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

[Liberty Belle]

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!

Wow. I'm proud of her, too, and I don't even know her!

 

[Tuffcookie]

Once you become a mom, your whole outlook on everything changes.

Chaz is so blessed to have someone in his corner, like Cher!

TC

 

[Liberty Belle]

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.

Oh, I didn't quite understand at first what they meant. So, they're saying that ABC chose Chaz to be on the show to "harass mainstream America?" I have no words.

 

[snapppyd]

Well they did subject us to Chris Brown

Seriously, just don't watch if it bothers you!

 

[Jennasis]

People who don't get it, don't have to. It doesn't matter if you do or if you don't. All that matters is the individual who is living that life, finding a way to live their life with inner peace.

It really did take courage for Chaz to do the show for a variety of reasons. I wish him well.

 

[snapppyd]

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.

But to be fair, more understanding could lead to more acceptance. The world has changed so much, sometimes it's hard for the "older" generation to "get" it. I don't think anyone should be condemned for saying they don't understand, maybe they are trying to learn.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Well they did subject us to Chris Brown

....and Kate Gosselin!

 

[ols386]

Once you become a mom, your whole outlook on everything changes.
Chaz is so blessed to have someone in his corner, like Cher!

TC

That is so true.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

Meh, if Chaz was so hung up on being picked on for his decisions, he wouldn't be going on DWTS IMHO.

Does he deserve it? Of course not, but if he was gonna be all that bothered by it, he wouldn't be doing it.

Perhaps he's doing it simply TO get the publicity, kwim? Bring it out, bring it on. Put it out there in the public eye?

Whatever, I just hope he's happy with his decisions.

 

[krcit]

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?!

I don't watch DWTS but I think I will this season just to show my support for Chaz. Of course I don't understand what it is like to be TG but if it were one of my children or future grandchildren, I would want them to feel supported.

 

[Uncle Remus]

But to be fair, more understanding could lead to more acceptance. The world has changed so much, sometimes it's hard for the "older" generation to "get" it. I don't think anyone should be condemned for saying they don't understand, maybe they are trying to learn.

Maybe they forgot about Christine Jorgensen.

On December 1st 1952 readers of the New York Daily News were greeted with the headline "Ex-G.I. Becomes Blonde Beauty: Operations Transform Bronx Youth" and Christine Jorgensen became the first transsexual to be afforded celebrity status. By the time Christine arrived back in New York in 1953, after her surgery in Copenhagen, she was greeted at the airport by no fewer than three hundred journalists jostling for the chance to write her story. American Weekly, a popular Sunday newspaper supplement subsequently paid Christine U.S.$20,000 for an exclusive interview which catapulted her into a household name and ignited the interest of the world press. By March / April of 1954 journalism trade publication "Editor and Publisher" announced that more newsprint had been dedicated to Christine than any other individual in that same period, with more than one and a half million words, the equivalent of approximately fifteen full length books, being printed.

 

[tlbwriter]

But to be fair, more understanding could lead to more acceptance. The world has changed so much, sometimes it's hard for the "older" generation to "get" it. I don't think anyone should be condemned for saying they don't understand, maybe they are trying to learn.

There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't understand." The bad thing is saying "I don't understand and therefore it's bad." I don't like promoting the idea that one must "understand" something in order to accept it. I cannot fathom why anybody would want to sleep with Paris Hilton, for example. But does that mean I should get up in arms when someone decides to do that?

 

[snapppyd]

There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't understand." The bad thing is saying "I don't understand and therefore it's bad." I don't like promoting the idea that one must "understand" something in order to accept it. I cannot fathom why anybody would want to sleep with Paris Hilton, for example. But does that mean I should get up in arms when someone decides to do that?

I totally agree with you!

 

[DWGal210]

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?!

I feel the same way. Where are the "Stars"?!

As for the Christian thing....I put myself in certain religious, political & social groups but that doesn't mean I always agree with everything someone else in said groups says or does. Within groups there are many variations of beliefs, so I hate it when all Christians are painted with same brush.

 

[snapppyd]

Maybe they forgot about Christine Jorgensen.

touche! But I consider myself "older" (54) and that was slightly before my time. It really isn't something that has been that common and that is the only reason I was saying maybe understanding could help lead to acceptance

 

[DWGal210]

I like this - well put!

There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't understand." The bad thing is saying "I don't understand and therefore it's bad." I don't like promoting the idea that one must "understand" something in order to accept it. I cannot fathom why anybody would want to sleep with Paris Hilton, for example. But does that mean I should get up in arms when someone decides to do that?

 

[Stitchfans]

Did not read all the rest of the responses. Good for Chaz.... Chasity or whomever he/she wishes to be. He is not doing anyone any harm. I respect his mother, Cher for standing up for her child. My only concern is his weight. I am well over weight and know how strenuous it would be to try to keep up with those dancing moves. Sure hope he is healthy enough and no harm comes his way.

 

[Uncle Remus]

touche! But I consider myself "older" (54) and that was slightly before my time. It really isn't something that has been that common and that is the only reason I was saying maybe understanding could help lead to acceptance

I'm a li'l older than you 'n I can't remember what I did yesterday.

I'm thinkin' Chaz has brought the topic to the forefront.

Anyone remember Dr. Renee Richards?

Dr. RICHARDS: Well, that's a very good question, John. It would be very different. First of all, there was no word when I did it called transition. That would be a strange word for my time. It was Christine Jorgensen had a sex change, and then Dr. Renee Richards had a sex change. The world was very unfamiliar with someone who was transgendered, or of a transsexual bent. Even the word transgendered wasn't coined when I went through all this.

The public knew very little about the whole process or the problem to begin with. Psychiatrists hardly knew anything about it. There were no support groups. There were only a few people in the world who were doing the surgery. There was a study group at Johns Hopkins, which eventually gave up advising surgery. There was a doctor in Casablanca who was doing most of the cases throughout the world, and especially on Americans, too. So it was a world in the dark about the problem of gender dysphoria.

And now, as I read when I went back to my alma mater, to Yale, to give a master's tea a couple of years ago, I read in the program of a Yale syllabus for the month: Trans Week at Yale.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Dr. RICHARDS: Trans Week at Yale would have been like somebody in the Middle Ages thinking of going to an airport and flying to St. Louis from New York. It was totally unheard of. So things would have been a lot different for me. It would have been a lot easier. I would have had access to a lot of information and counseling and good treatment.

 

[cabanafrau]

My first thought when hearing that Chaz was going to be on DWTS honestly was I hope he's been thoroughly cleared by his doctor to take this on. Nothing to do w/ gender issues, simply his weight. I don't mean that in a nasty way at all. I've noticed he doesn't seem to move around easily & he's going to be forced to do so much participating in the show.

I know Kirstie Alley did it and was fine, but for some reason Chaz has me feeling uneasy. Please let me be wrong and definitely let him be okay.

 

[DisneyCher]

My first thought when hearing that Chaz was going to be on DWTS honestly was I hope he's been thoroughly cleared by his doctor to take this on. Nothing to do w/ gender issues, simply his weight. I don't mean that in a nasty way at all. I've noticed he doesn't seem to move around easily & he's going to be forced to do so much participating in the show.

I know Kirstie Alley did it and was fine, but for some reason Chaz has me feeling uneasy. Please let me be wrong and definitely let him be okay.

My first thought was to wonder whether Chaz agreed to do DWTS to lose some weight, actually. Most celebs who do DWTS have gotten in much better shape as a result of the show (not Bristol Palin, though )