"Mothers don't stop Getting angry with stupid bigots who (mess) with their children!"

[Uncle Remus]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cher is taking to Twitter to defend her son Chaz Bono.

The superstar posted several tweets Wednesday defending his participation on the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars." Bono is the first transgender competitor on the hit ABC show.

Cher says her son, who was born female and underwent surgery to become a man, is being "viciously attacked" on blogs and message boards since the new cast was announced Monday.

"This is Still America right? It took guts 2 do it," Cher wrote, adding that she supports him no matter what he chooses to do.

"Mothers don't stop Getting angry with stupid bigots who (mess) with their children!" the 65-year-old singer wrote.

Link

Someone wrote "ABC should be ashamed of theirselves for harassing mainstream Americans," seriously?


And I'm not referrin' to the grammar.

 

[Princess Dolly]

I figured there would be a lot of fallout over this and that is truly horrid. Good for Cher (and Chaz).

 

[snapppyd]

Being the "first" to do something like this is never easy. I applaud him for his courage and for paving the way for those that follow. As for "christians", where is the love in their hearts?

 

[Planogirl]

You know that people will comment. This is still seen as weird and not in a good way.

Maybe he can teach some people a few things.

 

[MIGrandma]

It is only in the past couple of years that I have slowly changed my opinion of gay people but I really still can't wrap my brain around having complicated surgery (ies) to change a person's gender. And I have a hard time calling someone a "she" if they used to be a "he" and vice versa. I hold no animosity towards these people, and I try not to judge them as I know that is not my place, but I just don't get it, I really don't.

 

[snapppyd]

It is only in the past couple of years that I have slowly changed my opinion of gay people but I really still can't wrap my brain around having complicated surgery (ies) to change a person's gender. And I have a hard time calling someone a "she" if they used to be a "he" and vice versa. I hold no animosity towards these people, and I try not to judge them as I know that is not my place, but I just don't get it, I really don't.

They don't feel they are changing their gender; he always knew he was a man on the inside, his body just didn't match. I can't imagine having the courage it takes to make the physical change.

 

[punkin]

It is only in the past couple of years that I have slowly changed my opinion of gay people but I really still can't wrap my brain around having complicated surgery (ies) to change a person's gender. And I have a hard time calling someone a "she" if they used to be a "he" and vice versa. I hold no animosity towards these people, and I try not to judge them as I know that is not my place, but I just don't get it, I really don't.

I don't get it either, but that's really not my place to "get" it. If these people identify so strongly with another gender that they are willing to go through the surgeries, then they should have the opportunity and support to do it. It can't be easy for them.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

What I don't get is why anyone (especially supposedly mature adults) cares what other adults are doing with their own bodies or their own lives. Seriously. I'm amazed. What's to understand or not understand? It is what it is...accept it, move on.

I hope he (Chaz) does well.

 

[Princess Dolly]

Even within the gay/lesbian community, transgendered people are treated differently.

MaryAnn, I agree with you.

 

[shirleyb]

I don't "get it" either, but maybe that's because I can't understand what it feels like to be "trapped" in the wrong body.

Regardless, I couldn't care less what Chaz does, especially on a fluff show like DWTS. Why should any of us care who participates?

 

[Feckless]

I think Cher had a hard time dealing with it at first too, as any mother probably would. But she has been supportive and I love her tweet!

My own mother is 80. In recent years there was a debate in her church as to whether or not to have same sex marriages in the church. One of the ministers made some comments that she found to be discriminatory. She wrote him a letter and quit the church! She now goes to my church, which does perform same sex marriages (not a deciding factor for her, just one of many). I was SO proud of her!

 

[kamik86]

I'll admit I don't totally "get" it. Maybe its because I was meant to be a girl and was born a girl... I don't know. I mean many of the things I like to do are more "guy" things (playing video games, being an engineer, liking math, playing in the dirt and worms and legos as a kid and thinking Barbie was boring...) but I never thought that I should have been a boy, just that I liked their toys better.

The thing is it doesn't matter if I get it. Yeah the first time I meet someone like that in person it will probably take some getting used to, but you know what no matter how much I don't get it I don't think these people have any less of a right not to be harassed then I do.

