Chaz Bono: Why I'd Like To Talk To Brangelina

E! Online:

In Becoming Chaz, the new documentary about Bono's transitioning from female to male, he says he'd now love to have Chiklis' physique...

"I hate it when that kind of stuff happens," Bono tells me when we sit down to talk in a meeting room at his publicist's office. "In my first book, I wrote innocently enough about my mom being friends with [Charlie's Angels star] Kate Jackson and I had a crush on her. It just went viral. It's the last thing I wanted to do, to make somebody feel awkward or uncomfortable. Hopefully, he doesn't hate me because I'm a big fan. I was a big fan of The Shield."

Read the whole story: E! Online

Comments

[eve mahar]

01:22 PM on 05/16/2011

Chill out people. Chaz isn't going to go breaking down Brangelina's door and convert Shiloh to being trans. He was asked about it, and said he had resources if they ever wanted to explore them, to get more information. That's all. Nobody is trying to force a child into anything here.

[Robyn Baylor]

07:22 AM on 05/12/2011

I think that he should leave well enough alone. What he wants to do with his life, his body, his soul is his business, but meddling in the life of someone's child is another. I was tomboyish like Shiloh growing up & I had my own issues, but as I got older, I worked thru it. If Shiloh is still having identity issues by the time adulthood comes & she wants to talk to him then fine. Offer advice. But until that time & that day comes, Chaz needs to butt-out.

[All-hat-no-cattle]

08:02 AM on 05/12/2011

RB, I'm fanning and faving over here, though the fan is actually
because you supported my long spiel about Mr. Bono's sudden
interest in child development.

Also, I heartily agree with your comment above. You are so right on,
and thanks for clarifying that some girls can be "tomboyish" and
still mature into women whose identity is female.

By the way, are you from "Baylor" (the University in Dallas),
given your name?

F & F!

[KrazyJay]

11:08 PM on 05/11/2011

As a gay man, I can certainly sympathize with coming to terms with "who you are" as opposed to what society's labels say you must be. Having said that, I am still confused about his motivations. Undergoing sexual reassignment is usually a very highy confidential ordeal, and very private decision among the transgendered and their loved ones - for Chaz, it has become a very public career. Instead of this being a footnote in a life, it is more of a circuit gig. For a person of his age (and connections) to have to borrow 10 grand - speaks more of the "attention seeking" motivations than anything else. Chaz is an attention starved celeb-wannabe who has shocked his way into a headliner.

If he wanted to be like the rest of us - he could have went to college and got a job. These children of celebs who feel entitled to super-stardom without benefit of a talent is beyond me. I feel for Chaz and his struggles, but the public exhibition of the transition is grotesque and is a mockery of the struggle transgendered people without famous parents have to endure everyday, as well as those of us who continue to struggle as members of sexual minorities everywhere.

Chaz, I'm sorry your parents didn't pay you enough attention. I'm sorry you were born in a woman's body. Get over yourself, and get a real life.

[eve mahar]

01:13 PM on 05/16/2011

The only reason sexual reassignment is usually private and confidential is because of the stigma and shame that goes along with it in our society. You sound as bad as the people that say gay people should stay in the closet because it's a private issue. Chaz is going public to help educate others, and because he would have been publicly outed anyway. This way he can tell his own story. He goes through the same struggles any trans person goes through. Have a little respect.

[scottyknows]

06:51 PM on 05/11/2011

Anyone who has seen Chastity Bono from the time she was held on stage in the 70's until now reacts with sadness for whatever led her to this confusion.

[eve mahar]

01:14 PM on 05/16/2011

Not true at all. I'm happy for Chaz for finding himself, and being true to himself. As is most of his own family.

[Mugzi]

03:34 PM on 05/11/2011

Maybe "chaz" should leave well enough alone...she/he is hardly a role model for whatever fountain of knowledge...

[Supersteel]

11:05 AM on 05/11/2011

She was certain she was gay.
 
Now he's certain he is heterosexual but just in the wrong body
 
I hope that this certainty lasts longer than the last one.

