Cher's Daughter Transitioning From Female to Male

[southcitymom]

This may seem like a silly question, but since Chastity came out as a Lesbian years ago, but felt or feels that she should have been born a man, will she now be considered heterosexual after the transition to a he?

I don't think that's a silly question at all, txsvicki. I will say my transgendered friends (again - both male to female who before the transition considered themselves attracted to men) now feel heterosexual, BUT they are never far from their identity as "transgendereds" and with the GLBT community. I don't know if that makes sense, but when it comes to sexuality, I simply accept "what" you are as "what" you say you are - and they say they are heterosexuals.

One of the reasons I find transgendered issues and stories so interesting is that it really makes all of us look at the complicated issue of gender and sexuality with fresh eyes. As many have pointed out on this thread, it is a brave path to take and, in my experience, not a decision that is ever entered into without great consideration.

 

[southcitymom]

I had to read that a few times but agree he will have a whole new persona in his friendships.

I bet Cher, Dear Cher, has gone thru the stages of grief = anger, denial, etc., right down to acceptance. She was so in adoration of her beautiful little girl with those blond curls, who favored Sony so much, the love of her life.

Cher has inspired so many people on earth that I have this little feeling she will love him as much now as she did her back then.

And I think she will be happy again, though I think I saw in the NE that she is having some awful health problem right now.

Cher is awesome and has always struck me as the kind of person who can "handle" anything. I don't worry about Cher. And rightly or wrongly, I am going to assume that his Mother is probably a reason Chaz is brave enough to do something like this and to do it gracefully.

 

[Nova]

Cher is awesome and has always struck me as the kind of person who can "handle" anything. I don't worry about Cher. And rightly or wrongly, I am going to assume that his Mother is probably a reason Chaz is brave enough to do something like this and to do it gracefully.

I saw an interview with Cher years ago in which she talked about her shock at her own reaction to her daughter's coming out. As Cher put it, she has always had gay friends and, obviously, thousands of gay fans and colleagues. She admitted she wasn't as open-minded as she thought she would be, when it came to her own child. But by the time of the interview, she said, she had worked on herself and totally accepted her daughter as a lesbian.

So Cher's a person, too, and like the rest of us, grew up in a homophobic culture.

But my impression of that interview is that she is also a very thoughtful person and a mother who loves her kids.

I'm sure she and her (now) son will do just fine.

 

[Nova]

I don't think that's a silly question at all, txsvicki. I will say my transgendered friends (again - both male to female who before the transition considered themselves attracted to men) now feel heterosexual, BUT they are never far from their identity as "transgendereds" and with the GLBT community. I don't know if that makes sense, but when it comes to sexuality, I simply accept "what" you are as "what" you say you are - and they say they are heterosexuals.

One of the reasons I find transgendered issues and stories so interesting is that it really makes all of us look at the complicated issue of gender and sexuality with fresh eyes. As many have pointed out on this thread, it is a brave path to take and, in my experience, not a decision that is ever entered into without great consideration.

Well put. Sexuality and gender are spectrums and do not consist of clearly defined, opposite poles.

One of my stepchildren's uncles transitioned to female a few years ago. The last I heard, she had a girlfriend. So transgendered persons can be technically hetero or homosexual.

But in my experience, as yours, most still identify as "queer" or "GLBT."

This shouldn't surprise us. If we think about it, there is no particular common ground between gay men and lesbians, EXCEPT that we are all considered "other" or "abnormal" by mainstream society. The connection is political and cultural, not biological. Transgendered persons (regardless of sexual orientation) also share many of the same political and cultural realities.

 

[Nova]

Sorry you guys...
DISGUSTING!

I don't know if you mean the surgery itself is disgusting. If so, it's no more disgusting than most other surgeries, particularly those involving breasts and genitals.

Or maybe you mean gender transition itself is disgusting. If so, well, lots of us find it disturbing. But we should recognize the problem is ours, not that of the transgendered individual.

 

[southcitymom]

http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/12/chaz-bono-can-soon-tie-knot/

This article made me think of something I had not thought of in connection with transgendered issues. Chaz, as a male, will be able to marry his female partner - something that could not have happened if he remained female.

Now, I do not mean to imply that people would do something as complex as change their sex in order to be able to marry who they want to marry. As someone wisely said earlier in this thread - just because someone is gay does not mean they are a man in a woman's body or a woman in a man's body. I just think it's interesting in light of all the same-sex marriage hullabaloo - I wonder what proponents of "traditional" marriage would think of a transgendered legally tying the knot!

You can legally change your gender but you can't legally marry someone of the same gender.....????

 

[azwriter]

I had to read that a few times but agree he will have a whole new persona in his friendships.

I bet Cher, Dear Cher, has gone thru the stages of grief = anger, denial, etc., right down to acceptance. She was so in adoration of her beautiful little girl with those blond curls, who favored Sony so much, the love of her life.

Cher has inspired so many people on earth that I have this little feeling she will love him as much now as she did her back then.

