Aryan, the son of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, has gone viral on the internet after his most recent revelation. On Instagram, Aryan, Bangar's son, documented his 10-month hormonal transformation. After the process was completed, the cricket player's name was changed from Aryan to Anaya. After this news has surfaced, people seem to struggle understanding the difference between Cisgender and Transgender. Let's know the difference.
What does being Cisgender mean?
Cisgender refers to people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth. For instance, if someone is born as a male and identifies as a man, or if someone is born with female anatomy and identifies as a woman, they are considered cisgender. In Latin, "cis" means "on this side," while "trans" means "on the other side." 'Cisgender' is a term that helps individuals distinguish between those whose gender matches their birth sex and those who experience a different gender identity.
A person who identifies as a girl or woman and was assigned female at birth is known as a cisgender woman. An individual who identifies as a boy or man and was assigned male at birth is known as a cisgender man.
What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
In her Instagram post, Anaya disclosed the struggles of undergoing a hormone replacement therapy and the physical changes that came with it. In a post that she shared, he said, "I never thought I'd have to consider giving up the sport that has been my passion, my love and my escape. But here i am, facing a painful reality. As a trans woman on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), my body has changed drastically. I've been losing the muscle mass, strength, muscle memory and the athletic abilities I once relied on. The game I have loved for so long is slipping away from me.
"My testosterone levels are down to 0.5 nmol, the lowest it can be for an average Cisgender woman. Despite this, I still don't have a place to represent my country or play at professional level as my authentic self," she added.
Hormone Replacement Therapy is generally used to replace hormones that the body is no longer producing in enough amounts. In Anaya's case, feminising hormone therapy, or HRT for male-to-female transition, involves using prescription drugs to decrease male secondary sex traits and develop female ones.
Anaya in her post has mentioned that despite her testosterone levels being down to 0.5 nmol, which is the lowest it can be for a woman, she is barred from playing cricket at a professional level.
What does Transgender mean?
Transgender, often shortened to trans, refers to people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, someone assigned female at birth may identify as a man, or someone assigned male at birth may identify as a woman. Transgender individuals may also identify as nonbinary, meaning they don’t feel fully male or female, or feel like they fall outside the traditional categories of gender.
Transgender individuals usually undergo sex change operation to completely transform into the gender they wish to identify as.
Difference between sex and gender
It is a common misconception to think that 'sex' and 'gender' are the same thing. Well, it is not! There is a biological component to sex. Usually, it is divided into two groups: men and women. Another name for it is natal sex or biological sex. 'Sex' can be related to your chromosomes, hormones and sexual anatomy.
Gender on the other hand is related to how the world sees you. Norms, roles, and expectations that are considered usual for girls, women, boys, and men make up this group. Based on a person's biological sex, society assigns them a gender role.
