Transgender - the "T" in LGBT.
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Chastity Bono has announced she has now chosen to be a man and will undergo sexual reassignment surgery.
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Celebrity daughter Chastity Bono is undergoing a sex change to become a man, her publicist announced Thursday.
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The gender-swap process began shortly after Bono's 40th birthday in March and more than a decade after she came out as a lesbian. Read more.
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Okay. Most of us know that in truth she will always be a woman biologically, although after surgery and stuff, she will have the physical characteristics of a man. There is a diagnosis for what she has, GID, or Gender Identity Disorder. Believe me, I am not making fun of her. Obviously the woman has issues. She also has the money to pay for her transformation, and there are doctors willing to oblige.
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What does this mean to the gay community however? What does this say to radical feminists? My first reaction was the primeval, "See - lesbians really just want to be men." I know - that is a generalization and not very PC.
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When Chaz came out as a lesbian it was supposed to be the happiest experience of her life - at least gay activists promote the idea that coming out is very special, an emancipating experience, freeing one from self hate and all the other torments of the closet. So why wasn't Chaz happy coming out as a lesbian? Why does she want to be a man? Where is her gay pride? Did she hate herself as a woman even after coming out as a lesbian? Will life be better for her being a man rather than a woman? She will still have those female chromosomes - although she may look like a man, act like a man, talk like a man - she won't really be a man. Does she imagine - believe - she will be heterosexual after surgery and testosterone treatments? Do other lesbians feel betrayed? Has Chastity Bono now found "normal"?
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I'm just asking.
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Chastity Bono has announced she has now chosen to be a man and will undergo sexual reassignment surgery.
.
Celebrity daughter Chastity Bono is undergoing a sex change to become a man, her publicist announced Thursday.
.
The gender-swap process began shortly after Bono's 40th birthday in March and more than a decade after she came out as a lesbian. Read more.
.
Okay. Most of us know that in truth she will always be a woman biologically, although after surgery and stuff, she will have the physical characteristics of a man. There is a diagnosis for what she has, GID, or Gender Identity Disorder. Believe me, I am not making fun of her. Obviously the woman has issues. She also has the money to pay for her transformation, and there are doctors willing to oblige.
.
What does this mean to the gay community however? What does this say to radical feminists? My first reaction was the primeval, "See - lesbians really just want to be men." I know - that is a generalization and not very PC.
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When Chaz came out as a lesbian it was supposed to be the happiest experience of her life - at least gay activists promote the idea that coming out is very special, an emancipating experience, freeing one from self hate and all the other torments of the closet. So why wasn't Chaz happy coming out as a lesbian? Why does she want to be a man? Where is her gay pride? Did she hate herself as a woman even after coming out as a lesbian? Will life be better for her being a man rather than a woman? She will still have those female chromosomes - although she may look like a man, act like a man, talk like a man - she won't really be a man. Does she imagine - believe - she will be heterosexual after surgery and testosterone treatments? Do other lesbians feel betrayed? Has Chastity Bono now found "normal"?
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I'm just asking.
Q. Didn't she write a "mommy dearest" book when she "came out"? Somewhere in my memory she wrote something about her mother's lesbian friend who cared for her. Wonder if there was any V.Monologue-type incident during those visits? Certainly, her upbringing wasn't very stable ... it is sad ... and given the recent report about children raised in ss households. -just my questions...
ReplyDeleteLegitimate questions they are Paula.
ReplyDeleteShe did have issues with her mom that were supposedly resolved eventually. She was actually outed by a tabloid - and only then did she do the coming out thing. Cher freaked - was not happy - then reconciled herslf to it.
I suppose there is a chance the sex-transistion is another kick to her mom - but no one would ever admit that
It's all pretty screwed up.
She just wants to bypass having periods and menopause and all that junk. Maybe I'll have the surgery too LOL! (Not!)
ReplyDeleteHas anyone ever seen this child look happy?
ReplyDeleteI can't help but feel sorry for Chastity. Growing up in Cher's household and being exposed to all the things she saw was not easy.
