Hey, Cis! is a weekly head-on conversation about current affairs and gender-based issues affecting trans and non-binary youth, students and adults within our Maritime community.

We take on difficult topics; breaking us out of the binary, smashing stigma and fostering greater connection between our cisgender community and trans, gender creative and non-binary community.

Have you heard the one about:

‘How do you know if a toy is for a boy or girl?…

If you operate the toy. with your genitals, it’s NOT-for-children.  If you don’t… it’s for everyone.’

We live in a hyper-gendered world.

And the notion of having to use gen-neutral pronouns send some people into a deep-dive of confusion, fury and eye-rolling mania.​

As of 2020, health officials in Nova Scotia are seeing approx. 2 to 3% of the population identifying under the transgender umbrella. The IWK (our local children’s hospital that services all of Nova Scotia and extends beyond in the Maritimes), sees more than 100 new referrals every year to the IWK Trans Health team.

Why the growing numbers?

​It’s because visibility, support and awareness are all growing. Conversations are happening. We’re super grateful for this, but also recognize we are miles away from where we, as a supportive community, need to be. 

Hey, cis folks — we need your support and awareness!

Our Canadian Human Rights Code, under Bill C-16 is pretty clear; it’s not ok to discrimination based on gender identity.

It’s illegal.

And yet, non-binary, gender creative and transgender kids all across Canada are being told in schools, in homes, in the messages they receive from advertising, books and marketing every single day that they’ve a box to be in — and this box was given to them the moment their genitals were examined.

Vagina = Female

Penis = Male

To attempt to live outside these 2 boxes, will bring end-of-the-world shame upon you and your household.  Teachers afraid of backlash from parents. Parents afraid of teachers turning their kids trans… or gay … because they can’t tell between the two.

Where and when did we get so confused?

Let’s break it open:

• What if it isn’t all between our legs? 
• What if those messages from our brain operate independently of our nether region? 
• Will this new knowledge shake up your ideals?
• Your values?
• Shift the way you see the world?

​We’re hoping for the latter, with a heavy topping of whipping cream — because our light-hearted, life-saving conversations are meant to enlighten and shake-up the status quo. We’re hoping for A LOT of light here.

The info fuelling our status quo simply isn’t correct.

And… even worse, it is harmful.

Episode #1 is an intro to us, Isaac and me, and WHY we want to shake up this narrative with you.  From two very different perspectives; different generations and different gender identities. 

Right here, right now: there IS something going on beyond the binary. We’d love it if you’d join us.

#inclusionmatters

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Deeper Dive…

Isaac and Cynthia talk candidly about finding the word trans, eye-opening awareness and re-evaluating gender.

For Isaac this was a very personal exploration.

“The clouds opened up and it was like a whole new day. A lot of people don’t realize, just having a word for something that you’re feeling, helps validate that so incredibly.”

Cisgender (Cis) — what’s it means anyway?

Cis is the latin term for ‘on the same side of’ and simply put describes someone who’s sex as assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity. It aligns with who they are on the inside.

Gender identity is ones innermost sense of self as a man or as a woman or lying somewhere in between these gender lines; or as lying outside these gender lines altogether.

Dive deeper: Check out Oprah Winfrey’s Soulful Sunday talk with Janet Mock. It’s Oprah’s ‘aha moment’!

Talking pronouns — anyone with a gender neutral name out there?

Why are pronouns so important?

Like, they can be life-saving because of their life-affirming nature for trans and gender questionning youth. Dive deeper with our 30 mins. Lunch & Learn, Perfecting Pronouns.

Being trans is not equal to being gay.

One is an identity; the other a sexual orientation. And there is no one way to be trans. Think of gender identity as lying on a spectrum as opposed to being a ‘two choice box’ categorization we’re expected to tick.

In this episode we talk phases, exploration and space. If you’re a parent who’s child, niece, nephew, grand-child is gender questionning — let’s break it down.

What if it IS a phase?

We hope you dive in and enjoy our first 35 minutes. Wish to add to the conversation or ask us a question?

Email connect@simplygoodform.com and we’ll be sure add your voice to the conversation in an upcoming episode!