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Unpacking cisgender privilege
This document provides information on becoming a trans ally by understanding cisgender privilege. It defines key terms like cisgender, transgender, gender identity, and transphobia. It explains that society privileges cisgender identities and marginalizes trans people through social institutions. Cisgender people benefit from unearned advantages in areas like language, gender authenticity, access to institutions, healthcare and finances. The document encourages allies to recognize their cisgender privilege, educate themselves, and support trans communities without feeling guilty.
Unpacking cisgender privilege
- 1. Unpacking Cisgender Privilege— BecomingAn Ally to Trans Communities Workshop: Derek Siegel Special Thanks to: Ryan Durgin, Ali Martin, and Seonmin Han
- 2. Contact Information Derek Siegel AmericanUniversity (Class of 2015) B.A. Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ds4176a@student.american.edu
- 3. Roadmap Intro. Trans Identities Howto be a Trans Ally Defining Privilege Cisgender Privilege
- 4. So what’s transgender? What’scisgender? Basic Vocabulary!
- 5. “Sex” vs. “Gender” •Sex is biological Based off of genitalia, hormones, chromosomes, etc. • Sex is assigned We are given a sex at birth • Sex is a spectrum, not a binary: -Male, Female, and Intersex • Sex can also be social Categories between male and female are subjective
- 6. “Sex” vs. “Gender” •Gender is social. Roles and expectations associated with masculinity and femininity differ across cultures. • Gender is internal. We are the only people who can understand our gender. • Gender is a spectrum: – Man, Woman, Genderqueer, Trans, Fluid
- 7. Gender Expression • Genderexpression is external. -How external characteristic and behaviors are perceived by other people. • External gender expression doesn’t determine internal gender identity. -We shouldn’t make assumptions • Gender expression is a spectrum: – Masculine, Feminine, Androgynous
- 8. “Transgender” • Trans ortransgender identities broadly include people whose gender identity and expression don’t match up with the expectations associated with their assigned sex.
- 9. “Cisgender” • “Cisgender” refersto people whose gender identity and expression matches with expectations associated with assigned sex
- 10. Why is “cisgender”important? • Having a specific word shows that cisgender isn’t normal or better. It’s just cisgender. • Cisgender = “cis”
- 11. A (Brief!) Introductionto Trans Identities
- 12. Trans Identities • Transis a diverse range of identities • Use of “trans” vs. “transgender” – Transsexual – Transgendered – Trans* • Trans is not a sexual orientation Trans people can be straight, gay, bisexual, etc.
- 13. Trans Identities • Transdoes not always mean somebody is physically changing their body Because gender is internal, identifying as a certain gender doesn’t tell us anything about anatomy. You don’t have to transition in order to be trans. For some trans people, being a woman with a penis makes perfect sense
- 14. Trans Identities • Whymight somebody “transition” their body? -May be an important step in feeling comfortable with their body -Passing Being read as the “correct” gender -May be a matter of physical safety
- 15. Trans Identities • Sometrans people may want to transition to another gender category. – May use the words “transman”(FtM) or “transwoman” (MtF) – May transition completely and use the words “man” or “woman” – May refer to themselves simply as “trans”
- 16. Trans Identities • Genderqueer May describe someone whose gender doesn’t fit into the box of “man” or “woman” • Genderfluid May include moving between genders. Gender isn’t fixed. • Some people may even identify as having multiple genders or no gender at all • Some people just don’t like labels!
- 17. Trans Ally Tip •Self-Authorship Each individual is the only person able to articulate their own gender. – When somebody discloses their gender identity to you, there’s no need to question them.
- 18. PRONOUNS! (Say my name,say my name)
- 19. Pronouns Source: web.mit.edu Gender NeutralThey Their Their Theirs Themself Pronunciation:
- 20. Pronouns Use that ina sentence? She forgot her lunch money. He forgot his lunch money. Ze forgot hir lunch money. They forgot their lunch money.
- 21. Pronouns • Pronouns arepart of our identities We wouldn’t want somebody calling us the wrong name • When somebody “comes out” as trans, they might go by a new name or set of pronouns to better reflect their identity -Somebody may go through several sets of pronouns (or names) before they settle on ones that fit -Pronouns/names may be different than what we assume about someone based on their gender expression
- 22. Pronouns • May be“out” to different people, so could use different labels depending on location • If you don’t know somebody’s gender pronouns, using their name or “they” is always a good choice • SELF-AUTHORIZATION! Nobody has to justify their gender pronouns
- 23. Trans Ally Tip •Call people by the name and pronouns that they want to be called -Sometimes we’ll slip up -Mis-labeling somebody sends the message that you don’t think their identity is “real”
- 24. Roadmap Intro. Trans Identities Howto be a Trans Ally Defining Privilege Cisgender Privilege
- 25. Cisgender Privilege – Whatis “privilege” and how does it work?
