sian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge Username: (create an Account Password: (Gagim) femst our ain or passuar? Tirememberme Ei» juliaserano (9 uliaserano) wrote 2009-05-14 0846.00 Location: Oakland, with four birdies on me Mood: % can Music: KCSM pledging once again Whipping Girl FAQ on cissexual, cisgender, and cis privilege (Ok, so this is the fourth installment of my Whipping Girl FAQ, where | answer common questions and/or clear up confusion ‘about what | said (or was trying to say) in WG. This FAG discusses the “cisitrans" distinction and “cis” privilege. The origin of “cis” Ihave come across people who have assumed that | invented the terms cissemual and cisgender, but this is not the case. | reference “cissexual” this way in my book: | was inspired to begin using the term “cissexval" after reading one of Emi Koyama's Interchange entries (usm eminigm ore/interchange/2002/20020607-wmsil him). Apparently, the related term “cisgender” was first coined in 1995 by a transsoaual man named Carl Bujs. | don't know much about Carl Bul or why he coined the term “cisgender.” But as a scientist (where the prefixes “trans” and ‘is" are routinely used), this terminology seams fairly obvious in retrospect. “Trans” means “across” or “on the opposite side of,” whereas “cis’ means “on the same side of. So if someone who was assigned one sexat birth, but comes to identify and lve as a member of the other sex, is called a “transsemual” (because they have crossed from one sexto the other), then the ‘someone who lives and identifies as the sex they were assigned at birt is called a “cissexal ‘As someone who was assigned a male sex at birth, but who lives and identiies as female, I may be described as a transsemual wornan, a transgender woman, or a trans woman. Those women who (unlike me) were assigned a female sex at birth may be similarly described as cissexval women, cisgender women, or cis women, (note: Ldiscuss the terms “transsewa"” and “transgender” more extensively in a previous WG FAQ) Why use the term “cis”? | suppose different people might give different answers to this question, so itis probably best for me to explain why *T started using this terminology, and why I chose to include itin the book, | began writing Whipping Girl in 2005, bofore Ihad heard of the “cis” terminology. A major focus of the book was to debunk many of the myths and misconceptions people have about transsexuals. Initialy, I was kind of scattershot in my approach: In ‘one chapter, I would critique the way the term ‘passing’ is used in reference to transsemuals. In another chapter | would critique the use of the terms "bio boy" and “genetic girl” to describe non-trans men and women. In yet another chapter, | Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi wesian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge would critique the way that transsexuals are always depicted as imitating or impersonating “real” (read: non-trans) women and men, And so on, After a while, it became obvious to me that all of these phenomena were stemming from the same presumption: that transsexual gender identities and sex embodiments are inherently less natural and less legitimate than those of nontranssexual people. I realized that it would make a lot more sense to write a chapter for the book that thoroughly exposes this double standard land describes the many ways its employed in order to marginalize transsewuals. As | was contemplating this, | stumbled onto the aforementioned Emi Koyama post, where she discusses the usefulness of the terms cissexual, cisgender and cissexism. She said: “they de-centralize the dominant group, exposing it as merely one possible alternative rather than the “norm” against which trans people are defined, | don’t expect the word to come info common usage anytime soon, but | felt it was an interesting concept - a feminist one, in fact - which is why I am using i.” Itwas then that I realized that the double standard that | was writing about already had a name: cissexism. And the chapter of WG dedicated to debunking cissexism eventually took on the ttle: “Dismantling Cissexual Privilege. People sometimes freak out a bit when confronted with new termsilanguage. So when doing presentations, | often offer the following analogy to help people understand the usefulness of this terminology: Fifty years ago, homosexuality was almost universally seen as unnatural, immoral, legitimate, etc. Back then, people regularly talked about "homosexuals," but nobody ever talked about *heterosexuals.”In a sense, there were no “heterosexuals"—everyone who wasnt engaged in same-sex behavior was simply considered “normal.” Their sowualities were unmarked and taken for granted. If you were lesbian, gay or bisexval (LGB) during this time period, there was almost no way for you fo convince the rest of society that you were unfairly marginalized. In society's eyes, nobody was oppressing you, it was simply your fault or problem that you were “abnormal"In fact, it was quite common for LGB people to buy into this presumption of abnormality themselves, as there was simply no other obvious way to view their predicament. But then gay rights activists began challenging this notion. They pointed out that all people have semuaities (not just homosexuals). The so-called "normal" people werent really “normal” per se, but rather