I also don't get why people smoke, binge drink, feel the need to have fancy cars, etc etc. but that doesn't mean that people don't have a right to do that. I'm sure other people don't get why I need to go to Disney all the time even though I dont' have kids, why I want to work with a bunch of guys, why I waste so much time on video games etc. etc.

 

[DopeyDame]

I don't get it either, but that's really not my place to "get" it. .

Yup - I agree 100%. my first reaction is that it's sad that someone needs to have a complicated surgery to be comfortable with who he or she is, but that doesn't translate in the need to harass someone about it. The people who should be "attacked" are the bullies who feel the need to pick on someone they don't know, haven't met, and who hasn't effected their lives in any way, shape, or form.

 

[shortbun]

Being the "first" to do something like this is never easy. I applaud him for his courage and for paving the way for those that follow. As for "christians", where is the love in their hearts?

I think the label 'Christian' is just a banner some people carry so they can whisper hateful things behind it and think they got away with it. My concern about Chaz is his physical condition. He's carrying a lot of weight and injuries seem ineviitable. Got to applaud the guy for going for it though. I like the new stars; they seem to be more Alist.

 

[Uncle Remus]

It is only in the past couple of years that I have slowly changed my opinion of gay people but I really still can't wrap my brain around having complicated surgery (ies) to change a person's gender. And I have a hard time calling someone a "she" if they used to be a "he" and vice versa. I hold no animosity towards these people, and I try not to judge them as I know that is not my place, but I just don't get it, I really don't.

Here's part of an interestin' article about a Barbara Walters special:

From the moment we're born, our gender identity is no secret. We're either a boy or a girl. Gender organizes our world into pink or blue. As we grow up, most of us naturally fit into our gender roles. Girls wear dresses and play with dolls. For boys, it's pants and trucks.

But for some children, what's between their legs doesn't match what's between their ears -- they insist they were born into the wrong body. They are transgender children, diagnosed with gender identity disorder, and their parents insist this is not a phase.

"A phase is called a phase because it is just that. It ends. And this is not ending. This is just getting stronger," Renee Jennings told ABC News' Barbara Walters. The Jennings asked that "20/20" not disclose their real name in order to protect the identity of their 6-year old transgender daughter, Jazz.

Most transgender children still live in the shadows, hiding from a world that sees them as freaks of nature. Rejected by their families, many grow up hating their bodies, and fall victim to high rates of depression, drug abuse, violence and suicide.

Today, hundreds of families with transgender children -- who have found each other over the Internet -- are taking a dramatically different course. They're allowing their children to live in the gender they identify with in order to save them from a future of heartache and pain.

I'm A Girl--Understanding Transgender Children

 

[bdoyledimou]

The only controversy that should be surrounding Chaz and DWTS's is ABC claiming Chaz is "A Star".

Being a stars child doesn't make you a star.

The TG thing? who cares?!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I have never watched a full season of DWTS. I tuned in last season to see Kirsty Alley.

I plan on watching this season, speicifically to watch Chaz, Nancy Grace and Ricki Lake!

 

[tlbwriter]

Here's part of an interestin' article about a Barbara Walters special:

So sad that poor Jazz has to go through that, but on the other hand, what wonderful parental support!

As for understanding Chaz, as others have said, I don't need to understand why he did anything, just as no one needs to understand why I chose to marry the person I did, or to have a child. Let's face it, I don't understand a lot of things other people choose to do.

 

[babyrich]

The show is intended to entertain. Who cares who is participating???? I know we all say that we shouldnt judge others but we do. If you dont like the cast, dont watch the show. His life and how he lives it is not your business so keep your nasty comments to yourself. Last year all people could talk about is Kirstie Alley's weight. Some people need to put others down to feel better about themselves. You shouldnt make judgemental comments on things you dont understand.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I don't "get it" either, but maybe that's because I can't understand what it feels like to be "trapped" in the wrong body.

Regardless, I couldn't care less what Chaz does, especially on a fluff show like DWTS. Why should any of us care who participates?

I'm not a fan of either DWTS or Chaz either.

I'm just stunned that anyone thinks ABC is doin' this to harass mainstream America, how ridiculous.

And ftr, gawd, I hope I don't get points for this, I know plenty of Christians that support gays, lesbians 'n transgender folks so I fail to see much validity of one group against the other. Folks, one of the major arguments against gays, marriage 'n kids is a biological one rather than religious. I guess those folks never heard of invitro or adoption.