cissexual
cissexual
Pronunciation
/ˌsɪsˈsɛkʃuəl/
cis- (/sɪs/):
/s/ - voiceless alveolar sibilant
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/s/ - voiceless alveolar sibilant
-sex- (/sɛk/):
/s/ - voiceless alveolar sibilant
/ɛ/ - open-mid front unrounded vowel
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive
-ual (/ʃuəl/):
/ʃ/ - voiceless postalveolar fricative
/u/ - close back rounded vowel
/əl/ - syllabic /l/ (a common reduction of a schwa followed by an /l/ sound)
Word Form Variations
Noun: cissexual (singular), cissexuals (plural)
Adjective: cissexual
Adverb: cissexually
Related Noun: cissexuality
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Synonyms: cisgender person (often used more broadly), non-transgender person
Antonyms: transgender person, transsexual person (less common and sometimes considered outdated)
Adjective
Definition: Relating to or denoting a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth. This adjective can be used to describe an individual, a group, or an identity.
Synonyms: cisgender (more common), non-transgender
Antonyms: transgender, transsexual (less common and sometimes considered outdated)
Definition: Pertaining to the state of having a gender identity that aligns with one's assigned sex at birth.
Synonyms: cisgendered
Antonyms: transgendered
Adverb
Definition: In a manner that is consistent with the state of being cissexual. This term is rarely used in common language.
Synonyms: cisgenderly
Antonyms: transgenderly
Examples of Use
Noun Examples
"The study found that cissexuals and transgender individuals have differing experiences with healthcare access." (Pew Research Center, June 2024)
"As a cissexual man, he acknowledged the privilege he held in conversations about gender identity."
"In the online forum, the moderator asked cissexuals to be mindful of the space being created for trans people."
Adjective Examples
"The article explored the challenges faced by trans athletes and contrasted them with the experiences of their cissexual peers." (ESPN, May 2024)
"The film featured a diverse cast, including several cissexual and transgender actors, to tell a more inclusive story."
"She was a strong advocate for transgender rights, often using her platform as a cissexual ally to amplify marginalized voices."
"The research focused on how cissexual norms in society often shape our understanding of gender."
10 Famous Quotes Using Cissexual
"If cissexual academics truly believe that transsexual and intersex people can add new perspectives to existing dialogues about gender, then they should stop reinterpreting our experiences and instead support transsexual and intersex intellectual endeavors and works of art." (Janice G., Goodreads, from a quote in a book)
"Once I accepted my own transexuality, then it became obvious to me that the question 'Why do transsexuals exist?' is not a matter of pure curiosity, but rather an act of nonacceptance, as it invariably occurs in the absence of asking the reciprocal question: 'Why do cissexuals exist?'" (Julia Serano, from Whipping Girl)
"There are relatively few cissexuals who have addressed cissexual privilege and the work cissexuals need to do both individually and collectively." (UVM ScholarWorks, from "On Creating and Framing Cissexual Advocacy with Trans* Community in Higher Education")
"Julia Serano has defined cissexual as 'people who are not transsexual and who have only ever experienced their mental and physical sexes as being aligned.'" (Wikipedia, citing Julia Serano)
"For Jessica Cadwallader, cissexual is 'a way of drawing attention to the unmarked norm, against which trans is identified, in which a person feels that their gender identity matches their body/sex.'" (Wikipedia, citing Jessica Cadwallader)
"I have also been gendered by others each day of my life in ways that had aligned with my identity, and because of the congruency I experienced, I was and still am accorded significant privilege as a cissexual man." (UVM ScholarWorks, from "On Creating and Framing Cissexual Advocacy with Trans* Community in Higher Education")
"The stress that cisgender persons feel, and the defensive actions that they take upon encountering such gender-identity-based discomfort is what I refer to herein as Cisgender Fragility." (ScholarWorks at WMU)
"This dissonance was important because it was the first challenge I experienced to what Serano called the 'cissexual assumption' or the 'common, albeit mistaken, assumption that the way they experience their physical and subconscious sexes applies to everyone else in the world.'" (UVM ScholarWorks, citing Julia Serano)
"A cissexual person is someone who has a gender identity that matches the sex they were assigned at birth." (Original Quote)
"The term cissexual is a powerful tool for understanding and discussing gender identity, as it highlights the privileges often unseen by the non-transgender majority." (Original Quote)
Etymology
The word "cissexual" is a modern term created by combining two parts: "cis-" and "sexual."
The prefix "cis-" comes from Latin, where it means "on the same side as" or "on this side of." This is the opposite of the prefix "trans-," which means "across from" or "on the other side of." In this context, "cis-" is used to describe a person whose gender identity is "on the same side as" their assigned sex at birth.
The second part of the word, "-sexual," comes from the word "sex," referring to the biological characteristics (like chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy) a person is born with or is assigned at birth.
So, when you put them together, "cissexual" literally means "on the same side of sex" or someone whose gender identity aligns with their assigned sex.
The term was first known to be used in the mid-1990s, particularly within academic and activist circles. Its creation was a deliberate effort to have a neutral, non-judgmental term to describe people who are not transgender. Before this, the dominant idea was that being cisgender was the default or "normal" state, without a specific word for it. By creating "cissexual" (and later "cisgender"), activists and scholars could talk about gender identity more accurately and acknowledge that having a gender identity that matches your assigned sex is just one of many ways of being, rather than the only way.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cissexual
The term "cissexual" is primarily an academic and theoretical term, and as such, it does not have a set of commonly used phrases or idioms in the same way as words like "kick the bucket" or "break a leg." It is generally used as a straightforward descriptor. However, the concept is sometimes used in specific phrases to articulate a point. Here are some examples:
"The cissexual assumption." (This phrase, notably used by author Julia Serano, refers to the common but mistaken belief that everyone experiences a mental and physical sex that are aligned.)
"Cissexual normativity." (This phrase refers to the societal expectation that everyone's gender identity will align with their assigned sex at birth.)
"Cissexual privilege." (This refers to the unearned advantages and societal ease that people who are cissexual experience, simply because their gender identity is seen as the default.)
"To walk in cissexual shoes." (An original idiom, adapting the common phrase "to walk in someone's shoes" to emphasize the perspective and experience of a person who is cissexual.)
"A cissexual lens." (A phrase used to describe viewing the world and gender identity from a perspective where being cissexual is the assumed or central experience.)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cissexual from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
