Pronounced "trans-FOE-BEE-uh."
Related terms include cissexism, transmisogyny, trans*, transgender, T-word, and TERF.
"The TERF messageboards were overflowing with transphobia. Several people were even using the T-word."
Transphobia is a strong dislike, hatred, sense of disgust, or fear related to trans* people. It is observed in both conservative anti-LGBT+ circles and in some self-identified progressive communities, such as the trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) movement. Transphobic beliefs and practices are a source of anxiety, violence, and systematic discrimination against transgender people.
Transphobia intersects significantly with other forms of hatred and discrimination, including homophobia and misogyny, and may take the form of transmisogyny. The word "transphobia" is related to, but distinct from, cissexism, although there is some overlap and some people use the terms interchangeably. Whereas cissexism is a belief that cisgender people are superior, transphobia is a hatred for people who are not cisgender.
First used in the 1990s, the word "transphobia" is a portmanteau comprised of "trans-"-- meaning "across from" and referring to trans* identities-- and "phobia," meaning "fear of." However, like the related terms homophobia and xenophobia, the words does not necessarily refer to a phobia in the psychological sense, as an intense fear. It can also refer to disgust and hatred that do not accompany conscious feelings of anxiety. http://queerdictionary.blogspot.com/2014/09/definition-of-trans-with-asterisk.html
Definition of "Gender Essentialism"
Pronounced "JEN-der es-SEN-CHUL-is-UM."
Related terms include cisnormativity, heteronormativity, gender binary, gender spectrum.
Mark is a gender essentialist. When his son got into a fist-fight with another neighborhood kid, he shrugged and said, 'They're just being boys.'"
Gender essentialism is the belief that gender roles and stereotypes are the natural result of biological or neurological differences between males and females. Gender essentialists assume that AMABs are by nature men, that AFABs are by nature women, and that the societal roles assigned to both are acceptable based on those differences. Gender essentialism generally denies the natural existence of transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, and tends to be closely linked to misogyny, heteronormativity and cisnormativity.
Examples of common gender essentialist assumptions are "All men like porn," and "Little girls love dolls." Like other forms of prejudice, gender essentialism exists on both a societal level and an individual level and can be deeply harmful and hurtful. It implies that gender-nonconforming and transgender people are unnatural and tends to reinforce stereotypes that subjugate women. Although it is most common in conservative circles, gender essentialism can also be seen in some branches of the feminist and LGBT+ community.
The term gender essentialism has been in common use since the 1960s. It refers to the broader sociological concept of essentialism, which is the view that every community has an "essential" set of traits key to its identity and function.
Related terms include cisnormativity, heteronormativity, gender binary, gender spectrum.
Mark is a gender essentialist. When his son got into a fist-fight with another neighborhood kid, he shrugged and said, 'They're just being boys.'"
Gender essentialism is the belief that gender roles and stereotypes are the natural result of biological or neurological differences between males and females. Gender essentialists assume that AMABs are by nature men, that AFABs are by nature women, and that the societal roles assigned to both are acceptable based on those differences. Gender essentialism generally denies the natural existence of transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, and tends to be closely linked to misogyny, heteronormativity and cisnormativity.
Examples of common gender essentialist assumptions are "All men like porn," and "Little girls love dolls." Like other forms of prejudice, gender essentialism exists on both a societal level and an individual level and can be deeply harmful and hurtful. It implies that gender-nonconforming and transgender people are unnatural and tends to reinforce stereotypes that subjugate women. Although it is most common in conservative circles, gender essentialism can also be seen in some branches of the feminist and LGBT+ community.
The term gender essentialism has been in common use since the 1960s. It refers to the broader sociological concept of essentialism, which is the view that every community has an "essential" set of traits key to its identity and function.
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Juniper Russo
Definition of "Heteronormativity"
Pronounced "HEH-ter-OH-NOR-muh-TIV-ih-TEE."
