Chastity Bono's Sex Change: Cher's Daughter Transitioning To Male

People:

Political and social activist Chastity Bono - the only child of entertainers Cher and the late Sonny Bono - began undergoing a sex change shortly after her 40th birthday on March 4.

Read the whole story: People

Comments

[pgkin]

I’m a college student who never thought much about gay and lesbian issues until taking a class dealing with “gender identity” issues. It's surprising that “science” doesn’t help much in the debates about whether a person’s “gender identification" is genetic, is something that is learned, is normal or not normal, or right or wrong. One of my course books, Gendered Lives (by Julia Wood), doesn’t take a position on whether gender is genetically determined, or whether its right or wrong, but instead addresses how the individual becomes aware of his or her particular gender role, from the inside by observing his/her own feelings and reactions as they grow and develop, and from the outside by learning from how other people see them, what they expect of them, what they think they are.
Chastity Bono comes across in the news stories as a sympathetic figure. She seems to be dealing with issues that have been difficult for her throughout her life, and she is finally making some various decisions on how to live her life.
This seems to be pretty relevant today, since gay marriage, military “don’t ask-don’t tell”, rights in the workplace, workplace benefit entitlement for domestic partnerships seem to be all coming to a head, and it may be that the celebrity of the Bono family may serve to “highlight” these issues to the mainstream who I think don’t probably think much about these issues until the know someone who is personally dealing with these issues.

[pgkin]

I’m a college student who never really thought much about gay and lesbian issues until having a class involving “gender identity” issues. It's surprising that “science” doesn’t seem to help much in the debates about whether a person’s “gender identification" is genetic, is something that is learned, is normal or not normal, or is right or wrong. One of my course books, Gendered Lives (by Julia Wood), doesn’t really take a position on whether gender is genetically determined, or whether its right or wrong, but addresses how the individual becomes aware of his or her particular gender role, from the inside by observing his/her own feelings and reactions as they grow and develop, and from the outside by learning from how other people see them and what they think they are.
Chastity Bono comes across in the news stories as a sympathetic figure. She seems to be dealing with issues that have been difficult for her throughout her life, and she is finally making some decisions on how to live her life.
This seems to be pretty relevant today, since gay marriage, military “don’t ask-don’t tell”, rights in the workplace, workplace benefit entitlement for domestic partnerships seem to be all coming to a head, and it may be that the celebrity of the Bono family may serve to “highlight” these issues to the mainstream who I think don’t probably think much about these issues until they know someone who is personally dealing with these issues.

[clemdane]

I believe that she believes she's a man, but I don't think you can just choose to become a man if you are a woman, and vice versa. I will be polite and address people by the name and gender they ask for, but that does not mean deep down that I believe they are the new gender. It is a polite fiction to go along with what to me amounts to a delusion, and since the sex change industry now has both the psychiatric profession and the law itself on its side it is something we will all have to go along with it. But there is a gut instinct, a gut understanding of gender that we develop early on from anatomy and the expression of secondary sex characteristics. And I am not talking about dolls vs. trucks. It's much deeper than that. People say they knew they were trans because they did or didn't play with Barbies as a child. Not conforming to sex role stereotypes does not make you a different gender. Asking us to somehow undo every instinct we have about male and female is too much, so we pretend but do not believe. Maybe a fraction of the people who do this have had this feeling from birth, but nowhere near the numbers actually participating. It's not enough to wish you had been born the other sex.

[JustMyWords]

I think you probably mean well, but you really have no idea what you're talking about.

You don't get accepted for sexual reassignment surgery just because you "wish you have been born the other sex." It's a long, drawn-out, and involved process before you ever get to the point of surgery. The surgery itself is not something anyone is going to do on a whim.

And I really have no idea what you think you mean when you say the "sex change industry" has the law on its side.

[Vincent Truman]

Talk about thinking outside of the box.

[OldHeathen]

Way to go HuffPost! And you have the nerve to speak of Iran blocking this web sight! You are the same when it came to ' free and open exchange of Ideas " Just because I do not believe in SRS, have simpthy for the mother, or wish to hear BOTH sides of the issue not just RAH RAH SRS !

In the persute of Equality, my greatest fear has always been the loss of Liberty, because we can all be equally in slaved !

[TurnToTheLeft]

Cher must have a unique perspective; considering the countless plastic surgeries she had to relieve her insecurities with her beautiful natural face and body. Every aspect of her face has had some plastic surgery; nose, cheeks, chin, eyes, lips; liposuction all over her body to eliminate cellulite; and all the botox and filler shots . The pursuit of Aesthetically appealing features gave way to an all out war on age and gravity. Cher has had the best work done and looks great - but it is weird - she was an adult when i was born - now she looks younger than I do. Cher broke barriers with all her plastic surgery and edified the notion that you can buy happiness and self acceptance with aid of plastic surgery. Chastity grew up seeing her mother constantly healing from plastic surgery to attain self-acceptance. I wish him all the luck. Cher will be able to give him tips on healing from plastic surgery. But will she be able to give any advice on self-acceptance?

[mergina]

Popeye said it..."I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam"......enjoy your new life Chaz.

[GayGrandpa]

I applaud him and wish him only the best! We should always support our children even when we do not understand, their happiness should be paramount in the priorities of any parent. He is forty, he knows what he is doing and he is doing what he wants. I applaud him and wish him every happiness and success!

[puddinpop]

I don't think s/he owes us an explanation. The idea of "going public" is silly. Why is the public entitled to information about the personal struggles of total strangers?

[Aabby]

in all seriousness, and this question is to the strictly lesbians, would you leave your woman if she decided to have this or would you stay in this now 'heterosexual' relationship?

[GayGrandpa]

Why is your question only to lesbians...as the gay grandpa...I venture my response is as worthy as any...with all do respect to all lesbians.

This is an interesting question and ultimately a powerful test to any relationship. I, as a gay man, (believe I) would follow my lover through such a choice but only after sometime of serious consideration and counsel. To say it was the only correct answer is obviously incorrect...this would be a touch (if not touchy) situation for many, but not all. Love is a powerful thing and when pushed I believe love can and perhaps can easily jump hurdles of choice and preference, but it does question the age old addage, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts." Aristotle, Metaphysica

[GayGrandpa]

I meant to say "tough"...

"this would be a tough (if not touchy) situation for many"

[HarlemFreeThought]

I hope Cher is taking this well. To be honest I as a gay man had a hard time accepting Chaz's revelation.
But it's her decision.

[littlerabbit]

Thanks, Chaz, for taking this to the public. Hopefully people will gain a better understanding of transgender decisions. My thoughts are with you.

[StoicRep]

She is on a strange sexual Oddessy, taking her perhaps into the Twilight Zone. Changing your sexual identification, might solve some problems, but ... what if your problem is actually something else?

[mitchdera]

It's not strange and it's certainly not "Twilight Zone". Where've you been?

[LiberalBuzz]

Okay good for...um Chaz. Chas?

[kimleehan]

If gay and lesbian people are given civil rights, than everyone will want them.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Good. Everyone needs them.

[mitchdera]

Yeah, go figure...LOL