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What is cisgender?

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Nefer, Oct 17, 2015.

  1. Nefer

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    I am awfully sorry if I do sound ignorant. But there is no offence intended to anyone here. Can someone explain to me what term "cisgender" means exactly, as I am a bit confused.
    Let me quote some definitions first:

    "Cisgender (often abbreviated to simply cis) describes related types of gender identity perceptions, where individuals' experiences of their own gender agree with the sex they were assigned at birth.[1] Sociologists Kristen Schilt and Laurel Westbrook define cisgender as a label for "individuals who have a match between the gender they were assigned at birth, their bodies, and their personal identity".[2] They see CISGENDER as a complement to TRANSGENDER.[2]"

    AND THEN TRANSGENDER:
    "Transgender people experience a mismatch between their gender identity or gender expression and their assigned sex."

    WHY according to the source CISGENDER = TRANSGENDER???
    these two terms mean exactly opposite!!!

    If cisgender is a match at birth to sexual personality, why not to just call it STRAIGHT? Where is the difference between "straight" and "cisgender"?

    Again, I AM sorry for my ignorance. I am only just trying to understand some terms to best describe myself.

    Regards to everyone on here. :icon_bigg
     
    #1 Nefer, Oct 17, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2015
  2. FootballFan101

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    Cisgender = when you identify with the same gender as you where assiaged at birth I.E Males who are men and females who are women

    Straight: sexually attracted to the opposite gender I.E Men loving women, women loving men

    Transgender = when you identify with the oppisite gender as you where assiaged at birth I.E Males who are women and females who are men

    Hope this helps
     
  3. Canterpiece

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    Because being straight refers to sexual orientation not gender identity, where as cisgender is about gender identity. Take me for example, I am biologically speaking female and I identify as female. This makes my cisgender because the sex I was assigned at birth matches the one I identify as. However, I'm not straight because I like women but I don't like men. So that makes me a lesbian, not straight because a straight person would only be interested in the opposite sex and not the same sex.

    Hope this clears things up. :thumbsup:
     
    #3 Canterpiece, Oct 17, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2015
  4. OnTheHighway

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    Let's play word association:

    Straight is to Gay as Cisgender is to Transgender
     
  5. Nefer

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    Barcafan, Canterpiece, OnTheHighway,

    Thank you all for your replies. It makes it clear now.
     
  6. FootballFan101

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    Your welcome!
     
  7. Uncolored

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    Thanks for this thread, I had the same question!