Related terms include cisnormativity, heterosexism, gender binary, gender essentialism .
"The paperwork for my kids' school has a space for contact information for 'mom' and one for 'dad.' That's so heteronormative."
Heternormativity is the belief or assumption that all people are heterosexual, or that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" state of human being. It tends to complement and accompany concepts like cisnormativity, gender binarism, and gender essentialism. A heteronormative society operates on the assumption that heterosexuality and specific gender features are the human "default." These assumptions can be hurtful because they are stigmatizing and marginalizing, making people who are LGBT+ feel like they are perceived as deviant or unnatural.
The concept of heteronormativity can exist on both a societal and individual level. On a societal level, heteronormativity takes the form of denying marriage equality and same-sex adoption. On an individual level, it can take a form of unintentionally inaccurate assumptions-- such as assuming that a woman is referring to a man when she mentions a spouse or fiance.
The term heteronormativity traces its origins to the early 90s, when it was popularized by Queer Theory expert Michael Warner in "Fear of a Queer Planet." It is a portmanteau of "hetero-" meaning opposite, as in heterosexual, and "normativity," meaning a system of normative assumptions.
Related terms include cisnormativity, heterosexism, gender binary, gender essentialism .
"The paperwork for my kids' school has a space for contact information for 'mom' and one for 'dad.' That's so heteronormative."
Heternormativity is the belief or assumption that all people are heterosexual, or that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" state of human being. It tends to complement and accompany concepts like cisnormativity, gender binarism, and gender essentialism. A heteronormative society operates on the assumption that heterosexuality and specific gender features are the human "default." These assumptions can be hurtful because they are stigmatizing and marginalizing, making people who are LGBT+ feel like they are perceived as deviant or unnatural.
The concept of heteronormativity can exist on both a societal and individual level. On a societal level, heteronormativity takes the form of denying marriage equality and same-sex adoption. On an individual level, it can take a form of unintentionally inaccurate assumptions-- such as assuming that a woman is referring to a man when she mentions a spouse or fiance.
The term heteronormativity traces its origins to the early 90s, when it was popularized by Queer Theory expert Michael Warner in "Fear of a Queer Planet." It is a portmanteau of "hetero-" meaning opposite, as in heterosexual, and "normativity," meaning a system of normative assumptions.
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Juniper Russo
Definition of "Ally"
Pronounced "AL-eye"
Related terms include cishet, oppression, erasure.
"As an ally to the LGBT+ community, I have chosen not to marry my opposite-sex partner until same-sex marriage is legalized."
Within the context of progressive culture, an ally is a person who is not a member of an oppressed group but who supports civil rights and social movements associated with that group. An ally acknowledges his or her position of relative privilege and uses that position to create change within the larger culture and society. Examples of acts of allyship include a sighted person writing image descriptions for a website, a cisgender man marching in a pro-choice rally, or a white person boycotting a business known for racial profiling.
The role of an ally within an oppressed community can be a point of some controversy. For example, Mia McKenzie of Black Girl Dangerous wrote a widely-circulated article criticizing self-identified allies for putting themselves in the spotlight at the expense of the people they claim to support, saying allyship is "not supposed to be about you. It's not supposed to be about your feelings. [...] It's supposed to be a way of living your life that doesn't reinforce the same oppressive behaviors you're claiming the be against."
The general consensus within oppressed communities is that a role of an ally is to listen to feedback and take their role seriously and humbly, never choosing to speak for, or over, oppressed minorities.
The term "ally" is much older than many terms used in the progressive community, first used in progressive culture with the birth of PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, in 1973.
Related terms include cishet, oppression, erasure.
"As an ally to the LGBT+ community, I have chosen not to marry my opposite-sex partner until same-sex marriage is legalized."
