Cisposition

Cisposition is a term used in discussions of gender identity. It refers to the alignment of a person's gender identity with the sex they were assigned at birth. A person who identifies as cisgender, or cis, is someone whose gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth. For example, someone assigned male at birth who identifies as male is cisgender. Conversely, someone assigned female at birth who identifies as female is also cisgender.

The prefix "cis-" is derived from Latin and means "on the same side." This is contrasted with the prefix "trans-," meaning "across" or "beyond," which is used in transgender identities. The term cisgender was coined to provide a parallel term for the majority of people whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth, thereby normalizing and destigmatizing transgender identities by acknowledging that cisgender is also a specific identity rather than simply the default. Understanding cisposition helps to contextualize gender diversity and the experiences of both cisgender and transgender individuals within the broader spectrum of human identity.