What is a cis woman?

A cis woman is a woman whose gender identity matches her biological sex assigned at birth. Here, said gender and physical characteristics match.

This means: A cis woman was born with female sexual characteristics and also identifies as a woman. There is no contradiction between personal identification and biological sex.

Shockingly, cis women are referred to as "normal women" by some parts of society. This is a kind of discrimination towards queers that many people are not aware of. Freely following the motto "A typical woman has to be so and so!", cis women also often come under pressure... especially when they don't want to submit to the prevailing norms.

Transgender people as the "opposite" of a cis person

To put it somewhat casually, a cis woman or cis man could be described as the opposite of a transgender woman. It is particularly interesting to note in this context that in many parts of the world the word "trans" had a much more negative connotation than is the case today.

It was considered a swear word for people who did not conform to the social norm. Today it stands for not being able to identify with one's biological sex as a human being.

The "typical cis-woman"...

Anyone who tries to imagine the classic cis woman is comparatively quick to encounter a world consisting exclusively of "pink" and "light blue". Classic notions associated with the typical cis woman are, for example, long hair, figure-hugging clothing, feminine makeup and generally "feminine behavior".

Cis women can also become trans

Many people do not realize until later in life that they cannot identify with their biological sex. Or differently: Also from a cis woman, where no one would have suspected it, may one day become a transsexual person.

Often, the corresponding realization is a gradual process. At the beginning, some affected people feel uncomfortable and "somehow wrong": Nevertheless, it is not possible to speak of standards here. Because: The development from a cis woman to a trans person is always very individual.

Anyone who notices that they feel overwhelmed and need support can always find contact and counseling centers - especially in larger cities.

The cis woman and the expression of her gender

It is up to each person, and accordingly of course also cis-women, to what extent one's own gender is to be expressed in everyday life. Therefore, in the first step it is not recognizable whether a person identifies more as a man or more as a woman, or perhaps as both or neither.

In this context, many people make the mistake of jumping to conclusions. "Just" because a person dresses femininely does not mean that she also feels like a woman. Perhaps in her case it is not a cis woman, but rather a person who does not (yet?) dare to stand by her gender identity.

The fact is that even in today's society, cis women still have it somewhat easier than transsexual people. Those who want to escape prejudice, insults and other hostility often decide to continue to conform to the norm before coming out, in order to first find clarity for themselves. And that's exactly what's absolutely okay. After all, only those affected know the "perfect time" themselves.

What is a cis man?