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Cisgender: Difference between revisions
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== Feminist criticism == | == Feminist criticism == | ||
While a simplistic definition of ''cisgender'' such as "everyone who isn't transgender" seems innocuous, the precise definition rests on the concept of [[gender identity]]. A "cis woman," for instance, is said to be a person who is both physically [[female]], and who possesses a "female gender identity." While proponents of transgender ideology tend to refuse explainig what a female gender identity comprises, it seems similar to the oppressive notion that women have a feminine psyche or an inherent identification with feminine stereotypes. | While a simplistic definition of ''cisgender'' such as "everyone who isn't transgender" seems innocuous, the precise definition rests on the concept of [[gender identity]]. A "cis woman," for instance, is said to be a person who is both physically [[female]], and who possesses a "female gender identity." While proponents of transgender ideology tend to refuse explainig what a female gender identity comprises, it seems similar to the oppressive notion that women have a feminine psyche or an inherent identification with feminine stereotypes. Although a person with female anatomy is allowed to identify out of the feminine gender under this world view, a false dichotomy is drawn between female people who belong naturally into the feminine gender vs. female people who belong naturally outside of it. | ||
The concept leaves little room for a woman who is comfortable with her female anatomy, sees herself as nothing other than a "woman" in accordance with a straightforward biological definition, and yet rejects [[sexism|sexist]] notions of an inherent feminine nature of her personality. She could be a strongly gender non-conforming radical feminist, and yet the mere act of calling herself a "woman" would mean that she has a female gender identity. As such, she would belong in the same category as a conservative woman who strictly adheres to traditional notions of femininity. Furthermore, even if we defined the former woman as "transgender" on the basis of her gender non-conformity, the femininity-conforming woman | <blockquote><em> | ||
Feminism does not believe that asking whether an individual identifies with the particular social characteristics and expectations assigned to them at birth is a politically useful way of analyzing or understanding gender. Eliminating gender assignments, by allowing individuals to choose one of two pre-existing gender molds, while continuing to celebrate the existence and naturalism of “gender” itself, is not a progressive social goal that will advance women’s liberation. Feminism claims that gender is a much more complicated (and sinister) social phenomenon than this popular cis/trans binary has any hope of capturing. -- Elizabeth Hungerford, A feminist critique of "cisgender" | |||
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The concept leaves little room for a woman who is comfortable with her female anatomy, sees herself as nothing other than a "woman" in accordance with a straightforward biological definition, and yet rejects [[sexism|sexist]] notions of an inherent feminine nature of her personality. She could be a strongly gender non-conforming radical feminist, and yet the mere act of calling herself a "woman" would mean that she has a female gender identity. As such, she would belong in the same category as a conservative woman who strictly adheres to traditional notions of femininity. Furthermore, even if we defined the former woman as "transgender" on the basis of her gender non-conformity, the femininity-conforming woman would have to be seen as being the way she is out of her inherent nature, since being transgender/cisgender is said not to be a choice. Opposite to that, the feminist perspective would posit that the woman who conforms to traditional femininity has internalized sexist oppression, is limiting her freedom, and could mentally break free and embrace gender non-conformity if she were to raise to a feminist political consciousness. | |||
Another problem with the concept of cisgender arises when considering lesbian women, especially butch lesbians, for whom gender non-conformity feels natural. While every woman can choose to disregard rules of femininity after coming to a political consciousness, some women, especially lesbians, might feel naturally repelled from feminine stereotypes, beginning in early childhood. The concept of gender identity would have it that they are possibly transgender and as such not women, even though they might feel perfectly content with the word "woman" when stripped off of feminine stereotypes and limited to a non-sexist, scientific definition. Yet the concept of "cisgender" groups them together with women who find it easier to perform femininity, effectively erasing their unique experiences with regard to gender. | Another problem with the concept of cisgender arises when considering lesbian women, especially butch lesbians, for whom gender non-conformity feels natural. While every woman can choose to disregard rules of femininity after coming to a political consciousness, some women, especially lesbians, might feel naturally repelled from feminine stereotypes, beginning in early childhood. The concept of gender identity would have it that they are possibly transgender and as such not women, even though they might feel perfectly content with the word "woman" when stripped off of feminine stereotypes and limited to a non-sexist, scientific definition. Yet the concept of "cisgender" groups them together with women who find it easier to perform femininity, effectively erasing their unique experiences with regard to gender. | ||