Within the context of progressive culture, an ally is a person who is not a member of an oppressed group but who supports civil rights and social movements associated with that group. An ally acknowledges his or her position of relative privilege and uses that position to create change within the larger culture and society. Examples of acts of allyship include a sighted person writing image descriptions for a website, a cisgender man marching in a pro-choice rally, or a white person boycotting a business known for racial profiling.
The role of an ally within an oppressed community can be a point of some controversy. For example, Mia McKenzie of Black Girl Dangerous wrote a widely-circulated article criticizing self-identified allies for putting themselves in the spotlight at the expense of the people they claim to support, saying allyship is "not supposed to be about you. It's not supposed to be about your feelings. [...] It's supposed to be a way of living your life that doesn't reinforce the same oppressive behaviors you're claiming the be against."
The general consensus within oppressed communities is that a role of an ally is to listen to feedback and take their role seriously and humbly, never choosing to speak for, or over, oppressed minorities.
The term "ally" is much older than many terms used in the progressive community, first used in progressive culture with the birth of PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, in 1973.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Cissexism"
Pronounced "sis-SEX-is-UM."
Related terms include cisgender, transphobia, transmisogyny, heterosexism and cisnormativity.
"My father made a lot of very cissexist remarks when he found out that my partner is transgender. "
Cissexism is the belief that transgender people are inherently inferior to cisgender people. It is frequently observed in both conservative anti-LGBT circles and in TERF communities. Cissexism may or may not be conscious or deliberate on part of the person expressing or feeling it. Examples of cissexist behaviors include dismissing transgenderism as a phase, mental illness, or cry for attention, or considering transgender people to be "freaks,"
delusional, or sexual deviants.
Cissexism is closely related to, but distinct from, transphobia and transmisogny. It differs from transphobia in that it is part of a system of oppression (comparable to racism, ageism, and sexism) whereas transphobia more specifically refers to a feeling of disgust or hatred (comparable to xenophobia and homophobia). The terms are, however, sometimes used interchangeably and tend to overlap significantly.
The term cissexism was first used in the late 1990s by transgender rights activists and has become increasingly popular as part of the social justice movement and online transgender and trans-inclusive culture.
Related terms include cisgender, transphobia, transmisogyny, heterosexism and cisnormativity.
"My father made a lot of very cissexist remarks when he found out that my partner is transgender. "
Cissexism is the belief that transgender people are inherently inferior to cisgender people. It is frequently observed in both conservative anti-LGBT circles and in TERF communities. Cissexism may or may not be conscious or deliberate on part of the person expressing or feeling it. Examples of cissexist behaviors include dismissing transgenderism as a phase, mental illness, or cry for attention, or considering transgender people to be "freaks,"
delusional, or sexual deviants.
Cissexism is closely related to, but distinct from, transphobia and transmisogny. It differs from transphobia in that it is part of a system of oppression (comparable to racism, ageism, and sexism) whereas transphobia more specifically refers to a feeling of disgust or hatred (comparable to xenophobia and homophobia). The terms are, however, sometimes used interchangeably and tend to overlap significantly.
The term cissexism was first used in the late 1990s by transgender rights activists and has become increasingly popular as part of the social justice movement and online transgender and trans-inclusive culture.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Cisnormativity"
Pronounced "sis-NOR-muh-TIV-ih-TEE."
Related terms include cisgender, heteronormativity, gender essentialism, and cissexism.
"The speaker said, 'All women need annual pap smears,' and while I appreciated the message, I could have done without the cisnormativity."
Cisnormativity is the assumption that all, or almost all, individuals are cisgender. Although transgender-identified people comprise a fairly small percentage of the human population, many trans* people and allies consider it to be offensive to presume that everyone is cisgender unless otherwise specified.
Examples of cisnormativity are closely linked to gender essentialism and may include statements like, "Men can not get pregnant." Although cisnormativity is rarely deliberate, it is almost always perceived as hurtful and offensive to the trans* community. At best, cisnormativity contributes to the erasure of trans* and nonbinary experiences. At worst, it is part of a deliberate and calculated system of oppression that includes institutionalized cissexism and transphobia.
