What is the difference?
Cisgender vs Transgender
Cisgender and transgender are paired words that describe how a person's gender identity relates to the sex they were assigned at birth. Neither is a judgement; together they let both experiences be named rather than treating one as the unspoken default.
Cisgender
Describes a person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.
Full entryTransgender
An umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
Full entrySide by side
In short
Cisgender means your gender identity matches the sex you were assigned at birth; transgender means it does not. Both are neutral, descriptive words.
What they have in common
Both describe gender identity, not sexual orientation, appearance or medical history, and people of either group can have any orientation or gender expression.
More comparisons
- TransgendervsIntersexTransgender is about who someone is; intersex is about how someone's body developed. Some people are both, most are one or neither.
- Affirmative consentvsEnthusiastic consentAffirmative consent is about getting a clear yes; enthusiastic consent goes a step further and cares whether that yes is truly wanted.
- Anxious attachmentvsAvoidant attachmentAnxious attachment leans in and needs reassurance; avoidant attachment leans out and needs space. Both people usually care deeply; they simply protect themselves in opposite ways.
- AsexualvsAromanticAsexual answers "do I feel sexual attraction?"; aromantic answers "do I feel romantic attraction?". A person can be one, both or neither.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Spotted a mistake?