# Do the existing rules prohibit people from debating the gender of people who identify as transgender?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [December 5, 2020, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272 "2020-12-05T05:45:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/41 "2020-12-06T02:39:40Z")
Thanks for forwarding this to me. Are used to lurk occasionally on the board before the big changeover, though I no longer bother, since I can’t search and kind of just lost interest. I’m not really on social at all, I am too busy.
---
### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/42 "2020-12-06T02:41:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Mind you I am one of those that think “cis” should be banned in casual use like “tranny” (unless it is the tranny on your 61 Chevy Impala) or “negroid” since they are too often used as a pejorative. That was the only argument I had with Una.
“Cis” is just the term for not trans people. Just like “English” is the word for not Amish people. What do you propose should be the word?
Please please don’t say “normal.”
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/43 "2020-12-06T02:46:05Z")
**Modhat** : It looks like you’re asking for a warning with this one. Did you think it would be funny?
So here it is an official warning. Don’t be a Jerk.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/44 "2020-12-06T02:49:29Z")
Welcome back **Eve**. I hope you visit us a little more often.
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/45 "2020-12-06T02:49:48Z")
Sure and “Negroid” is the word for Black people. But we dont use that commonly, or “negro”- why is that? Because it is too often used as a pejorative by bigots.
Google _“die cis scum”_ someday. Altho the usage can certainly be neutral it is also too often used as a pejorative by bigots.
_Normal_ means "_conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected."_ Not my first choice, but usually in contect you dont need to use any modifier at all.
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/46 "2020-12-06T02:53:04Z")
> [@Boudicca90](#):
>
> Transmen are men, transwomen are women
How about “transmen are whatever they choose to be called”?
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/47 "2020-12-06T02:53:35Z")
Welcome back.
---
### Author:  [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/48 "2020-12-06T02:55:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> How about “transmen are whatever they choose to be called”?
Friendly amendment: everybody is whatever they choose to be called.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/49 "2020-12-06T02:57:54Z")
CIS is a fairly new term for a lot of us, but it is not a pejorative at all.
* * *
> [@BigT](#):
>
> I’m all for giving you time since you’re new. But do realize this is an old problem, and one I’ve personally fought for years. I’ve pointed out before that I got a PM from about trans people leaving (though I’ve refused to name any names, out of a promise).
I know this is an ongoing issue, though I only learned of it recently. But I can’t try to help with the issue when I don’t really know what the issue is. That is what I meant by a “little patient”. I have to come up to speed. I need posters to patiently explain the issues also as no one in their right mind would want to read through that Rowling’s thread.
So hopefully that is what part of this thread will be. That is why I was offering up a new thread earlier. I think the misogyny problems are improving. Well, maybe this could be a chance for the transphobic issues to start getting improved.
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/50 "2020-12-06T03:02:00Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#):
>
> Friendly amendment: everybody is whatever they choose to be called.
Exactly. Use whatever restroom you wish, but :
dont pee on the seat, dont flush non flushables , and wash your damn hands.
---
### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/51 "2020-12-06T03:03:04Z")
Holy shit, **Eve** , it’s delightful to see you! I hope the board can become a place you’d want to hang out more.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/52 "2020-12-06T03:03:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> and wash your damn hands.
For at least 20 seconds until the pandemic is done.
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/53 "2020-12-06T03:06:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> CIS is a fairly new term for a lot of us, but it is not a pejorative at all.
Did you google “die cis scum”? About 452,000 results. It is most definitely used as a pejorative. Not that it is all the time.
Let us take “Negro”- should we use that to refer to a black person? Well, if they prefer it, sure. But in general, it was used too often as a pejorative, so no. But if I refer to the United Negro College Fund, it most certainly is not a pejorative.
Context is everything, of course.
So I dont report it. But do be careful and do know it _can_ be a pejorative.
---
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/54 "2020-12-06T03:10:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Did you google “die cis scum”? About 452,000 results. It is most definitely used as a pejorative. Not that it is all the time.
How many hits do you get if you Google “jew them down?”
Does that mean we should prohibit the word “Jew” on the boards?
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/55 "2020-12-06T03:11:33Z")
Thank you, I couldn’t think of a good way to say what you basically just said.
---
### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/56 "2020-12-06T03:12:38Z")
And if you Google “die Black scum” you’ll also find hits. Does that mean Black is a pejorative?
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/57 "2020-12-06T03:13:34Z")
In context, maybe. “Jew you down” would be one of them, “Damn Jews ruining peace in the Middle East” might be one. _Jewish people_ or _people of the Jewish faith_ is better in many contexts.
Alright, I agreed that cis should only be banned in certain contexts. But it can be misused.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/58 "2020-12-06T03:20:35Z")
Sadly almost any word can be misused and abused.
* * *
Leaving off this mostly side issue:
- What can the Mods do to make the place more Trans-friendly, more of a safe place?
- What should we be looking for and watching out for?
Remembering, I am only gathering information for the modloop and am actually a newby mod.
* * *
Also a request, it is very easy to respond in anger in threads. Try to hold back and flag offensive posts and use Something Else and explain what is offensive. Once you reply in kind, we really have to treat both posts as violations of the rules. _(All of this excluding the Pit of course)_
---
### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/59 "2020-12-06T03:26:28Z")
DrDeth has been trying to convince folks for _years_ that “cis” is a pejorative, without notable success. Maybe we could not hijack this thread into another ride on that carousel?
---
### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2020, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/60 "2020-12-06T03:31:14Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> All of this excluding the Pit of course)
You know, I dont think that bigoted shit should be allowed there either.
But hey.
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272.md?page=2)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272.md?page=4)