[Ktbu Lfu]

08:04 AM on 05/11/2011

Why do people feel a need to make ALL their personal issues and thoughts public?

[Said One]

09:05 AM on 05/11/2011

Yeah BP and AJ are always doing that so the best is to ignore them completely - Chaz should have said no comment - instead of giving them attention

[eve mahar]

01:21 PM on 05/16/2011

you're right- just like us gays should stay in the closet and keep it to ourselves. *eyeroll*

[Ktbu Lfu]

07:12 AM on 05/17/2011

I don't think that was my point "eyeroll" right back atcha

[cinemaven]

07:00 AM on 05/11/2011

This headline speaks perfectly to why Chaz said he doesn't like to talk about anyone famous. He didn't ever use the word Brangelina, he was answering a question about BP and AJ's daughter wearing tomboyish clothing and he said to let kids do what they do and they'll be ok... he also said the media talking about Shiloh sheds some light on gender identity but no one should assume anything about her dressing boyishly.

Taking his words and turning them into this headline when the article is about something serious and personal is just wrong.

As to Shiloh, a little girl with big brothers would be foolish to be wearing dresses all the time.... any former tomboy knows that most of us grow up happy with our gender identity. I had three younger girly girl sisters but all my friends were boys and my mom finally gave up trying to dress me up and started letting me wear jeans because of the wear and tear climbing trees and catching frogs caused to nice clothes. Today, as a 51 yr old, you wouldn't know I was a tomboy unless you had a bat in your house and needed someone to catch it quickly and put it outside for you.

[All-hat-no-cattle]

08:08 AM on 05/12/2011

Hey, cinemaven! Enjoyed your comment, and here we are.
But, we gotta stop meeting like this. People talk!

OK, I agree with your last paragraph completely, and will give it one fave!
(Wish that could give it five!) Thanks for defending tomboy-girls as still
capable of having a full blown, mature identification as a female. Yes we can!

And a fave for the bat-catcher will have to be invisible for now, but I salute you
as one brave chick with a resounding yee-haw!

[Said One]

04:44 AM on 05/11/2011

Best thing to do is ignore them and BP and AJ will become irrelevant and I only clicked on this article because I saw a pic of Chaz AND THE megastar Cher who has had hit music every decade - shame on him for giving BP and AJ a few more minutes of fame

[Ina Dolce]

02:41 AM on 05/11/2011

Dr. Antonia Caretto, Ph.D shares that a study published this month reported that the rate of autism spectrum disorders among children and adolescents with gender identity disorders was eight times what would be expected by in the general population.

Gender dysphoria probably has more to do with autism than it has to do with being a little girl who doesn't like wearing dresses. Lots of women, including myself, didn't like wearing dresses. Women don't need Bono suggesting that means anything more than pants are much easier to climb trees in.

[All-hat-no-cattle]

06:06 AM on 05/11/2011

Your comment suffers from tremendous confusion.

First, you site a doctor who "shares a study published this month", though you
don't tell us where she shared it. Next, you're reporting co-morbidity, or the
co-occurrence of two child psychiatric disorders, though your report of
the finding doesn't make sense. What I believe that you're trying to report is
that the rate of children and adolescents who have autism spectrum disorders
is eight times greater in those with gender identity disorders than in the general
population [of kids and adolescents]. Or, is it the other way around? We don't
know because your syntax is confused and we don't have a link to the study.

Next, you're making an extrapolation from the finding, but the reader can't know
if the conclusion is yours or from the study. You say that "gender dysphoria
probably has more to do with autism than it has to do with being a little girl
who doesn't like wearing dresses." But how can you conclude that from what
you've reported?

From an understanding of both conditions, how can you make such a
sweeping generalization that "gender dysphoria" has more to do with
autism, when that's not what you've reported?

It is not only customary--but obligatory--to cite journals and links of
scientific studies, rather than to try to extrapolate from them yourself.

I would caution readers not to draw any conclusions from the above comments.

[thoreau101]

07:12 AM on 05/11/2011

Nor should readers draw any conclusions from your comments.

