I remember somebody else started a thread a while ago about cis people getting offended by the word cis (http://emptyclosets.com/forum/chit-chat/213106-cis-people-can-offended-word-cis-solutions.html). I just wanted to ask if anybody here knows how, when, and where this notion got started in the first place.
I honestly have no clue, but whomever can be offended by something such as a prefix to a word probably isn't going to be someone I take very seriously when they say that being called cisgender is offensive.
Truthfully, it just seems to be a poor choice for a prefix because it sounds like cyst which obviously has really negative connotations... I can actually understand why people feel uncomfortable with the word. :icon_redf
To anyone who think that I say "too bloody bad". Why do trans people have to have a specific label and you don't? That is not fair. Some people are also uncomftable being labeled as trans as well as people being uncomftable being labeled cis. Either no one gets labeled or everyone gets labeled, that is the deal.
I personally think it's less to do with the 'cis' prefix and more to do with the tone in which it's used by butthurt people who don't identify as cis. Just going by experience*. Just as trans shouldn't be used to insult someone, neither should cis. It works both ways. * - my experience being with a group of two people from one of my classes, who are constantly looking for an argument to do with their sexuality and/or gender identity, just so they can 'one-up' people. It never works. They act as if everyone else in the class who are cisgender, are offending them, just by being cis. ---------- Post added 3rd Jun 2016 at 12:54 PM ---------- They are obvious exceptions to this rule, though I won't mention any to keep it PG.
The Bev jos and Cathy Brennans of the world, probably (they tend to be huge into gender theory and such; most people don't pay enough attention to care).
Agreed. "Cis" isn't really a slur, it's more that some trans/NB people are trying to make it a slur by using it in a derogatory way (ie. "shut up, cishet"). It's a way of hitting back at your oppressors, I guess, even if it is a pretty stupid way to do it in my opinion.
Cis and trans are indicative of chemical isomers where cis has two chemical functional groups on the same side of a double bond, while trans is where chemical groups are on the opposite side. It should be obvious that cis is where sex and gender are in agreement and trans is where sex and gender identity are opposite. People being offended by being called cis are probably offended by being called straight...
Fun fact: This is a subset of the IUPAC-preferred E-Z isomerism, because E-Z isomerism covers much more variations of such isomers. But yeah, I don't see how it's an insult, unless the tone is obviously derogatory. But even then, I've no cause to feel insulted just because people are calling me cis because that's what I am and I don't feel insulted for what I am. Maybe people don't like being called cis because they're transphobic and saying someone is cis acknowledges the existence of trans people too? I really don't know. It's hard to understand how people think.
"Cis" shouldn't be an insult. It's simply the opposite of "trans". They're Latin prepositions. "Trans" means "on the other side of; across" and "cis" means "on this side of" (English has no single word equivalent to this concept). However, the average person doesn't use the word "cis" since it represents 99% of the population. When it is used, it is sometimes meant as a slur against non-trans people, as in "die cis scum" and such. It's another means of discounting the majority, and "the majority" doesn't like that.
I have seen the term "Cishet" used a lot on the internet (or at least on the sites I visit). I even made a thread on that particular term (Cishet) a long time ago. Or at least, it feels like a while ago. Anyways... The two main reasons why people dislike the term Cisgender/ Cis seem to be: 1) They think it means gay. The amount of times I've seen the conversation "but I'm straight, not Cis" "But Cis means that you identify with your assigned gender at birth, that's all. You can be straight and cis, the two aren't mutually exclusive", take place is quite a lot. -And- 2) Like people have said before, I have seen it used as an insult before in rather small circles. Also, I've noticed whenever people make fun of websites like Tumblr they tend to use the word "cisgender" a lot. It's a misunderstood term, and they think "those darn youths today, so PC". But whatever, I happily use the term online. Otherwise, I just go with female on a day to day basis, but in a deep and gender based conversation I would use the term.
Agreed. I'm not offended by the meaning, but it sounds horrible, like a cyst, or like a sissy. Also, why cis? The prefix means "on this side of", which seems an odd choice, even if it is the antonym of trans. I'd rather have a term like Unigender; as in sex and gender are one and the same. Thus, from now on, I shall go forward, and promote this term. Tumblr here I come
When taken literally, "trans" is sort of an odd choice too. I mean, a person's gender isn't "across" anything. But what it means is that in a cis person, the gender and biological sex are on the same side--they line up, they're in harmony.
Good points. I like unigender for the 'in harmony'/united reasons...and it just sounds nicer on my ears!
My butt feels fine, it's my ears! The concept is fine, just not fond of the word. It's not a huge deal, really; just an 'off' sounding word...for that matter 'trans' has always sounded odd to me, as well.
I don't tend to like it because the only context it really comes up in is discussing "privilege" which I think is a load of crock -- the oppression Olympics gets old. Also cis is pretty much the default. But when used to clarify and not rudely by SJW I don't mind.
It was a terrible choice of a word. It sounds like an insult. "Cis-scrum" flows of the tongue far to well. When your 99.7% of the population or whatever I think "non-transgender" will do.
