I tend to worry that people will assume I am using the term ‘cisgenderism’ as a synonym for cisphobia, or something (mostly because of the -ism). It is, in fact, something entirely different. The briefest definition is probably “the cis version of heteronormativity”, though seeing as cisnormativity is also used, I tend to avoid that – I find it encompasses more.
I use it in the way Natacha Kennedy does in this address on Cultural Cisgenderism – which is well worth reading, by the way. She references research done by Ansara and Hegarty, who characterise a specific type of cultural cisgenderism as:
‘…a prejudicial ideology, rather than an individual attitude, that is systemic, multilevel and reflected in authoritative cultural discourses. […] Cisgenderism problematises the categorical distinction itself between classes of people as either ‘trans-‐gender’ or ‘cisgender’ (or as ‘gender variant’ or unmarked) […] We consider cisgenderism to be a form of ‘othering’ that takes people categorised as ‘transgender’ as ‘the effect to be explained.’
Features included in this sort of cisgenderism:
- the systematic erasure and problematising of trans people
- the essentialising of gender
- the gender binary
- the immutability of gender
- the external imposition of gender
Kennedy makes a distinction between transphobia as a relatively individual attitude and cisgenderism as something that is strongly institutionalised.
I won’t go on to summarise the rest of the address, because i don’t think I have the ability.
In any case, this is what I mean when I tag things with cisgenderism. They are examples of cisgenderism, of cis as the default and the norm and everything else being “othered”. The institutionalised actions towards and against trans people.
Chromatic_Aberration_Repertory
"Memories Like These,"