The Meaning of Cisgender: What It Is and How To Use It

According to Daily Dot, the word cisgender means that the gender you identify as matches the sex you were assigned at birth. Cisgender people are the opposite of trans people. 

Trans people experience gender dysphoria, and their gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. A person with a cisgender identity has a gender identity that matches the sex of their genitals. For example, a cisgender woman is born with a vagina and a cisgender man is born with a penis, and their chromosomes and genes also match their gender identity.

Trans people face a lot of discrimination for their gender expression, often due to cisnormativity. Cisnormativity is a social construct in which the look and behaviors of cisgender people are thought of as the default. 

Trans people face a lot of discrimination in many aspects of their life. They can be discriminated against at their jobs and in their personal life, or even just by people on the street. Many people are not welcoming of trans identities, so make sure that you do your part in being a good ally if you are not a trans person.

Gender, Dysphoria, and Surgery

Certain trans people might choose to go on hormones or have surgery so that their body can better match their gender identity and combat gender dysphoria. Other trans people may choose not to go on hormones or have surgery. 

Some of these surgeries might include top surgery, in which a person either has breasts implanted or removed to match their gender identity. There is also bottom surgery, in which either a penis is surgically turned into a vagina or vice versa.

Remember that labels for gender do not necessarily match a person’s sexuality. A person who is trans is not necessarily also gay, for example. Sexuality and gender are two separate categories, though they can both be adjectives used to describe people.  

What Are Synonyms and Antonyms of the Word Cisgender?

We can use many different words in place of the word cisgender. Someone might say that a cisgender person’s gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. People also use the term cis as an abbreviation for cisgender or the term cishet to refer to someone who is both cisgender and heterosexual.

The opposite of the word cisgender is transgender or trans. A transgender person has a gender identity that does not match their assigned sex at birth. Another word that could be considered an antonym for cisgender is the word nonbinary or genderqueer, which refers to someone whose gender identity is not male or female. 

Intersex people are also sometimes put under the trans umbrella, though sometimes they wish to identify separately.

What Is the Origin of the Word Cisgender?

The term cisgender was first coined by biologist Dana Leland Defosse in the 1990s, but the word has Latin roots. The Latin prefix cis means “on the side of,” and the Latin trans means “on the other side of.” This is what makes these words opposites.  

What Is Other Terminology Used in the LGBTQ Community?

There might seem like a lot of terms to learn if you are going to be an active participant in discussions bout the LGBTQ community. The New York Times and LGBTQIA Health Education lists many of these terms to get you started:

• Two-Spirit 
•  Tucking
•  Sexual orientation
•  Bisexual
•  Gender affirming surgery (GAS)
•  Top surgery
•  Assigned sex at birth
•  Binding
•  QPOC
•  Heterosexual
•  Drag
•  Lesbian
•  Disorders of Sex Development
•  Polyamorous
•  Gender identity
•  Transgender
•  Biphobia
•  Gay
•  Gender non-conforming
•  Transition
•  Cross-sex hormone therapy
•  Minority stress
•  Transphobia
•  Straight
•  Asexual
•  Intersex
•  Agender
•  Intersectionality
•  Outing
•  Aromantic
•  Gender role
•  Cisgender
•  Transmasculine
•  Homophobia
•  Coming out
•  Pansexual
•  Gender dysphoria
•  Same-sex attraction (SSA)
•  Transfeminine
•  Genderqueer
•  Questioning
•  Heteronormativity
•  Gender binary
•  Bottom surgery
•  Ally
•  Pangender
•  Bigender
•  Structural stigma
•  Social stigma
•  Gender fluid

How Can the Word Cisgender Be Used in a Sentence?

Cisgender is a word we can use in many different settings and circumstances. This word is often used in discussions about gender and sexuality. 

Never assume a person’s gender when meeting them, and don’t be afraid to share your pronouns to make someone else feel comfortable.

In this first example, a person is filling out paperwork at a doctor’s office for the first time:

Person 1: Wow, lots of choices for the gender identity section. Cis man, cis woman, trans man, trans woman, nonbinary, genderqueer, genderfluid, intersex, and other. I’m going to put down cis man, but I appreciate how inclusive they are in their paperwork.

In this next example, two people introduce themselves at a mixer for LGBT people on campus:

Person 1: Hi, I’m Julia. My pronouns are she/her. I’m a cisgender woman and lesbian. Nice to meet you!

Person 1: Hi Julia. I’m Jaz, my pronouns are they/them, and I identify as nonbinary and pansexual. Welcome to the group!

Conclusion

Overall, cisgender refers to a person whose gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. This is the opposite of a person who is transgender, whose gender identity does not match their assigned sex at birth. 

Other identities under the trans umbrella include nonbinary, genderqueer, genderfluid, intersex, and more.

Sources:

1. The ABCs of LGBTQIA+  | New York Times
2. Glossary of LGBT Terms for Health Care Teams | LGBTQIA Health Education
3. A guide to understanding cisgender privilege | Daily Dot