they were “heterosexual.” And the activists pointed out that heterosexvals werent necessarily any better or more righteous than homosexuals. it was just that heterosexism—the belief that same-sex attraction and relationships are less natural and legitimate than heterosexial ones— is institutionalized within society and functions to unfairly marginalize those vho engage in same-sex relationships. (Once one recognizes that heterosexism is a double standard, then it becomes clear that (whether they realize it or not) heterosemals are privileged in our society. They can legally marry, engage in public displays of affection with their significant ‘other without fear of being assaulted, their relationships are typically approved of, and even celebrated, by others, and so on. Like all forms of privilege, heterosexval privilege is invisible to those who experience it—they simply take it for granted. By describing and discussing heterosexism and heterosewual priilege, LGB actiists have made great gains over time toward leveling the playing fold with regards to sexual orientation in our culture. ‘One can easily understand the potential power of cis/trans terminology by simply replacing "heterosexual" with “cissexual,” “heterosexism” with “cissexism,” and "heterosexual privilege” with “cissexual privilege” in the above analogy. cr ues of the “cis/trans” terminology While cissexism and cissexual privilege are useful concepts, Ihave met many people (both cis and trans) who don't lke the cisitrans distinction. Here are my thoughts on some of the more common criticisms: 41) It sounds too academicijargony; why can't we speak in plain, simple English? First, “cis” is not an academic term, itis an activist one. And it sounds like jargon simply because most people are unfamiliar with it. On a recent Feministing post on this very topic, cannonball put it this way: “words that start with cis may seem esoteric, but how many times are words like “sexism” and *heterosexism” thrown back at {groups who work to end oppression as too academic?” Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi anasian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge (note: cannonballs post was a response to two earlier excellent posts by Queon Emily at Questioning Transphobia’ Cis Is not ‘an “academic” term and Cis (2). I those posts, she goes more in depth into the cis-as-academic trope than Ido here.) To be honest, when people make the can't-we-speak-in-plain-simple-English complain, | just want to bonk them over the head with a stack of George Orwell books. Our ideasithoughts/concepisibeliets are very much constrained by the words available to us. If we didn’t have the terms heterosemsal, heterosexism and heterosexual privilege, those of us who are LGB. ‘wouldn't have the language to describe (and thus challenge) the marginalization we face because of who we sleep with, If we all ust spoke “plain English” circa the 1950's, where do you think we'd be these days with regards to sexual orientation-based discrimination? 2) comment often made by cis people: “but I don't identify with the term cis.” Gis is not meant to be an identity. Rather, it simply describes the way that one is perceived by others. ‘An analogy: | don't strongly “identify* with the terms “white” and “able-bodied,” even though lam both of those things. Afterall, Ihave been able to navigate my way through the world without ever having to give much thought to those aspects of my person, And that's the point: Itis my white privilege and able-bodied privilege that enables me “not” to have to deal with racism and ableism on a dally basis! In general, we only identify with those aspects of ourselves that are marked. For example, | identify as bisexual, and as a trans woman, because those are issues that | have to deal wih all of the time (because of other people's prejudices). While | may not strongly identify as white or able-bodied, it would be entitled for me to completely disavow myself from those labels, 4a it would deny the white privilege and able-bodied privilege | regularly experience. 3) comment often made by trans people: "I don't like the distinction between cis/trans because | don't think that I ‘am any different from a cis woman (or man). | can relate to this sentiment. Afterall, don't believe that | (as a trans woman) am inherently different from cis women. Such a view point would be essentialistuniversalist, as it would assume that all c's women are the "same" as each other and entirely distinct from trans women. This ignores the large amount of variation amongst, and overlap between, cis and trans women. When luse the terms cisitrans, itis nat to talk about “actual* differences between cis and trans bodies/identities/gendersipeople, but rather ‘perceived™ differences. In other words, while I don't think that my gender is inherently different from that of a cis woman, lam aware that most people tend to “View" my gender differently (.., as less naturaUvalid/authentic) than cis women’s genders. Here’s how | put it in WG: [Some people] might dismiss much of this language as contributing to a “reverse discourse—that is, by describing myself as ‘a transsexval and creating trans-specific terms to describe my experiences, | am simply reinforcing the same distinction between transsemials and cissemals that has marginalized me in the first place. My response