The Cisgender Privilege Checklist
July 7, 2007
How to Use this Document
This list is intended for those who are interested in considering how their privilege as a cisgender (non-trans) person affects their lives, and how that makes their experiences in the world substantially different from transgender, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people; it is intended to show the reader how ze benefits from being cisgender. It is NOT intended to be a list of things that all cisgender people have and all transgender people do not have.
Importantly, many of the privileges covered here are specific to having two or more kinds of privilege; 2b and 13, for example, are also dependent on being a citizen of one’s country of residence. Many of the privileges here have parallels in white privilege and male privilege. However, in these cases, there is still significant reason to list them as cisgender privileges–either that there is a difference in scale, a difference in likelihood, a difference in what situations that privilege is relevant in, or in that having either kind of privilege gives one a substantial step up over those who have neither (notably, 13,14, and 15).
Lastly, any privilege checklist is at least somewhat specific to a particular time, place, and identity. This list was originally written in the United States in 2007; its applicability to citizens of other countries and to other times will vary. The original content was created by a white, young, transfeminine spectrum genderqueer, who strives to create a list that does not reinscribe white privilege (or other kinds of privilege) within the analysis of cisgender privilege.
Terminology
Cisgender:
This list was originally created under the following definition of the word cisgender:
A person whose determinations of hir sex and gender are universally considered valid.
It is the opposite of transgender, or a person whose determination of hir sex and/or gender is not universally considered valid. This definition was chosen in preference to more common definitions (a)someone who identifies with the sex and gender ze was assigned at birth, or b)someone who conforms to gender norms) to:
1)Draw attention to the central role of gender policing in cisgender privilege/trans oppression;
2)Validate the identities of gender conforming transpeople as their gender of choice, rather than assignment; and
3)Take account of a large variety of gender variant identities and expressions that are not necessarily in direct contradiction with identifying as a member of one’s assigned sex/gender, such as crossdressers, butches, genderqueers, drag performers, bigenderists, two spirit, travesti, and so forth. Even highly feminine men and masculine women who in no way identify with the term transgender may find themselves lacking some privileges in this checklist–that is to be expected.
This list uses the term “cisgender” as opposed to “non-trans(gender)” because the purpose of the list is to make visible the specificity of experiences of members of the the dominant, invisible identity, and the place held by cispeople within a system of gender, which the term “non-trans” is unable to do, as it simply reflects back on being the opposite of trans experience. This term was used in preference to words like bio, genetic, real, normal, etc because all of those terms reinforce cisgender privilege by implying that there is some basis in which a person’s gender can be rooted other than their own self-determination.
Ze/hir:
“Ze” and “hir” (pronounced like “here”) are gender ambiguous, singular pronouns. They are used in preference to “they” and “their” because many transpeople find those words dehumanizing, as well as to make ze & hir more accessible options for transpeople who choose to use them for themselves. For the purposes of this document, they are used not only about people who actively prefer those pronouns to be used, but for anyone whose gender is not specified. (example: ”Ze went to the grocery store to buy hirself some ice cream.”)
Cisgender Privilege Checklist
For Immediate Release
Hazel/Cedar Troost Minneapolis, June 22nd—
“HRC your time is near—
Fake inclusion won’t work here!
So chanted marchers at the Twin Cities’ first annual Trans March over Pride weekend. An estimated 200-250 trans, gender non-conforming and allied protesters gathered in Gold Medal Park by 10th Avenue and 2nd Street, and marched down Washington Avenue shouting slogans calling for prison reform and the removal of sex classification from identification, as well as an end to the gender binary, health insurance discrimination, and transphobia in local and national GLBT organizations and publications.
“We wanted to hold this march to show our significance as a transgender/gender non-conforming community, to ourselves, to non-trans queer people, and to others, but also to build connections within a sometimes fragmented set of trans communities,” said organizer Sea Lee. Jill Bartel, another organizer, added “We had an incredible range of diversity at this march, and we’re really proud of that, but we hope to improve upon it next year.”
Marchers proceeded along Washington to Hennepin Avenue, turning left and passing the Gay 90’s before being stopped by police. Despite a permit obtained from the city of Minneapolis which clearly and accurately outlined the route, timing, and size of the march, uniformed officers told organizers Mk Davis and Lauren/Remy McDermott that the marchers had to disperse or face arrest. Officers claimed concerns for the safety of marchers, and alleged that a marcher had been throwing rocks. One marcher pointedly asked, “Who threatens people for their own safety? Nobody was throwing rocks. It’s just an excuse for their own transphobia.”
Marchers continued chanting across the street from the Gay 90’s and Brass Rail, some remaining in the street while others retreated to the sidewalk. Despite threats and the presence of multiple squad cars and a police van, officers did not make any arrests. After approximately forty-five minutes, marchers chanted “Shame, shame, we’ll be back / We won’t fold under attack” before ending the rally. Cedar/Hazel Troost, an organizer, commented, “The difference between our treatment by the police and that of the other marches during Pride weekend is a symptom of the selective advocacy of the corporate ‘GLBT’ movement, which excludes trans people, poor people, and people of color.” Ze continued, “This march was created to draw attention to and protest that, and with the help of the cops, we certainly succeeded.”
Participants celebrated the success of the march at an afterparty, where Harsh Reality, the Transformers, Tough Tough Skin, and a member of District 202’s theater troupe, Empowered Expressions, performed.
The organizing collective is seeking additional organizers for 2008; those interested should email tctransmarch@yahoo.com. All those who feel marginalized within the trans community are especially encouraged to join the collective.
