Photo By Kimby Caplan.

Once upon a time -- long, long ago in a land before Seth, in the year of our Lord 2021, I do believe 'twas-- I found myself filling out a dating profile online. As if filling out a dating profile for the first time in over ten years wasn’t already emotionally difficult enough, imagine my surprise upon learning that I was no longer A Man.

Or at least (as it has been repeatedly explained to me) that is not the box that I am supposed to check anymore. I am now considered a "Cis Man."

"Cis Man" is the title which refers to a person who was born male and continues to be male, and live their life as a male. The term "Man" (sans Cis) now refers to a person who chooses to live life as a man, but might have been physically born as something different.

So, let me get this straight: I need to change what I call myself, in order to confirm that I haven’t changed anything and continue to be what I’ve always been? Well, no, I don’t think I’ll be doing that.

That sounds dumb.

I'm a MAN. No qualifiers. I checked "Man" then, and I continue to check "Man" now.

I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but why can’t the people who have physically altered and mentally changed their disposition be the ones to also change their title?

If you don’t think deciding to call all of us naturally born men (who are still men and continue to identify as men) by the bizarre moniker of "Cis Man," just accept one little challenge from me: try explaining this new title, and the whole nonsensical concept, to anyone from my parent's generation.

My dad responded by saying, "Did you say sis? As in, sissy? You're a sissy man now? That's what the gays want to be called these days? Sounds like you're moving backwards, if you ask me."

I didn't feel like explaining to my dad that it wasn't just for gay men, that technically, in politically correct bizarro world, he was a Cis Man now, too.

I mean... my dad does have a point. It's an upsetting moniker, to say the least. Seriously, y'all? CIS was the best prefix you could come up with to indicate sustained masculinity? A homophone for what you call your female sibling?

Yeah. My parents won't be calling me a Cis Man anytime soon, and neither will I.