And I think she will be happy again, though I think I saw in the NE that she is having some awful health problem right now.

Last I heard, Cher was sending out new birth announcements saying "It's a Boy."
I too wish Chaz luck and an easy transition.

 

[southcitymom]

last i heard, cher was sending out new birth announcements saying "it's a boy."
i too wish chaz luck and an easy transition.

lol!!

 

[Sal]

I don't mind sayin that I just don't get this. I mean there's just some things I'll never understand and that's fine by me. Some folks get it, some don't.

 

[southcitymom]

I don't mind sayin that I just don't get this. I mean there's just some things I'll never understand and that's fine by me. Some folks get it, some don't.

Though I feel like I "get" transgendereds on some level, your second sentence describes me to a tee!

 

[Sheromom]

You big bad Chilly Willy! Crack me up you do

I don't understand it but wish him well too. He is most likely a perfect candidate for the process having come out 20 years ago.

I wouldn't want to be a man unless I would have all the accoutrements to go along with it, that work. That must be the tricky part. I wonder if he has a partner yet. Dumb question I know, but he is attracted to women, right?

So....................do they get those parts to work?

 

[alsmom]

It's weird hearing the term he applied to Chastity. I have no problem with his/her choice however.

 

[gaia227]

I think besides getting the phalloplasty (inflatable tube) the person can start certain hormone therapy which will cause the clitoris to grow larger and once the clitoris has engorged to a certain point the clitoris will actually move into the position where a penis would naturally be. They perform surgery using the labia to create the scrotum and since the clitoris already contains 'erectile' tissue it allows for the person to get an erection normally. I would imagine that they would have to use some penile implants to create a more......well endowed person - I mean who wants to change into a man and have a small penis - because I can't imagine there would be enough tissue from the clitoris to create a whole, happy penis.

 

[yosande]

well, that's hollywood for ya.
Has Cher ever regretted raising her children around men who dressed like women?
No wonder her daughter is a mess.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

well, that's hollywood for ya.
Has Cher ever regretted raising her children around men who dressed like women?
No wonder her daughter is a mess.

With great respect to your post, this is not about Hollywood or the people you were surrounded by. I'm actually surprised to read a blaming post toward a parent and not understanding that no person chooses to be gay. It is who they are. Not the environment that lived in.

Sometimes, I believe we have come much further than we have. Then I am reminded, not so much.

 

[scandi]

So....................do they get those parts to work?

I think besides getting the phalloplasty (inflatable tube) the person can start certain hormone therapy which will cause the clitoris to grow larger and once the clitoris has engorged to a certain point the clitoris will actually move into the position where a penis would naturally be. They perform surgery using the labia to create the scrotum and since the clitoris already contains 'erectile' tissue it allows for the person to get an erection normally. I would imagine that they would have to use some penile implants to create a more......well endowed person - I mean who wants to change into a man and have a small penis - because I can't imagine there would be enough tissue from the clitoris to create a whole, happy penis.

Thanks Gaia as that makes it sound more like a doable deal. One nice thing for these 'men' is that the clitoris would still have all of it's sensitivity.

 

[sleutherontheside]

According to numerous reports....Sony was very accepting of Chaz / Chastity's coming out. Cher had a major problem with it and asked her to leave the house. It wasn't until Chaz / Chastity came out publicly and became an advocate for gay rights that Cher came to accept it. Ironically, Sony Bono was a republican in California and while he accpeted his daughter his political party did not.

 

[southcitymom]

well, that's hollywood for ya.
Has Cher ever regretted raising her children around men who dressed like women?
No wonder her daughter is a mess.

None of my transgendered friends were raised in Hollywood or around men who dressed like women!

 

[angelwngs]

Has anyone ever considered the irony of the meaning of Chaz's birth name "Chastity" ? Personally, I wish him the best and additionally, I congratulate him on changing his NAME! I'm pretty sure I would never have been thrilled about being tagged with the name "Chastity". I can just hear the school kids now chanting "Chastity" from one side of the playground and "Belt" from the other...or worse...

chas·ti·ty (ch

s

t

-t

)
n. 1. The condition or quality of being pure or chaste.
2. a. Virginity.
b. Virtuous character.
c. Celibacy.

 

[gaia227]

well, that's hollywood for ya.
Has Cher ever regretted raising her children around men who dressed like women?
No wonder her daughter is a mess.

Someone is a mess because they have made the decision to become transgendered? Quite the contrary - it is a lifechanging decision that requires someone to really dwelve within themselves and be honest about who they are and who they FEEL like they should be. That shows me Chasity is a women who is very in touch with who she is, has educated herself on what getting this surgery means and most importantly she is a person who has the strength to be honest enough with herself to make a very diffiult and serious decision that required a lot of thought and research. There are thousands of transgendered people living in this world who have nothing to do with Hollywood not to mention being around people who are transsexual (which is very different from being transgendered) is not going to cause someone to feel so strongly in their sexuality that they make the decision to change their sex. It is a much more complex issue than merely being exposed to men who dress in drag.