- 26. Understanding Cisgender Privilege 1.Our society puts a higher value on cisgender people than trans folks (hierarchy) 2. Cisgender people are systematically privileged by social institutions 3. Transphobia maintains this hierarchy and allows cisgender people to continue benefitting from their privilege
- 27. Hierarchy Cisgender (Dominant/Privileged/Normative) --------------------- Transgender (Marginalized/Oppressed/Non-normative) 1.Separates “cis” and “trans” into two categories (when they are not really even neat categories) 2. Place a higher social value on “cisgender” Man White Able-bodied U.S. Citizen ----------- ---------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------- Woman Person of Color Person w/ Disability Undocumented
- 28. Privilege • Privilege isa sociological term that refers to unearned systematic advantages that benefit one group of people over another Systematic Ways we are treated (structurally and culturally) not for our merits or actions as individuals but for how others perceive our social identification -Privilege is received by the “dominant” group in each hierarchy
- 29. Privilege • Refers tohow we are treated by social institutions (media; educational, religious, and political systems) – Ex 1 : White Standards of Beauty – Ex 2 : Gendered Access to Characteristics • Privilege is invisible • Privilege doesn’t automatically make you happy or successful
- 30. Privilege • Intersectionality We all have many identities (race, gender, class, etc). These identities can only be understood in relation to one another – For black women and white women, gender is experienced differently • People can be both privileged and marginalized
- 31. Transphobia? What’s That? •Transphobia Intolerance and discrimination against people who are gender variant (fit outside binary or transgress our expectations) -Individual Bullying in school -Institutional Not having trans-specific protections in school anti-bullying policies
- 32. According to theNational Center for Transgender Equality’s 2011 Survey “Injustice At Every Turn” : • 41% of respondents reported attempting suicide at least once in their lives • In K-12, there were alarming rates of harassment (78%), physical assault (35%), and sexual violence (12%) – Almost 15% of respondents dropped out • Respondents experienced double the rate of unemployment • 26% reported that they had lost a job due to being trans. 50% reported harassment at work
- 33. According to theNational Center for Transgender Equality’s 2011 Survey “Injustice At Every Turn” : • 19% reported having been refused a home or apartment • 52% of respondents reported being verbally harassed or disrespected in public (retail, restaurants, transportation) • 22% have been harassed by police • 19% have reported being refused medical care
- 34. Transphobia • When transpeople are institutionally and systematically marginalized, this intolerance and hatred becomes “normalized.” – Maintains the hierarchy there’s so much intolerance and hatred that we start to think that maybe trans people are less valuable
- 35. Understanding Cisgender Privilege 1.Our society puts a higher value on cisgender people than trans folks (hierarchy) 2. Cisgender people are systematically privileged by social institutions 3. Transphobia maintains this hierarchy and allows cisgender people to continue benefitting from their privilege
- 36. What Would YouDo? You’re excited about this whole “cisgender privilege” thing. When you explain it to your sister, however, she says: “I don’t have privilege. I’m a lesbian/Latina/girl”
- 37. Roadmap Intro. Trans Identities Howto be a Trans Ally Defining Privilege Cisgender Privilege
- 38. Cisgender Privilege Checklist 1.Language 2. Gender Authenticity 3. Institutional Support 4. Health and Finance
- 39. Language • My genderis not excluded from everyday language. When it is, there are many people around me who can understand the feeling. -Language we use on everyday basis is very gendered (pronouns, waiter/waitress, actor/actress) -Leaves out identities that do not conform to the gender binary
- 40. Language • I havenever had to consider breaking down the construction of the gender binary (outside of an academic setting). -Beyond Pronouns Gendered sports teams, bathrooms, clothing, classroom, etc. -Cisgender people don’t need to examine the binary because they fit comfortable within these categories
- 41. Gender Authenticity • Mygender identity, when conveyed to others, is seen as legitimate and authentic. -Cisgender men and women feel entitled in claiming gender identity -We scrutinize trans people’s “personality, expression, and physical body” for flaws that would indicate their deviance from “real” gender identities (Serano, 172)
- 42. Gender Authenticity • Ihave access to a broad definition of gender that is not limited to my genitalia. -Obsession with genitalia undermines legitimacy of trans identities and it’s dehumanizing
- 43. Trans Ally Tip •Don’t engage in “what’s down there?” discourse. -While you might be curious, you would never ask a cisgender person about their genitalia -Conflation of “sex” and “gender”
- 44. Institutions • I expectfirst-response teams like the EMS or the Fire Department to not refuse service based on my gender identity. -1% of trans people reported being physically attacked in the emergency room because of their gender identity or expression (NCTE)
- 45. Institutions • I donot have to "teach" doctors how to care for my body. -50% have to educate their medical provider about transgender care (NCTE) -Doctors don’t always know how to treat (Mammograms or Prostate Cancer) -Objectification -Refusal of health care coverage for unrelated issues
- 46. Institutions • I donot have to "teach" law enforcement officers my rights to express my gender as I choose. -Cisgender men and women are more likely to feel comfortable contacting law enforcement -22% of trans people report harassment by police officers due to bias; 38% for trans people of color (NCTE)
- 47. Institutions • Public restroomsare readily available for me. -Restrooms alienate people who don’t adhere to the binary -The problem of “bathroom policing” -Gender Neutral Bathrooms & “Bathroom Talk” -Trans people need to pee too!