to both of these arguments is the same: I do not believe that transsexuals and cissewals are inherently different from one another. Bul, the vastly different ways in which we are perceived and treated by others (based on whether or not we are trans) and the way those differences jimpact our unique physical and social experiences with both femaleness and maleness, load many transsexuals to see and understand gender very diferently than our cissexual counterparts. And while transsexuals are extremely familar with cissexval perspectives of gender (as they dominate in our culture), most cissexvals remain largely unfamiliar with trans perspectives, Thus, fo ask me to only use words that cissexvals are familar wth in order to describe my gendered ‘xperionces is similar to asking a musician to only use words that non-musicians understand when describing music. It can >be done, but something crucial would surely be lost in the translation. Just as a musician cannot fully explain their reaction to ‘@ particular song without bringing up concepts such as “minor key" or “time signature,” there are certain trans-specific words and ideas that will appear throughout this book that are crucial for me to precisely convey my thoughts and experioncos regarding gender. In order to have an illuminating and nuanced discussion about my experiences and perspectives as a trans woman, we must begin to think in terms of words and ideas that accurately describe that experience The limi ions of cis privilege: A friend recently told me of a trans woman she knew who complained that other women were exercising cis privilege over her Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi anesian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge whenever they complained about their periods. This is what | told my friend: understand where the person is coming from, but | would be hesitant to call that cissexval privilege. | try to only use the term with regards to social and legal legitimacy (o.9., that cis people's legal sex & gender identities are taken for granted and considered valid in a way that trans people's are nol). In those cases, there is a blatant societal double-standard at work, and cis folks should be made aware that they are taking something for granted that others cannot. But once we get into issues of biology or bodies (rather than the rights and enlitlements associated with them), things become ‘more fraught. For example, | have white privilege, not because my skin has less pigment than people of color, but because ‘my whiteness enables me to not have to face racism on a day-to-day basis. | have able-bodied privilege, not because I can see or walk ‘just fine", but because (in a society that presumes that everyone can see signs or walk up a flight of stairs if necessary) | don't face the same obstacles or barriers in my day-to-day ife that differently-abled people do. Sometimes, when other women | know are bitching about their periods or pregnancies, | get really sad. While | certainly dont doubt that those experiences are painful and difficult, I feel a sense of loss about not having the opportunity to choose to aro a child if | wished. (Lim not sure that | would want to do that i wore able, but it would be nice to have that option available to me). | have a cis female cousin who had very irregular periods her whole life and who was distraught to find out as ‘a young adult that she couldn’ bare children (she & her husband eventualy adopted after years of infertilty treatment aitompts). While wee never talked about i, Im sure we both relate to our similar situations in very different ways. For me, it wrapped up in my sadness about not having been born female. For her (being socialized female), it's more likely tied to her having imagined since she was a child that someday she'd become pregnant and have her own children. Both of us are biologically unable to have regular periods or got pregnant. Both of us experience sadness and loss at the fact that we have been denied something that other women take for granted. But fo say that people who properly menstruate have cis privlege, or menstruation privilege, plays info a kind of pathologizing mentally. It plays into the idea that my (and her) ‘body is intrinsically “wrong” wile other bodies are “right."! know some trans people see things that way, but I find that disempowering. | wish I had been born female and that | could menstruate, just like I wish that | didnt have skin cancer two ‘years ago, or that | wasnt hypothyroid, or that I wasnt on the verge of needing bifocals (and Im only 41 for Christsakes!), ete, ‘But I dont fee! like | was denied any privileges because my body isnt the way that I wish it was. It only becomes about privilege when | am deemed inferior or less legitimate than other people because of my body and situation. My cousin and | share some similarities, but also some differences. She was able fo qualify for adoption despite being infertile. Its very likely that i | applied for adoption (on the grounds that | am infertile because J am transsexual) that | would be denied because of my trans status. If | were denied for that reason, thal would be @ clear case of cis privilege. And while | ‘dont consider it cis privilege when other women are bitching about their periods, | have had cis women tell me that | am “lucky” that | dont have