# Bangkok Lady Boys

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 7, 2004, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463 "2004-09-07T08:22:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463/21 "2004-09-09T12:08:10Z")

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“Cisgendered” quite simply means “not transgendered”. I believe the term is borrowed from organic chemistry.

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**Author:** ![aegypt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@aegypt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aegypt)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463/22 "2004-09-09T12:41:40Z")

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> [@KellyM](#):
>
> “Cisgendered” quite simply means “not transgendered”. I believe the term is borrowed from organic chemistry.

Isn’t “cis” a Latin root that means “on this side of”?

As in the Roman province of Gallia Cisalpina, “the part of Gaul that’s on this side of the Alps”?

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463/23 "2004-09-09T12:50:05Z")

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> [@KellyM](#):
>
> I believe the term is borrowed from organic chemistry.

Indeed so - to distinguish between molecules that have the same atomic formula, but the different arrangement of the atoms gives them different chemical properties. “Trans” molecules have the active atoms on opposite sides of the bond, while “cis” molecules have them on the same side:

```auto

Cl H
  \ /
   C=C 
  / \
 H Cl trans-dichloroethene

Cl H
  \ /
   C=C 
  / \
Cl H cis-dichloroethene

```

Grim

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-lady-boys/263463/24 "2004-09-09T12:57:36Z")

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> [@aegypt](#):
>
> Isn’t “cis” a Latin root that means “on this side of”?

Which is (I guess) where the chemists got it from…

Grim

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