- 48. Institutions • I canrelate to representations of gender identity and expression in the media. -As if trans people don’t exist, and if they do they are nothing more than crime victims -Media shapes popular perception of identities
- 49. Health and Finance •I can't imagine spending months and thousands of dollars on a therapist so they can tell me something I already know. -Medical model of trans identities: “sick and sane” discourse (Gender Identity Disorder) -Pathologizing of trans identities
- 50. Health and Finance •If I am physically healthy, I don't need to consider undergoing surgery to feel safe and legitimate. -Passing as a means of safety and legitimacy -Financial burden of surgeries (cosmetic) -Health risks involved in “pumping” silicone breast implants and street hormones
- 51. THE ULTIMATE PRIVILEGE •I don’t have to acknowledge cisgender privilege and transphobia if I don’t want to.
- 52. We’re Almost Done •Why is it important to study “privilege”?
- 53. Let’s Make Connections Hierarchy CisPrivilege Transphobia 57
- 54.
- 55. What To DoWith This Privilege • Navigate the tension between taking responsibility for our privilege without feeling overwhelmingly guilty: -Educating ourselves and other people -Being an ACTIVE ally to trans communities -Calling other people out on their privilege (being productive and generous) -Embrace other people calling you out on your privilege
Editor's Notes
- #6 This idea of a spectrum (many options—not all of which we have a name for) vs. a binary (two options, that’s it) is a theme we’ll continue discussing
- #7 I’m not trying to say that gender is important and sex isn’t. Both, to an extent, are constructed. But as we’ll continue to discuss, when gender and the relationship between gender/sex affect how we are treated by others and society, the ways we understand and talk about gender particularly are important What do I mean by that? Gender is just that feeling of “feeling” right. That, for me, the word man is comfortable to use because I feel like it fits who I am.
- #8 Think about how the way we dress, wear our hair, the way we walk, talk, stand these are all coded as masculine or feminine.
- #9 Somebody might have been biologically assigned female at birth, but now identifies as a man. Because these two don’t match “normative” (or normal) expectations, we might think of this person as being trans—transcending or moving across gender expectationsTrans can mean A LOT of different things to each person, as we’ll continue to discuss
- #10 For me, I was biologically assigned male at birth, and I identify as a man. So that would make me “cisgender”.
- #11 We don’t want to be like “oh, here’s trans people, and here’s the normal people”. No, here’s trans people. Here’s cis people. Both are equally validJust like straight isn’t normal or better than gay. It’s just straight.
- #13 Usually we think of transgender as an umbrella term to describe people who, as we’ve said…But it’s a term that is always evolving. It’s nice to have because it always us to talk about a whole group of people. But really, all trans people have unique experiences, some that are radically different from one another. We group it with LGB, but it’s different because it’s talking about gender identity, not sexual orientation
- #14 And for some trans people, transitioning is a priority, for other people it’s not at allWays to “change the body” Hormones, Sex Reassignment Surgery, “top surgery”, electrolysis, tracheal shave 1. We don’t think of “transition” as being “the surgery” 2. We also don’t think of transition as a necessary part of being trans 3. None of our business It’s not for public display
- #15 Passing includes gender expression, appearance and behavior Her gender is being “coded” correctly Passing isn’t necessary--presenting yourself as ambiguous is OK tooWanting to pass doesn’t make you vain. For most people, in fact, we want others to think about us in the way we think ourselves. Our culture is intolerant of people who aren’t part of the “normative” binary of “man” and “woman” Our society discriminates a lot against people who we can’t automatically “read” as a man or a woman. They may not be able to tell what your gender is, and think that’s a good reason to beat the shit out of youWe want to say that “transition” is for the individual, but sometimes we need to take safety into account These are some important things to consider, but it doesn’t really matter why somebody transitions, just respect it.
- #16 There are a lot of ways to talk about trans identity. Here’s a couple, but each person may use them differently
- #17 Polygender. Agender.Mention the critique of, “too many differences”, “too complicated”, “just pick one”
- #21 Take a volunteer
- #22 But that doesn’t make them greedy or indecisive. They’re just trying to figure out who they are and how they want to present themself So somebody who looks masculine to you might not go by masculine pronouns
- #23 Sharing/asking pronouns in group spaces
- #27 These are three parts of a model to understand how cisgender privilege works.