periods. | know for a fact that they would “never" tell someone like my cousin (an infertie cis woman) that she is lucky for the same reason. In that case, | would definitely say cis privilege is at work (because of the double standard) |lam glad that WG helped to popularize the usage of cissexism and cis privilege. But itis important to keep in mind that all of Us are privileged in some ways and marginalized in others. As a trans person, am very sensitive to cis privilege, but not so attuned to my own white privilege or able-bodied privilege. in the past, |have presumed that someone was exercising cis privilege over me only to find out later that they didn't even know Iwas trans. And Ihave had people (rightly) call me out when have inadvertently said something that was steeped in my own white privilege or able-bodied privilege without being ‘conscious of it ‘This is especially important to keep in mind in feminist settings, where both cis and trans women are marginalized in largely ‘overlapping, albeit sometimes different ways. Being forced against my will into boyhood overall really sucked for me, but ‘would be lying if | said that Ididn't experience “some* advantages as a result. For instance, | was given more freedom in many ways than my sisters growing up. And | honestly can't say whether or not | would have become a scientist if | was raised female. Similarly, Ihave no doubt that there are a lot of aspects about being raised as a cis gil that really suck. But there are also advantages (e.9., having people take your gender identity seriously, not being forced against your wil into boyhood, ote.) | want to be a part of a feminist community where we can talk about cis woman-specifc issues ‘and* trans woman-specific issues without the former group being automatically called out for exercising cis privilege and the latter group automatically being called out for supposed male privilege, To achieve this, itis important for us to challenge oppressioniprivlege when it ‘occurs. But its also important for us to listen to what others have to say, to give people the benefit of doubt whenever Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi anasian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge possible. Some people are stubbornly prejudiced and repeat offenders, and they of course should be taken to task for it But most of us (I hope) genuinely want to both understand “and” to be understood, Discussions of “privilege” should be about teaching (and learning) how we each see and experience the world differently; how we each have blind-spots; how we each make incorrect and undermining assumptions about other people. Discussions of “privilege” should serve as a teaching tool, not a weapon to wield Tags: cis privilege, cissexual, whipping air! fag 35 comments Qsnakey May 14 2009, 17:06:17 UTC ‘Thank you for this, Julia, :) A couple of points ‘The firsts a query: when you talk about “people raised as cis girls” ("Similary, ! have no doubt that there are a lot of aspects about being raised as a cis gir that really suck. But there are also advantages (o.g., having people take your gender identity seriously, not being forced against your will into boyhood, etc.)"), are you talking about people who actually “were* cis girs, or do you mean people who were raised “as i” they were cis girls? Because the first of those ‘advantages’, at least, doesn't, apply to trans men and FAB genderqueer people. ‘Secondly, Lagree that i's important to have a dialogue (hopefully an educational one for everyone) with cis people. But in your last paragraph - and particularly in your phrase, "Discussions of “privilege” should serve as a teaching too!" - you see to be saying that there's an automatic onus on us to educate cis people. This concerns me | think that the work of unpacking cis privilege is something that cis people need to do themselves, rather than expecting us to spoonfeed them, The demand that people from oppressed groups “educate” people from privileged groups is another of the ways that the latter feel they have a right to the time and energy of the former! ‘Qiuliaserano, May 14 2009, 17:54:59 UTC thanks for the questions, as Imight not have been as clear as I could've. 1) When | said “raised as a cis gir” | meant cis girls. t was not my intention to suggest that folks on the trans masculine privilege experience cis privilege, Obviously, many folks on the trans masculine spectrum feel forced into girhood and do not have the privilege of having their masculine/male identities taken seriously. 2) Iwas definitely “not” trying to suggest that itis the minority/marginalized group’ responsibilty to educate the majority. think that itis the responsibilty of those with privilege (e.9., cis allies, in this case) to do much of that education. Cis. people need to educate themselves about, and speak out againt,cissexism, just as white people need to educate ourselves about, and speak out against, racism, In that last paragraph, | tried to argue that "privilege" is a twosway street that requires us to both teach and learn. | want the right to call out someone on their cis privilege, then it is my responsibilty to also call people out on thelr white privilege, able-bodied privilege, and so on. That sentiment was directed at some people who I've met who only want to fight against cissexisrvtransphobia while simultaneouly