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ReplyDeleteYep - I really feel sorry for her too. Her childhood must have been insane.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how anybody can truly feel better after this surgery. It's mutilation. Get this woman to a good Catholic psychologist like Fr. Groeshel!!!
ReplyDeleteAngie - don't you think it has to boil down to delusional thinking, while at the same time there could be an element of novelty - in the sense of "Betty Lou's Got A New Pair of Shoes" or Patty LaBelle's "New Attitude" kind of way?
ReplyDeleteThere is not much "depth" to these people.
And yes - I feel sorry for her. Cutting off one's breasts is pretty Amazon.
Who says she wasn't happy or feeling liberated coming out? I'm sure the feeling of being trapped inside the wrong body is more difficult to deal with than the feeling of a need to announce that one is gay. Our lives are full of self discovery. Some individuals are able to deal quite early with how they are wired sexually. Others take decades to reckon with psycho-sexual issues in a way that is honest and integrating. Some never do. Thankfully it is becoming easier today for youngsters to ask questions about all of this. I don't know anything about Chastity Bono, other than that I remember her as an adorable child. I'd guess she has had to grow up in a challenging environment, with divorced celebrity parents.
ReplyDeleteFor all we know, she was born a hermaphrodite. Many years ago, I came across a challenging book by Michel Foucault, Herculine Barbin -- being the memoirs of a 19th century French hermaphrodite. It shook me to the core, and I believe this kind of condition should challenge anyone of faith; particularly those who think they undertand everything there is to know about human sexuality. Hermaphroditism is not normally the same condition as what most transexuals experience, but I bring it up because all of these issues are extremely complex, and they require respect, compassion and sensitivity, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs. I didn't comment on the previous thread -- but it is utter rubbish what that guy is saying. Yeah, St. Chrysostom said that sodomy was worse than murder too. So what? Perhaps it seemed to be - in his little corner of the universe in the fourth century. It's funny how many "trads" think it is their mission in life to string together all of these kinds of "proofs" that cement a position -- one that confirms them in their own beliefs. The Church's official position is almost always much more nuanced. The official take on homosexuality right now is three small paragraphs.
I realize it's a fun, catty discussion, much like the 10th grade chatter about the First Lady's clothing, but Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is a legitimate, serious physiological condition, and really isn't funny.
ReplyDeleteIt is worthy of discussion, but the tone is off.
I'm not being catty at all - I think the woman may indeed be that superficial - although I'm just making an educated guess here. But I think it unfortunate that she and others have been raised without emotional, moral, or intellectual and spiritual formation or direction. Neither Sonny or Cher have been known for great intelligence, much less high morals. Chaz obviously suffers from mental illness, her history is one of serious depression and substance abuse, as well as familial dysfunction.
ReplyDeleteI assure you - I really do feel sorry for her, and I do not see her tragic choice as a joke. GID is a serious mental illness - unless of course one was born with hermaphroditism. The tragedy there is that doctors have assumed the responsibilty of assigning gender at birth - which is a completely different story.
I sincerely doubt Chaz was born that way.
Also - my response to a non-published commenter:
ReplyDeleteChromosomes don't change - so yes, biologically Chaz will always be a woman. Cosmetically probably not. Emotionally and psychologically - only her therapist will know for sure. The "man" who was publicised as giving birth to a baby recently - and may be pregnant again - had his breasts removed during the transition process, but obviously kept the other equipment.
As a matter of fact, Transitionals from female to male hardly ever go through with penile construction. Transitionals from male to female fare better than the other, and usually go for the full transition - although many can't afford the full cut right away. That will change as insurance companies are obliged to offer coverage for such surgeries.
I have known 1 woman who went through with sex transition surgery. I have known 4 men who have done so as well. I was very close to one of them. I don't pretend to be an authority on the subject, but I have a better than average understanding of what this stuff is all about.
"Who says she wasn't happy or feeling liberated coming out?"
ReplyDeleteMichael - I'm sure she was - but it obviously didn't fix anything did it. I'm simply pointing out the transitory nature of it all.
Living on feelings and emotions - that's an unrealistic existence.
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