- #28 Often these categories are socially constructedDoesn’t refer to the actual value of these groups. But rather, the value that society assigns them Dominant groups may be perceived as better, smarter, more attractive, more capable, “normal”, more human!!! I’m not talking about individuals, but rather the collective value that society assigns these groups
- #29 Not “privileged” in the common use of the word
- #30 It doesn’t mean that all white women are seen as beautiful or that all women of color are ugly. Privilege isn’t about individuals. Its how white people are generally and systematically associated with beauty. It doesn’t mean that men aren’t judged for their physical appearance, but that they systematically have access to more social characteristics that women
- #31 Race affects the way they are treated because of their gender and how they experience their gender. White women may be seen as innocent whereas black women may be seen as hypersexual Important to not that cisgender privilege isn’t experienced the same way by all people. Gay men can definitely cisgender privilege, but this privilege looks a little differently than how straight men experience it -That doesn’t mean his male privilege and racism he faces cancel each other out. But that privilege is more complex than that
- #33 Transphobia (these statistics) wouldn’texistwithout the hierarchy. It’s not like «Oh, I’mgoing to wake up today and discriminateagainstthese people. »
- #34 It’ssystematic. It’s more like « It has been instilled in me that not only are these people differentthan me, but thatthey’relessvaluablethan me. So for thatreasonI’mgoing to pick on them ! »
- #40 Acknowledge Universal “He”
- #42 I identify as a woman I live my life as a woman Other people relate to me as a womanThere is still discourse that one is less “real” than another – monopoly on defining gender Julia Serano, “Whipping Girl” (2007)
- #43 Conflation of “sex” and “gender”Inability to access a more comprehensive definition of gender Within the feminist context…we’re comfortable fighting for the right that women should be able to express themselves anyway they want, but acknowledge the fact that only certain women are able to benefit from this narrow understanding of feminism. Somehow, it seems, that the sex-gender correlation has become a gatekeeper of whether or not we should be able to access a full definition of gender. Not OK!
- #44 *Unless they offer the information
- #46 Many policies don’t cover trans-related care. Transphobic providers may use that as an excuse not to treat trans people at all Objectification They’re curious and using their professional status to take advantage of trans patients bodies
- #47 A need to layer in intersectionality and say that the trans experience isn’t monolithic. Race and gender coincide in a way that trans people of color may understand and experience their identities (because of the added component of racism) differently that white trans people may
- #48 We can’t let men into women’s bathrooms, they’ll sexually harass them! -Assumes there’s a primal link between men and sexual assault (“they can’t help themselves”)-Again, reduces trans people to their genitalia = not cool-Places that have gender neutral restrooms have not experienced any increased rate in sexual assault (unwarranted assumptions)
- #49 We need to hold the media accountable for realistic and fair portrayals
- #50 American Psychiatric Association—sets the precedent of treatment.The power to define yourself and right to be taken seriously
- #54 -Start with the hierarchy: Cis people are valued more than trans people-Because of this hierarchy and the fact that cisgender people are seen as more valuable, they are given systematic, unearned advantages AKA privilege -Because trans people are valued less, they are seen as a target. The hierarchy creates this hate and intolerance.
- #55 This hierarchy is WACKY! There’s nothing normal about it. How are you going to go say one person is better than another, that some people are just worth more? To me, this is an absurd concept. But these hierarchies exist—and these inequalities become not only acceptable, but normal; the status quo; not worth challenging. Cisgender privilege permeates our society—a collection of unearned advantages. But it’s invisible—we don’t talk about it. And so it becomes normalized, a part of our daily routines. Cisgender privilege is both created by a hierarchy that values cis people over trans. But it also creates that hierarchy. Because when we have inequality and we don’t say anything about it, then we justify that inequality. And as we give cisgender privilege our silent approval, then we are saying that they deserve this privilege, writing this hierarchy into stone. Unless we challenge privilege, we agree that “Yes, cisgender people are more valuable. And that’s why I will allow them to benefit from inequality.” When we allow transphobia to occur—when we justify the unequal treatment of trans people—then we likewise say “Yes, they are less valuable.” Transphobia and cis privilege are two halves of the same coin. One privileges cisgender people; the other marginalizes trans people. Both justify the idea that there is an unequal hierarchy. And in order to create justice, we can’t just fight transphobia. Because it’s only one part of the puzzle. Transphobia wouldn’t exist without cisgender privilege. We need to fight both of them. We need to look inside of ourselves and have the courage to ask, “How am I privileged even if I don’t feel powerful? How can I be hurting somebody without even meaning to? How can I acknowledge my privilege? How can I take inequality and transform it into justice?”