The word cisnormativity was first used in the 2000s, but its first recorded academic use was in The Journal of the International AIDS Society in 2012. It is a combination of the prefix cis-, as in cisgender, and the suffix -normativity, as a complement to heteronormativity.
Related terms include cisgender, heteronormativity, gender essentialism, and cissexism.
"The speaker said, 'All women need annual pap smears,' and while I appreciated the message, I could have done without the cisnormativity."
Cisnormativity is the assumption that all, or almost all, individuals are cisgender. Although transgender-identified people comprise a fairly small percentage of the human population, many trans* people and allies consider it to be offensive to presume that everyone is cisgender unless otherwise specified.
Examples of cisnormativity are closely linked to gender essentialism and may include statements like, "Men can not get pregnant." Although cisnormativity is rarely deliberate, it is almost always perceived as hurtful and offensive to the trans* community. At best, cisnormativity contributes to the erasure of trans* and nonbinary experiences. At worst, it is part of a deliberate and calculated system of oppression that includes institutionalized cissexism and transphobia.
The word cisnormativity was first used in the 2000s, but its first recorded academic use was in The Journal of the International AIDS Society in 2012. It is a combination of the prefix cis-, as in cisgender, and the suffix -normativity, as a complement to heteronormativity.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Cishet"
Pronounced SIS-het.
Related terms include cisgender, cisnormativity, ally, and cissexism.
"Karen is a dedicated ally-- she's a cishet but goes to Pride every year to show support for her dads."
Cishet, used as both an adjective and a noun, describes a person who is both cisgender and heterosexual. A person is cishet if he or she is cisgender, meaning identifying with his or her assigned-at-birth gender, as well as heterosexual, or attracted exclusively to people of the opposite sex. Cishet individuals are not inherently part of the LGBT+ or queer community but may identify themselves as allies.
People who are cishet arguably form most of the human population. The common assumption that all or most people are cishet contributes to cisnormativity and heteronormativity. Most people who are cishet do not identify themselves as cishet because they have never had want or need of a specific label to describe their orientation and gender identity.
The use of "cishet" by the LGBT+ and feminist community has been a source of some controversy, It may be occasionally used in what are perceived as ad hominem or straw-man arguments when addressing cisgender heterosexuals, and this has led to many perceiving it as an insult. In gender, cishet is a shorthand descriptive term and not a slur.
First used in online communities in the 2000s, cishet is a portmanteau of cis-- as in cisgender, from the Latin cis-, meaning "this side of"-- and het-- as in heterosexual, meaning attracted to the opposite sex.
Related terms include cisgender, cisnormativity, ally, and cissexism.
"Karen is a dedicated ally-- she's a cishet but goes to Pride every year to show support for her dads."
Cishet, used as both an adjective and a noun, describes a person who is both cisgender and heterosexual. A person is cishet if he or she is cisgender, meaning identifying with his or her assigned-at-birth gender, as well as heterosexual, or attracted exclusively to people of the opposite sex. Cishet individuals are not inherently part of the LGBT+ or queer community but may identify themselves as allies.
People who are cishet arguably form most of the human population. The common assumption that all or most people are cishet contributes to cisnormativity and heteronormativity. Most people who are cishet do not identify themselves as cishet because they have never had want or need of a specific label to describe their orientation and gender identity.
The use of "cishet" by the LGBT+ and feminist community has been a source of some controversy, It may be occasionally used in what are perceived as ad hominem or straw-man arguments when addressing cisgender heterosexuals, and this has led to many perceiving it as an insult. In gender, cishet is a shorthand descriptive term and not a slur.
First used in online communities in the 2000s, cishet is a portmanteau of cis-- as in cisgender, from the Latin cis-, meaning "this side of"-- and het-- as in heterosexual, meaning attracted to the opposite sex.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
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