A dysphoric cis individual (DCI), also known as a Cis Individual Experiencing Dysphoria (CIED) is someone who experiences gender dysphoria yet does not identify as transgender, non-binary, or transsex for a variety of reasons. These reasons could include, but are not limited to:
- Not wanted to adhere to the pressure of transitioning, socially and/or medically, or their own mental pressure to transition that they may experience if they adopt the label "trans".
- Having detransitioned due to reasons, yet still experiencing dysphoria.
- Feeling as if their dysphoria/euphoria is not intense enough to feel comfortable with the label "trans".
- Having body dysphoria but no social dysphoria, so feel no need to socially adopt the label "trans".
- Having an intersex condition that may cause dysphoric feelings, despite being assigned a binary gender they identify with.
- Feeling as if they should have a certain sex characteristic, yet still identify with their AGAB. (e.g. a cis male who wishes they could get pregnant, or a cis female who wishes they had a flat chest)
- Someone who has dysphoria due to gender-related trauma, but does not fit the trans experiences.
DCIs are not inherently LGBT+, yet would be if they identify with an LGBT+ sexuality. This is not to say they are unwelcomed or are a mockery to dysphoric cisn't individuals, but simply to say they don't fit the criteria to fall in the queer community.
Gender dysphoria which one experiences despite identifying as cisgender may be called cisphoria, with cisphoric as an adjective.
Dysphoria vs dysmorphia
Many individuals confuse dysphoria with dysmorphia, however the two are very separate. One who experiences dysphoria doesn’t always experience dysmorphia, and vice versa.
Dysphoria is a discomfort in ones sex or assigned gender, while dysmorphia is when one feels intense discomfort in their general body (not relating to gender.) Sometimes these experiences may overlap (gender dysmorphia,) however they do not always have to.
Cisgender Transsex Individuals
Some cisgender folk may identify as transsex which means that they do transition medicallly while still identifying as their AGAB. Some cisgender transsex people feel they should be a different sex, due to dysphoria around their sex characteristics, putting them under this label as well.
Is DCI problematic?
DCI in of itself is not problematic, so long as it is used in an appropriate manner, and is not used as an excuse of 'transition being unneeded.' This term is especially useful for intersex individuals who develop sex characteristics that do not align with their assigned gender, thus causing dysphoria.
The only time this term is inappropriate in use is if one were to use this term to describe transine individuals or as a way to claim a person isn't 'actually trans' or as justification to remove rights for medical transition.
Terminology
The terms DCI, CIED, cisphoria, and cisphoric were coined by Fandom user Acynical on April 9 of 2021.[1]