• madcaesar@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Peterson is a moron, but I also don’t like the word cis. If people are allowed to be called what they want to be, then if they want to be called straight, that should be fine

    • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      But that’s a different thing than cis. Straight is to whom you’re attracted, cis is who you are.

      • madcaesar@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I don’t really get the distinction. Either way, if I say I identity as a straight white male, that should be sufficient enough for everyone to understand and move on.

        I afford the same courtesy to all my LGBT brothers and sisters. I call you as you wish to be addressed.

        • chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          4 months ago

          Well, not getting the distinction is pretty important. People can’t discuss an issue without both understanding the definition of terms, or we’d just be speaking different languages to each other.

          Cis and trans are both Latin prefixes.

          Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning “across”, “beyond”, or “on the other side of”.

          Cis- The prefix “cis-” comes from the Latin meaning “on this side,” as opposed to “trans-” which means “on the other side of” or “beyond.”

          So all cisgender means is not transgender. Or transgender means not cisgender. Neither are insults that should offend, and if one does, it might be a viewpoint thing.

          You are, presumably, a homo sapiens sapiens. We don’t use that term generally, and just call you human. However, both are correct labels, and they aren’t insults. If there were homo neanderthalensis around still, the distinction may come up in conversation for various reasons, and that’s when it’d be necessary to have the different labels.

          Straight or gay/bi/lesbian/pan/ace/demi etc are all talking about something completely different, which is your sexual orientation. Calling you straight when we’re discussing what species you are would be like calling you lotion or something when talking about your species. Lotion isn’t a species, so it’s pointless to the conversation, and just plain wrong.

          You could of course request to be called lotion, but it’s a confusing title if someone was discussing your species, especially medically, in socially (as in social issues or norms for your species), issues that pertain to your species, medication, etc.

          Now, here is where I might be skirting close to accusing you of something, but if possible, please just think deeply about it. Why is CIS unacceptable but straight acceptable? Is it possible that CIS makes you not feel “normal” as a label, while straight does?

        • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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          4 months ago

          A women which transitions to male can also be a straight white male, but they are not cis.

        • blind3rdeye@lemm.ee
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          4 months ago

          Calling someone cis basically just mean that they are not trans. Generally speaking a straight white male may or may not be cis.

        • Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I believe the above point is that cisgender (cissexual) is a term for one who identifies as their birth sex, as opposed to transgender.

          It’s not defining of your attractions and isn’t an opposite of “straight”.

    • rand_alpha19@moist.catsweat.com
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      4 months ago

      You know a lot of straight people don’t want to be called straight either, right? They want to be called “normal” because they see gay people as freaks and don’t understand that words like straight, gay, trans, and cis are descriptive and neutral.