ignoring racism, ableism, ete., because the latter do not affect them personally Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi siasian Jullaserano: Whipping Gi FAQ on cissexual, cisgender, and ais privoge ‘giu! May 14 2008, 18:34:40 UTC and of course, it also applies to the white, middle-class, cis feminists who “only want to talk about traditional sexismmisogyny while ignoring racism, classism, cissexism, etc. Qiulias May 14 2008, 18:40:13 UTC also, in my first comment, their was a typo'd sentence: “It was not my intention to suggest that folks on the trans masculine privilege experience cis privilege.” It should read: “It was not my intention to suggest that folks on the trans masculine “spectrum” experience cis privilege." that's what | get for being hasty. Qauntysarah May 14 2009, 20:24:35 UTC “Cis is not meant to be an identity. Rather, if simply describes the way that one is perceived by others. ‘Thank you for this - that's an explanation which would have been so useful on so many occasions! Expand Qlisaquestions May 15 2009, 01:03:21 UTC INe said as much to people in the past - it generally doesn't help. Especial when, for example, you're trying to talk to someone who insists that ‘cis" means you're saying she's not a \woman...bu then again, that kind of extreme transphobia is going to be hard to deel wth no matter what. Spend Qiiuliaserano 2 years ago :eend Qilisaquestions 2 years ago Enand Qiuliaserano 2 years ago Expand Qsteepholm 2 years ago sand | somenctesonlivingwordpress.com May 14 2009, 22:03:13 UTC Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi ezsian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge thank you! ‘At 52 when i first heard the term, iwas clueless, but as a ife long Igbtq activist and educator , upon reading Whipping Girl~ Julia the term from my point of view is the gateway to expanding both queer justice and certainly helpful in sorting through the morass of information assembled to discredit our realities and hold us back. ts a great term and hopefully wil become a household term , much like homophobia Is - Your book , and thinking - your generation are taking us into the future , again thank you for expounding on the word and concept. - gotta laugh at myself , my first reaction when upon hearing the term was defensive having spent a lifetime recognizing how wilfully ignorant people are - i feared challenging them with this new concept. But, it must be done after al those who judge are steeped in wel.a cisgendered perspective. Suddenly ight bulbs {go on your work has shed so much light. And given Igbta advocates, academics and everyday people just the concept to help those who would hate realize their own bias, much like the beginnings of gay lib - getting people to understand , that they did not choose to be heterosexual. Excercises in consciousness raising, again , thanks for taking the time to write i wil be book marking this page for further study. very important work ! all blessings right back at cha - proudprogressiveTG. ‘giuli May 15 2003, 04:05:22 UTC = Re: thank you ! thanks you for all the kind words! -) Qlisaquestions May 15 2009, 01:03:59 UTC Julia, do you mind if ink this in my trans 104 links? ‘Qiullaserano May 15 2008, 04:04:31 UTC = hi Lisa, feel free to do so! - Deleted comment ‘giuli May 16 2009, 16:29: 52 UTC = here here! Qtekalynn Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi m2sian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge Ey May 16 2009, 09:10:46 UTC ss Thank you for writing ths. I's vital for those of us who are cisgendered to recognize and acknowledge our privilege, and having a specific name to refer to ourselves is an important frst step. Ive linked on my I ‘Qiuliaserano May 16 2008, 16:36:23 UTC S Hi tekalynn, Im glad you liked the piece and thanks for linking to it! julia c Eiited: May 16 was linked here by Q tekalynn and is a really exceptional explanation not just ofthe cisitrans terminology but of privilege ‘and how people experience it (and the lack of it) that really would be useful to so many disagreements Ive run across on the Internet lately. Just as my heritage includes PoC, my existence because of the shade of my skin means | have white privilage and Itry to be mindful of the differences between my genetic and family identity and the realty of the social treatment | receive that rarely takes that background into account. ‘Similarly, while Ido not feel that it is accurate or appropriate to claim trans labels on myself, !also do not feel completely cis- ‘gendered and often present as male. However, that Ihave mostly comfortable identity choice in this matter means that | often have cis-gender privilege, and lke the racial issue, is something | try to keep in mind while trying to be supportive of my trans friends as possible, having experienced people at their inappropriate worst when choosing to exist other than cis-gendered in non-safe spaces (which leads me to note that Iwish there were a term for genderqueer, which Ido happily use, that was less ‘confrontationalimore scientific). ‘Anyway, ths is lovely. Ilearned stuff. Thanks! ‘Qiuliaserano May 18 2009, 17:14:56 UTC ~ hii rm, thanks for the kind words! and i really appreciate the fact that you are both gender-noncanforming in certain ways, but nevertheless acknowledge that you also experience cis privilege at times. | think