Chastity Bono wants a bona

[GMichael]

To each their own I guess, but this one is worth a wow. Do they call the operation an Addadicktome? Does this mean that she, uhm...., he will no longer be gay?
All kidding aside, it must take a lot of bravery to go though something this traumatic? And how traumatic must her life be to decide that this the solution? I hope it all turns out for him. But, wow.
I did know a guy who had the reverse done. She seems happy, but he never seemed unhappy before so I don't know.


Chastity Bono announces sex change

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...eyqHgD98OQMQ00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chastity Bono is having a sex change to become a man. A spokesman for Bono, born a girl to Sonny and Cher, says he "has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity" and began the sex-change process earlier this year. Publicist Howard Bragman said Bono is proud of his decision and hopes "that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue."

The 40-year-old writer, activist and reality-TV star came out as gay 20 years ago, Bragman said.

In the book "Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming-Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, & Their Families," Bono describes the realization of being "somehow different — specifically different from who my mom expected me to be."

A message left with Cher's representatives was not immediately returned Thursday.

Bono's second book, "The End of Innocence: A Memoir," details how relationships with Joan, a lover, and Sonny and Cher changed after coming out.

In 1995, Bono posed for the cover of the gay magazine The Advocate and began working for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

[ForeverAutumn]

It must be an incredibly difficult thing to go through life with your head telling you one thing and your body being the complete opposite.

I don't know much about this, but I don't think that gender identity issues are the same as being gay. In fact, I would argue that Chastity was never gay to begin with. If she feels so strongly about wanting to be a man that she is actually going to become one, I would say that she's not gay but just born into the wrong body. A birth defect of sorts.

I have had many gay and lesbian friends over the years and none of those friends have ever (as far as I know) felt so strongly about being the wrong gender that they would have surgery to change. One of my closest friends is a lesbian. She loves being a woman. She is very feminine and likes being pretty. Her partner feels the same way. I can't imagine that either of them has ever considered wanting to be a man (well, except for the obvious perks of better jobs, more money, and cheaper haircuts).

It takes a lot of courage for a person to be so open about being gay. It must take a thousand times that courage to do what Chastity is doing. I hope that this brings her (him) happiness or at least a sense of being who he is meant to be.

[GMichael]

I don't know if this was the case here, but I have heard of babies being born with both sexes. The parents and doctors often make a decision of which sex will be kept, and it's not always correct.

[Auricauricle]

The musician known as Wendy Carlos was originally born Walter Carlos, if you remember, and underwent sex-altering surgery to correct ambiguous organs that were neither male nor female (hemphroditic). Until the hormones do their work, fetuses are female. The presence of testosterone in the developing fetus results in a boy and lack of retains characteristics that produce a girl.

Identification with male or female does not necessarily indicate partner preference. Not all transgender or transvestite people are homosexual. The bravery of such people, be they gay, transgender or transvestite should be noted and respected. I have no doubt Chastity is making an agonizing and life-altering decision and I wish her and her people well.

(Ahem.)

[ForeverAutumn]

Identification with male or female does not necessarily indicate partner preference. Not all transgender or transvestite people are homosexual.

I remember watching a documentary (or maybe it was Dr. Phil ) about a man who was attracted to women, married a woman, had a family, and in his 40's had a sex change to become a woman. He just never felt right in his man's body. After the surgery, he was still attracted to women. Only now he was a woman who was attracted to women. You've gotta feel real strong about your gender issues to do that!

[GMichael]

I remember watching a documentary (or maybe it was Dr. Phil ) about a man who was attracted to women, married a woman, had a family, and in his 40's had a sex change to become a woman. He just never felt right in his man's body. After the surgery, he was still attracted to women. Only now he was a woman who was attracted to women. You've gotta feel real strong about your gender issues to do that!

That's exactly what the guy I knew did. He had a wife & kids. At 53 years old, he became a she. Then she left her wife to move in with another woman. She does seem very happy now.
As a man, he was a creepy little bald guy who hit on anything in a skirt. As a woman, she looks very much like my grandma. Kind of give me the willies when she winks at me.

[Auricauricle]

You guys are way over the line!!!

Think Chastity will wear a belt?

[3LB]

Think Chastity will wear a belt?

din't zackly live up to her name

but then again, she was prolly the first celeb kid with the fashionably goofy hippy name, and her mother is Cher...the outlook was never good for this kid from the get-go.

[Auricauricle]

So she beat out Moonunit and Dweezil Zappa?

Okay....

[JohnMichael]

It must be an incredibly difficult thing to go through life with your head telling you one thing and your body being the complete opposite.

