there's controversy over "cis"/"cisgender"/"cissexual"? Really?
I'm a little freaked out that people who don't identify as anti-trans-people are freaking out over the "cis*" words. It makes sense that the others would -- they don't like transgenderism or transsexuality, and so aren't particularly interested in words that make those concepts easier to discuss or words that don't other the people affected by them. But theoretical allies?
Besides the fun quasi-punness of it all, it makes sense. I was identified at birth as a girl, and now live as a woman[1]. My hypothetical imaginary twin brother[2] was identified at birth as a girl, and now lives as a man. He can be said to be on the opposite side of the gender-presentation barrier from where he started, and I, inasmuch as a baby girl and an adult woman can be said to be the same gender[3], can be said to be on the same side. Trans, cis.
I don't generally think of myself as cis, any more than I generally think of myself as white. Part of my {cis,white} privilege is that I can not bother to think of those.
[1] I am putting this footnote in place of a complicated argument that's more nuanced than that, because if it's reduced to a simple question, that's the best answer for it. Shut up, complicated self who's trying to complicate things.
[2] He's useful for so many things.
[3] Shut up, complicated self.
Besides the fun quasi-punness of it all, it makes sense. I was identified at birth as a girl, and now live as a woman[1]. My hypothetical imaginary twin brother[2] was identified at birth as a girl, and now lives as a man. He can be said to be on the opposite side of the gender-presentation barrier from where he started, and I, inasmuch as a baby girl and an adult woman can be said to be the same gender[3], can be said to be on the same side. Trans, cis.
I don't generally think of myself as cis, any more than I generally think of myself as white. Part of my {cis,white} privilege is that I can not bother to think of those.
[1] I am putting this footnote in place of a complicated argument that's more nuanced than that, because if it's reduced to a simple question, that's the best answer for it. Shut up, complicated self who's trying to complicate things.
[2] He's useful for so many things.
[3] Shut up, complicated self.