that because the term transgender is very broad, and includes feminine/femme men and masculine/butch women \who are not crossgender identified, there is a tendency for some members of those groups to suggest that they can’t possibly have cis privilege, | think femme men and butch women face real discriminiation/marginalization for their atypical “gender expression‘, but they are stil typically perceived as being legitimately male and female, respectively. Their gender expression may be viewed as questionable, but their “gender identities" and “sex embodiments" are not viewed as "fake" "unnatural" and “illegitimate.” In my experience (as someone who was viewed as a very androgynousifeminine man before Itransitioned to female), | ‘would say that our society tolerates atypical gender expression way more than it does crossgender identities and bodies that are deemed “incongruent” with regards to physicalianatomical sex. Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi an2sian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge I brought up this distinction in the Dismantling Cissexual Privilege of WG, but it often goes unnoticed and overlooked (as anything that can't be boiled down to a quick, witty sound-bite often is). One possibilty that might help clear this issue up is by using the word "transphobia" to refer to the way in which atypical gender expressions and presentations are viewed as less natural and legitimate than gender-conforming ones, and to use cissexism to refer to how crossgender identities ‘and sex embodiments are viewed as less natural and legitimate than cissexual ones. Just a thought. Admittedly it would take a while for this distinction to catch on. And perhaps there are caveats to this approach that | haven't thought of yet. ‘Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights about privilege! julie Q-hannetore May 16 2009, 15:02:22 UTC Here via { tekalynn;Discussions of privilege are important and this FAQ goes a long way to explain why. Thank you so much {or this, 've read “Whipping Girl" and felt it was such an important book not just on gender but on feminism that is rarely ‘spoken aloud, ‘Qiuliaserano May 18 2009, 18: 43. UTC deleted post For the record, | deleted a post because the person compared trans activism to a dictatorship, they made incorrect, presumptions about my views about identity and then proceeded to called me a hypocrite for having those supposed views. ‘This is my blog (not a community blog) so | reserve the right to delete comments that I find inflammatory. To the person whose post I deleted: Instead of presuming what I believe, | encourage you to read my book Whipping Girl, where | painstakingly debunk a lot of feminist myths about trans people, identities, issues and activism. After reading i, if you vwish to engage in a respectful conversation about these matters, Iwould be open to doing that with you. -julla ‘Qemmybunny May 19 2009, 09:03:24 UTC ‘You know, | tossed up whether to say anything about this, cos you're *such* a hero of mine and the work is what's important, but. | (Queen Emily @ Questioning Transphobia) did all the heavy liting on the whole “cis is not academic" thing. Indeed, that'd be the name of one my posts on the subject at QT. Various writers at Feministing have been referencing me a lot lately, but mostly explanations with links - none really added very much in the way of new content. Which is fine as far as it goes, but ‘occasionally it means that their voices (often cis and genderqueer) come to stand in for mine... and the openly trans woman gets erased from the picture I'm aware that blogging's different from academia, but cite the original where possible stil seems like @ good idea to me. | knowit's a small thing, but credit where credi’s due yeah? Epand Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi enasian Jullaserano: Whipping Gl FAQ on clscexual, clegender, and cs prvoge Qexvoreti E May 19 2009, 03:29:57 U' This I might add that | have witnessed your speaking out on this issue much earlier too. ‘Trust me, the right ppl kno who pounds ground, and who isin the rear with the gear :D ‘Qlullaserano May 19 2009, 15:25:53 UTC > Hi Queen Emily, First off, | should say that Ive read several of your posts at Questioning Transphobia in the past, and very much appreciate the writingfactivism that you do. From your message, itis clear that you feel that | have disrespected you for not citing you as the original source for the cis-as-an-academic-term discussion, To be honest, [hadn't read that specific post of yours untl this morning when read the comment you left me (and btw, itis an excellent post). | only occasionally blog or read blogs during normal times, and ‘when you posted that it was during a two-week period when | was out of town andior otherwise too ridiculously busy to surf the web. So | simply missed it the first time around. ‘My post was one that [had planned on writing for a Iong time (as Ihave received lots of feedback/criiques for using cisitrans and cissexual privilege in WG), but two things inspired me to write it when | did. The first was a conversation | hhad with a friend related to the is-menstration-a-cis-privlege? part of the post. The second was reading the comment section of the “cis as an academic term” Feministing post (that | did cite) which had just been posted. in that comment