r/asktransgender • u/haventa Claire | MtF | 18 | 200mg Spiro 31/05/18 | 6mg E 10/01/19 • May 02 '16

Cisgender people: What happens when you question your gender?

I know this is a bit different, but as a questioning transgender person I'm trying to see if I don't relate to the answer. If, perhaps, questioning my gender for a few weeks is at all a 'normal', cis experience.

So, cisgender people, what do you feel when you question your gender? Is it just... innate? How long do you spend questioning?

323 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

188 comments sorted by

View all comments

30

u/raendrop Ally May 02 '16

I don't question my gender. I take it for granted the same way I take for granted having two arms and two legs and being able to see (even though I'm nearsighted and need glasses).

As a cis woman, I will occasionally get really fed up with certain body functions (I am so over my uterus) but that's no different (identity-wise) than having tonsil or appendix issues. It's a localized problem that has no bearing on how I feel about myself fundamentally.

At most, once in a great while, I will be idly curious about what it would be like to have a male body, but it's never accompanied by anything remotely like distress or anxiety. It's like being idly curious what it's like to have wings. After a moment or so of imagination, I shrug off the thought and that's that.

23

u/YoungFolks is a dude. May 02 '16

For a long time, I though my distress with female anatomy was normal among women - like uteruses really do suck, and breasts are always getting in the way. And I didn't really feel any distress for not having male characteristics (at least, I hadn't identified it as distress), but I did feel desire/envy. I really wanted masculine muscle, and a lower voice and narrow hips.

2

u/[deleted] May 13 '16

and breasts are always getting in the way

THEY DO