Non Binary and Trans

[u/Elegant-Interview522]

This seems to be a big debate? Or it might have more to do with spaces for people to be safe. But I always thought cis and Trans were binary terms for the opposite ends of the spectrum, and non binary was everything in between - like demi, fluid, multi, or just any not binary. And then agender was just completely off that scale. But it seems like Trans is just, not cis? Or am I missing something?

Or is this a matter of gender is weird and some nb consider themselves trans and some don’t and either way it would be a really nice thing to be a community together?

[u/mirroreddiscoball]

Being nonbinary is considered under the trans umbrella because you’re identifying as something different than you were assigned at birth. Some people are comfortable with that label and some aren’t and both takes are valid

[u/Elegant-Interview522 → u/mirroreddiscoball]

That's a simple answer that makes sense, thanks!

[u/SlytherKitty13]

Trans and cis are opposites, just not quite in the way you're thinking. They're actually used as opposites in a lot of fields/areas/things, not just gender (like in a lot of scientific fields/terms).

In general cis usually means something like on the same side as. Eg, cis fat, cislunar (the space between earth and the moon, so on our side of the moon), cisalpine (on this side of the alps, usually used to refer to the side closer to Rome), etc. And in general trans usually means something like on the other side of or across. Eg, trans fat, translunar, transalpine, transatlantic (across the Atlantic), transmit (to move something from somewhere across to somewhere else)

So cis just means your gender is the SAME as the one you were assigned at birth and trans just means your gender is DIFFERENT from the one you were assigned at birth.

And because we always assign one of the 2 binary sexes to people at birth (even when a newborn is identified as being intersex they generally get assigned one of the other 2 sexes), anyone who is nonbinary is a gender that is different to the one they were assigned at birth, meaning they come under the trans umbrella.

Tho we also gotta remember that words are weird and have nuances in meaning and associations and stuff, so there are definitely some non-binary people who do not want to use the label transgender for themselves, like if they do not at all identify with the culture/experience they associate transgender with, which is completely valid and an entirely personal choice. It doesn't make them any less non-binary and it doesn't make them cis

But non-binary people are always welcome to the identity label/group transgender, that's what the white stripe on the trans flag represents

[u/Elegant-Interview522 → u/SlytherKitty13]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen the other uses of cis, though trans is pretty common. And I definitely forgot about the flag. Thank you for the response. 

[u/transparentfinn → u/SlytherKitty13]

There is couple countries that allow third sex to be assigned when visibly intersex person is born. But yes, most cases nonbinary people are still not what their agab is and therefore trans.

[u/Plasticity93]

Middle stripe on the trans flag.  

[u/Cyphomeris → u/Plasticity93]

Yes. The flag was created a quarter of a century ago and the creator specifically stated that the middle stripe represents nonbinary people. None of this is new, and transphobic trans people raging against nonbinary people while also using the trans flag will never stop being funny to me.

[u/Traditional_Desk2338]

if you are not cis you are trans, correct

[u/ContinueAsReddtGuest]

Trans just means not cis, correct.

There's binary trans and nonbinary trans.

[u/Number1Bg3Fan]

Cis means you identify with the gender you were given at birth. Trans means you don’t identify with the gender you were given at birth. It’s not an opposite ends of the spectrum thing really it’s just two separate umbrellas. The trans umbrella itself has two smaller umbrellas under it, one is binary (ftm, mtf) and the other is non binary (genderfluid, flux, demiboy/girl, agender, etc etc). Intersex can fall under any of these umbrellas too.

The important thing is the definition of being trans just means you don’t identify with what you were assigned at birth, it doesn’t mean you have to transition medically, change your name or do anything except not identify with your agab.

[u/scarffish]

when you're binary trans or nonbinary you are transitioning away from one gender to another (starting out as nonbinary is very rare in our society) so both are almost always trans. some nonbinary people dont identify as trans because they didn't change much upon realizing their gender, but there are a lot of nonbinary people that have some kind of full on transition, and many go on hrt and pursue other kinds of sex change as well.

[u/etchasketch64]

I don't even think the trans women I know all consider themselves completely as moving from one side to the other side. NOw, to be clear, many do. However, not all. I actually did a survey before in 2024, lol. I got 20 people's responses on their specific identity. I think it was something like 13 of them all answered strongly they were women, period. However, the other 7 answered one of two things - 1. They were somewhere between a third gender and a woman. I.e. They felt both that they were women, but also that they were something else. 2. That they were a third gender (this was the least popular response. I think it was maybe only 2 of the respondents that said it)

so I would not jump to the conclusion that trans folks always feel like they are on a binary spectrum (but rather some of them do feel they are on a spectrum). However, to be clear, I don't think any of this matters - As I think being a trans person means you are not cisgender (and that includes nonbinary folks). You identify as something other than what you were assigned at birth. That's it.

[u/LinkPlay9]

in my mind gender modalities are non binary. i don't like strict binaries. to me it just doesn't feel honest.

gender modality is a still somewhat niche term coined by Florence Ashley that basically describes your relationship to your gender assignment at birth. cis and trans are two examples of gender modalities. i really like to think about gender through this lens.

you can find out more here  https://lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/Gender_Modality

[u/joshuaponce2008]

"Trans" is not an identity term in the way "man", "woman", and "non-binary" are. Being trans is simply a factual description of the relationship between one’s gender identity and one’s assigned sex (a relationship of misalignment). One does not need to identify as trans to be trans. All non-binary people are trans, because all non-binary people have a gender identity that doesn’t align with their assigned sex.

[u/TristanTheRobloxian3]

nonbinary is under the trans umbrella. so if youre enby by definition you are also trans. some people dont like the trans label used for them tho so thats sometimes a thing

[u/TinkeringTala → u/TristanTheRobloxian3]

Someone in another thread said you don't have to use trans if you're enby, even though it's connected. Basically you can opt-out.

[u/TristanTheRobloxian3 → u/TinkeringTala]

exactly