. For example, a person assigned female at birth who identifies as a woman is cisgender. Similarly, a person assigned male at birth who identifies as a man is cisgender.

Why is the term Cisgender important?

Precision and inclusivity

It allows for the designation of people who are not transgender without using terms that could implicitly position transgender people as a “deviation” or an “exception.” It normalizes the transgender experience by recognizing that “cisgender” is a gender identity just as much as “transgender”.

Avoiding the “default”

Before the widespread use of “cisgender”, the term “man” or “woman” was often used to implicitly refer to cisgender people, which made transgender people invisible or “other.” “Cisgender” allows for specificity without exclusion.

Analysis of power dynamics

By naming cisgender identity, it becomes possible to analyze the privileges and specific experiences associated with being cisgender in a given society, in the same way that the experiences of transgender people are analyzed.

How to use the term Cisgender?

The term “cisgender” is widely used in discussions about gender, gender studies, LGBTQ+ movements, and academic and social contexts to promote a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of gender identity. It is important to use it with respect and precision to recognize the diversity of gender experiences.

In summary, being cisgender means that your gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to you at birth, and it is a valid and recognized gender identity just like all others.