Inclusive Language - Blog Posts

Current Mainstream Gender Terminology is Problematic and Erases and Marginalizes the Non-binary Community

Hi peeps!

I understand that a lot of people in the gender-diverse community strongly identify and feel affirmed with the terminology trans and transgender to describe the gender-diverse community and describe one's experiences and feelings of their gender identity, but the terminology for it is problematic. Historically, transgender was primarily associated with the narrow binary framework (e.g., from man to woman or vice versa). Cisgender serves as an antonym to transgender. Transgender expanded beyond the narrow binary framework to include non-binary, but a lot of people within and outside the gender-diverse community still associate it with just trans men and trans women. Even with good intentions, language can and does perpetuate stereotypes and inequality. A lot of mainstream gender-diverse terminology conveys binary ideas of physical characteristics and gender.

The Latin prefixes "cis" and "trans" when used to describe the gender identities cis or cisgender and trans or transgender are inherently problematic because of their binary connotations. The Latin prefix “trans” means “across,” “beyond,” or “on the other side of.” For example, “Transylvania” means “beyond the forest,” and “transatlantic” means “across the Atlantic Ocean.”

The Latin prefix “cis” means “on this side of.” The scientific roots of the “cis-” prefix go even further back. In chemistry, it refers to the orientation of atoms in three-dimensional space. For example, “cis-2-butene” describes a molecule where two methyl groups are on the same side of a double bond, while “trans-2-butene” has the methyl groups on opposite sides.

So here is my idea to address it. What if we removed the Latin prefixes and replaced them with "Ex" and "Intra?"

Exgender ("Ex" meaning "out of" or "from") on its own could be a broad term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity(ies) is different from the gender they were assigned at birth (but ideally use gender-diverse). Instead of trans men, trans women, and trans people, it would be exgender men, exgender women, and exgender people.

Intragender ('intra" meaning "within" or "inside") could be a gender identity that can be used to describe people whose gender identity aligns with the gender they were assigned at birth. Instead of cisgender men, cisgender women, and cisgender people, it would be intragender men, intragender women, and intragender people.

Both intragender and exgender would still have the inclusive definitions associated with cisgender and transgender gender identities and be used in the same way. The difference is they wouldn't unintentionally reinforce the narrow gender binary that disproportionately affects the non-binary community compared to trans men and trans women (of course this depends on certain factors, such as the intersectionality of the fundamental aspects of a person's identity) and contributes to the common and serious issue of non-binaryphobia within the gender-diverse community.

There's also A LOT of other binary terminology that needs to be abolished, such as ASAB, AMAB, AFAB, assigned sex, assigned male, assigned female, FtM, MtF, male, female, sex, "biological" sex, femme-presenting, masc-presenting, masculine, feminine, etc.

A lot of these could be replaced and some just shouldn't be used at all.

Instead of male and female, use man and woman.

Instead of FTM and MTF, use exgender man, exgender woman, exgender person, non-binary person, AGAB, assigned woman at birth, assigned man at birth, etc.

Instead of ASAB, AMAB, AFAB, assigned sex, etc., use AGAB (Assigned Gender At Birth), assigned gender, assigned woman at birth, and assigned man at birth. E.g. My AGAB is woman/man.

Instead of sex and "biological" sex, use physical attributes or descriptive language to describe physical attributes, such as hormones, genitalia (penis, vagina, diverse genitalia), chromosomes, etc.

Instead of masc-presenting, femme-presenting, masculine, feminine, gender-neutral or any other word that labels certain forms of gender expression to be inherent to certain gender identities, use descriptive language.

For example:

Instead of "femme-presenting/feminine" or masc-presenting/masculine chest," use "rounded firm chest" or "flat chest, muscular chest."

Instead of "femme-presenting/feminine" or "masc-presenting/masculine" clothing, use "skirt, dress, lipstick, makeup, bra, t-shirt, baggy shorts, leather jacket, boots, etc."

No aspect of gender expression is inherently tied to any gender identity and shouldn't be falsely labeled as such, and the concepts of masculinity and femininity are baseless social constructs that change over time and often prioritize and favor cis men and marginalize other genders.

the biggest tip i can say about trans inclusive language when discussing anatomy is to just say what you mean without trying to find a euphemism, and to be specific to the conversation that you're having. if you're having a conversation about childbirth, say "people who can give birth". not everyone who can give birth is a woman and not every woman can give birth (both trans and cis), so don't say "women" or "mothers" or "females", you don't even have to say like "womb haver" or whatever. "person who can give birth" is specific and clear if you're talking about childbirth.

if you're talking about penis and testes, just say that. "men" in that context is cis-centric. "amab genitals" means nothing, since trans women can have bottom surgery, and intersex people exist in all kinds of physical expressions of sex.

avoid sexualized terms like tits/boobs (use breasts) or dick, balls, etc. those terms take on a context that can make folks feel uncomfortable about their anatomy due to the sexual context. I feel uncomfortable when people try to be inclusive and say shit like "pussy haver" but if I'm reading a medical article about vaginas I'd much rather it be addressed to "people with vaginas" rather than "women"

the more we separate language of body parts from gender identities and actually start speaking frankly and respectfully about anatomy without acting like its some taboo, the better it will be for trans and intersex people. it can help cis people too. you can be a cis woman who doesn't have a womb, you can be a cis man who doesn't have penis or testes. imo this kind of language is inclusive not only for gender non-conforming people but everyone with a physical difference in their sex characteristics, due either to genetics or a lived experience!