section, numerous clueless people made a lot of the same complaints about cis that we have all heard countless times in the past: that itis jargony/confusingltoo academiciwhy can't we speak plain English. etc. While I (Ike you) have dealt with those complaints many times before, they really stuck in my craw that night. So when I woke up at 2am that morning with insomnia, I decided to write the post. ‘The main reason why Icited that Feministing post was not because it inspired me to write what | wrote (as my WG FAQ. \was sketched out well before then), but because reading the comment section triggered me to write it when I did | did see that they cited your posts (and described them as “great’). Like you said, outside of the blogosphere, itis commonly accepted for people to reference artcles/books that are not the original source (but which cite the original source) and is considered OK. Admittedly, this is what | am used to, But | can understand why this wouldn't be considered OK with blogs, since many people who visit heavily-traficked cis-dominated blogs like Feministing might only rarely (or never) visita trans-focused biog like Questioning Transphobia, and thus their post in a sense invisibiizes or stands in for yours. While my post was not a response fo what you wrote, or even what they wrote, Ican understand why you might fee! that my citation choice contributed to your erasure. That was not my intention, and I sincerely apologize for that. Best wishes, -julia Expand Qemmybunny 2 years ago Sand Qiullaserano 2 years ago Expand Qdmis18 2 years ago Heand Qlullaserano 2 years ago Ewand Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi son2sane Julaserano: Whipping Gt FAG on essen clegender, ands prone Qamiste 2year ago Fang Qeevortett 2year ago Spand Qexveriel 2 year ago Egand Qusctheoundead May 19 2009, 22:17:38 UTC RE: the limitations of cis privilege: i would lke to address this specific part of the post. understand where the person is coming from, but | would be hesitant to call that cissexval privilege. I try to only use the term with regards to social and legal legitimacy no. you're missing something big here and i'm really kind of startled, given your previous writing. 1) please don't speak for me and tell me what is cis privilege or not. i'm a bit surprised i have to tell this to another trans person, but i don't lke having my experience and reactions overridden by a trans person any more than by a cis person. if this definition works for “you that's great, but don't universalize it to all trans fold, 2) in my book, this example is privilege. | have been in women's groups where I'm the only trans women, while the cis women talked about periods and tampons and babies and who's pregnant, etc. iam left out, othered, unwomaned. it doesn't matter to them if this is hurtful to me, its no skin off their back, they don't even have to think about this. howis this not privilege? and how is it not privilege that they don't even have to think that maybe they can stow this discussion for the TWO HOURS A MONTH that a trans women is in their presence? and if bring it up? i don't Bother, iknow the firestorm that wil follow. 3) quite frankly, this section reads as a tone argument. it reads as "be nice to the cis ladies and don't challenge them TOO mutch." it sets what is "reasonable" and "unreasonable" for trans folk to get angry about, and does so through a cis lens. julia, your book "whipping git” was a revelation to me. im sorry, but i have to say that between (a) failing to acknowledge the person who DID THE WORK regarding cis is not an academic term in favor of a cis blog's appropriative “reinterpretation” and (b) what i discussed above, this post is rather a fail Quenthe-undend B May 19 2009, 22:28:32 UTC Re: the limitations of cis privilege ‘oops...all trans “folk* ‘Qiullaserano June 9 2009, 20 S ‘Comment thread terminated ‘So | will no longer be taking any comments on this thread. Too much hateful speech, both from people on the “eft” (who have called me a “cis supremacist") and from the “right" (cis women who've called me stupid, etc). If you want to talk shit about me andlor the concept of cisgender, take it somewhere else.) Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi snsian Jullaserano: Whipping Gi FAQ on cissexual, cisgender, and ais privoge ‘Anonymous Cissexual vs Cis-gendored April 28 2011, 23:58:24 UTC ‘So lama trans-woman, Ihave over the past several days seen the term cissexual, which Ihave never been exposed to. I have known the term cisgendered for some time and lam curious as to what exactly cissemual means. ta transgendered person elects not to pursue surgery as a trans-woman, my understanding is that would make them cissexual, which makes 2 ‘great deal of sense on one hand, and seems remarkably dangerous wih regard to delegitimizing peoples gender on the ‘other. Especially once terms such as cissenual privilege start being used (as opposed to cisgendered privilege.) ‘About Help Contact Support / FAQS Aavertise Safety Tes soos. 205 ee Get Involved More Volunteer Developers: » View Full Sitemap 35 comments Legal Terms of Service Privacy Policy Copynant base Paley L Labs agua More: Store Upgrade Account virtual cits Merehanse More Copyright 1999 LiveJournal, Ine, All rights reserved. Jullaseranoivejoural.com’14700.ntmi Change language Eich Current version: v.91.6 sane