[treboi]

02:18 AM on 05/11/2011

So I know a male to female transgender who went through the whole process now she wants to go back to being a man. I'm wondering if chaz stopped short of going full transgender because he has similar thoughts?

[MissRoseNylund]

11:03 AM on 05/11/2011

Chaz has said that the medical technology for giving male genitalia is still not very good. He wants to wait until it improves before finishing the process. He's going to a conference where they will be discussing new methods, to see if there is anything in the near future.

[nippyfan]

02:08 AM on 05/11/2011

Okay everybody and Chaz, relax, Shiloh is four years old. At four she may want to eat mud pies and dead flies, I wouldn't call that an eating disorder. Boy clothes are probably more comfortable and maybe the kid doesn't like pink. Project much? Jeesh

[Gracey28]

02:04 AM on 05/11/2011

My heart goes out to Chaz. He has so much courage. I do hope he gets some help with his weight though. After all he does want to be healthy.

[R U Mad]

08:25 AM on 05/11/2011

LMAO!

Apparently not enough! This thing lives in a state of perpetual confusion and does not know what it wants!

[All-hat-no-cattle]

01:34 AM on 05/11/2011

Brad and Angie: Just Say No!

Say what?? This is the height of intrusivenss and I call foul.
I always cringe when those without proper training begin to
probe around into another's psyche, despite how well-intended
they may be.

Does Mr. Bono have training in the key developmental issues of a
child of 4 or 5 years of age? This is a critical developmental period,
but it doesn't require the intrusion of a trans-gender person to facilitate
the process of a child's sexual identification.

Does Mr. Bono even know what salient developmental tasks kids in this age
range must complete before moving on to the next period of development,
that of the latency phase?

Sexual identification as a primary developmental task isn't prominent
until the ages 7 to 11, a time that is known as the latency period.
That name derives from the dormant or "latent" status of a child's sexual
drives and concerns, normally deferred until the pre-pubescent and
pubertal phases.

Sexual IDENTIFICATION--when boys BEGIN to consolidate their identities
as males and girls as females--will CONTINUE through the teens and on
into adulthood.

Intrusiveness is my pet peeve. Those who assume to probe into
another's psyche--especially young children--without invitation,
proper training and beyond the level of their own competence
always cause me to wince because of their unrecognized problems in
boundary diffusion, regardless of how well meaning they may seem.

Brad and Angie, if Mr. Bono calls, "Just say no!"

[Francois Bergeron]

05:12 AM on 05/11/2011

as if they would listen to this nonsense. Everyone knows a kid goes through various stages. Chaz, butt out.

[All-hat-no-cattle]

06:08 AM on 05/11/2011

Fanned, faved.

[cinemaven]

07:05 AM on 05/11/2011

Chaz was asked a question about Shiloh and he said to let kids do what they do and they'll be ok... he also said the media talking about Shiloh sheds some light on gender identity but no one should assume anything about her dressing boyishly. This headline takes his comments out of context and makes it look like he thinks Shiloh might be transgendered which he never said or even intimated

[All-hat-no-cattle]

02:21 PM on 05/11/2011

He should have said, "No comment." Or, more honestly,
"I don't even know that child." Period.

He was a child-of-celebrity. He knows how invasive it is
for outsiders to speculate on the family lives of
entertainers.

What kind of "instant expert" do we have here?

[All-hat-no-cattle]

03:21 PM on 05/11/2011

Now, look what you've done! You've gone and made me
fall in love--with your wonderful attitude of humility and honesty.

Rarely, in this lifetime, have I encountered many folks who have
told me, "I'd love to argue with you, but you're absolutely right."

See, how smart you are? You've now got me eating out your hand,
with a fan and fave and a special bond of friendship.

Well done! I admire you!

[Edy Williams]

01:20 AM on 05/11/2011

Cer may help CHAZ shape up like if Sonny was still about, hope she takes chaz to follow Britneyr Spears to sing in Tacoma Super Dome where "Rammerstien" rock group is selling out. Chaz could sing with Cher there!.