Your Relationship to Gender

Mike Doughty, September ‘22 Newsletter

This month we’re going to turn the focus a little bit, with the goal of getting cisgender people to self-reflect on the way they interact with their gender. For anyone who does not know, cisgender is an adjective to describe someone who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth (and is often abbreviated to “cis”). Cisgender functions similarly to transgender, which is an adjective to describe someone who identifies differently than the gender they were assigned at birth (and is often abbreviated to “trans”).

In our society, cis people may not often reflect on their gender, and they may have an easier time following gender norms. This can look like wearing makeup for women, or growing facial hair for men. Gender can also place expectations on how people are expected to act, called gender roles. For example, up until the past century or so, women were expected to be housewives while men worked and were the “breadwinners.” Of course, these norms and roles change over time; even associating certain colors with gender – like “pink for girls and blue for boys” – didn’t begin until the 1940s.

When trans people want to express their gender it can look like a lot of different things – jewelry, makeup, facial hair, different clothes, a chosen name, or new pronouns. Some trans people choose to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) or get gender-affirming surgeries. These procedures can include –

• HRT (Estrogen or Testosterone)

• Breast implants

• Facial surgery

• Laser hair removal

• Hair transplants

Note that both cisgender and transgender folks get these procedures. However, cis people may have an easier time getting these services than trans people. Whereas cis people maybe have a wait time of several weeks, trans people often have to wait months -- if not years -- before they can start medically transitioning. Just as with cisgender people, these medical procedures help transgender individuals feel better about themselves and their relationship to their bodies. Sometimes these procedures can even be life-saving for trans people experiencing gender dysphoria, which can have severe negative impacts on mental health. However, trans people often face much more scrutiny for wanting these procedures than cis people do.

So the next time you see a headline about transgender healthcare, just remember that many cis people also use the same or very similar procedures. Take time to reflect on your own relationship with your gender, and if you’re cisgender, use that to become a better ally. Together, we can work on change within the law, health insurance, and medical policies to allow easier access to care for trans folks. Remember that being an ally is something you do!