October 1, 2023

SCHOOLED: Merriam-Webster muzzles Musk’s ‘cisgender’ comments

SCHOOLED: Merriam-Webster muzzles Musk's 'cisgender' comments

“Cisgender” was the top word searched on Merriam-Webster’s website on Wednesday thanks to transphobic comments tweeted by…Twitter’s own CEO.

Elon Musk, the same born-into-money man behind the scientists at Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink, arbitrarily declared “cisgender” and its shortened form, “cis” as “slurs” on Twitter.

Musk threatened to suspend anyone using the terms that he deemed “harassing” even though the word’s definition is based on basic biological science and a passing knowledge of Latin.

While plenty of Twitter users risked Musk’s threat of suspension for using “cisgender,” it was the account for the online dictionary that literally got the last word.

“‘Cisgender’ is currently our top lookup,” Merriam-Webster tweeted on Wednesday as the word was also trending.

The definitive dictionary also tweeted a link to their definition, which someone needs to read to Musk before he pulls the plug on Twitter entirely.

The entry reads as follows:

“As the term transgender has become increasingly prominent, a contrasting term has also settled into the language. Cisgender (also styled as cisgendered and often shortened to cis) describes someone whose internal sense of gender corresponds with the sex the person was identified as having at birth.”

“Most people can be described as cisgender, or cis.”

“If the pronouncement your mom heard at your birth—It’s a girl! or It’s a boy!—still feels accurate, then you’re cisgender.”

While the transphobes claim some other transphobe invented the word, it’s just another hateful lie.

The origins of “cisgender” date back to 1994, when a Usenet newsgroup (holla back at the 90s kids!) about transgender topics was discussing ways to properly define non-transgender people without the implication of marginalization.

Dana Defosse, a graduate student at the time who was an active member of the group, came up with “cisgender.”

“Cis” is Latin for “on this side of” and is the opposite of “trans,” which means “across from” or “on the other side of.”

Weird how Mr. Free Speech Internet Mogul has no grasp of how to use Google to look up what words mean before publicly declaring you don’t know what they mean.

Especially when he has a transgender daughter who’s gone No Contact with him.

And then extra especially when you tweet that you aren’t something that you totally are but with an “I know you are but what am I?” tone.

 

We’re not going to stop doing a science just because a dumb rich bully doesn’t get it.

*THIS IS AN OPINION COLUMN THAT SOLELY REPRESENTS THE OPINIONS OF TARA DUBLIN. HOORAY FOR THE FREE PRESS!

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Tara Dublin

Tara Dublin is a woefully unrepresented writer who thinks more people would read her cool rock & roll love story inspired by Dave Grohl than any ghostwritten GOP crapbook, agents & publishers. Follow Tara on Twitter @taradublinrocks