I don't know much about this, but I don't think that gender identity issues are the same as being gay. In fact, I would argue that Chastity was never gay to begin with. If she feels so strongly about wanting to be a man that she is actually going to become one, I would say that she's not gay but just born into the wrong body. A birth defect of sorts.

I have had many gay and lesbian friends over the years and none of those friends have ever (as far as I know) felt so strongly about being the wrong gender that they would have surgery to change. One of my closest friends is a lesbian. She loves being a woman. She is very feminine and likes being pretty. Her partner feels the same way. I can't imagine that either of them has ever considered wanting to be a man (well, except for the obvious perks of better jobs, more money, and cheaper haircuts).

It takes a lot of courage for a person to be so open about being gay. It must take a thousand times that courage to do what Chastity is doing. I hope that this brings her (him) happiness or at least a sense of being who he is meant to be.

ForeverAutumn you are one incredible human being. Thank you for understanding the plight of others. One of the things being researched on another site I contribute to deals with gender. Gender is not just male and female anymore. Science has learned that a brain can feminize while the body masculinizes or the brain can masculinize while the body feminizes. The brain can also be both masculine and feminine for example a very feminine man that is straight. We have so many variables among humans and yet we still try to pigeonhole them into either checking M or F. I like to check the space between boxes.

Chaz has an interesting perspective having presented as a woman when he was male. As a male attracted to women he is straight. As FA says most gays and lesbians are quite happy with their bodies gender. Of course one day I hope we will not need to label genders or sexual orientations. Remember we are all loving beings who need to be loved.

Thanks again ForeverAutumn

[JohnMichael]

I don't know if this was the case here, but I have heard of babies being born with both sexes. The parents and doctors often make a decision of which sex will be kept, and it's not always correct.

GMichael the modern term is intersexed for children born with ambiguous genitilia. Parents are now waiting until the child matures to make the decision of which gender the child identifies with. Many of these children are given meds to delay physical puberty so they can transition to the correct gender with less development of physical characteristics of the other gender. Children who from a young age identify as the opposite gender also use these drugs to delay puberty.

[Auricauricle]

Thanks for the terminology lesson and a well-needed upgrade on current neurology, GM!

[ForeverAutumn]

ForeverAutumn you are one incredible human being. Thank you for understanding the plight of others.

Wow. I'm not sure that I really deserve that. I just believe in "live and let live" and I try to imagine what it would be like in someone elses shoes. But thanks for the compliment. I feel the same way about you.

[Charlie04SiR]

Wow, it's hard for me to imagine living life in someone else's shoes, because I am too busy living mine. In my line of work, I do what it takes to make the customer happy and be sure they are 100% satisfied. The bottom line is that you can't please everybody. I know a few gay/lesbian/transgender people, and I totally support them because they are who they want to be.

[GMichael]

GMichael the modern term is intersexed for children born with ambiguous genitilia. Parents are now waiting until the child matures to make the decision of which gender the child identifies with. Many of these children are given meds to delay physical puberty so they can transition to the correct gender with less development of physical characteristics of the other gender. Children who from a young age identify as the opposite gender also use these drugs to delay puberty.

It's got to be tough for someone trying to fit in when they don't match the guidelines set forth by society. I have enough trouble fitting in as I am. (not that I meet anyone's guideline)
Hopefully more people with come arround to thinking like FA does.

[JohnMichael]

This may be of interest for those wondering why Chastity needs to become Chaz. I have not read the paper yet but the abstract is very interesting.



Swaab, D. F., & Garcia-Falgueras, A. (2009). Sexual differentiation of the human brain in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation. Functional Neurology, 24, 17-28.

ABSTRACT: During the intrauterine period the fetal brain develops in the male direction through a direct action of testosterone on the developing nerve cells, or in the female direction through the absence of this hormone surge. In this way, our gender identity (the conviction of belonging to the male or female gender) and sexual orientation are programmed into our brain structures when we are still in the womb. However, since sexual differentiation of the genitals takes place in the first two months of pregnancy and sexual differentiation of the brain starts in the second half of pregnancy, these two processes can be influenced independently, which may result in transsexuality. This also means that in the event of ambiguous sex at birth, the degree of masculinization of the genitals may not reflect the degree of masculinization of the brain. There is no proof that social environment after birth has an effect on gender identity or sexual orientation. [Emphasis added]

[bobsticks]

Wow, it's hard for me to imagine living life in someone else's shoes, because I am too busy living mine. In my line of work, I do what it takes to make the customer happy and be sure they are 100% satisfied. The bottom line is that you can't please everybody. I know a few gay/lesbian/transgender people, and I totally support them because they are who they want to be.

Amen. I don't want anybody messin' with me about the goins-on in my bedroom...why would I mess with anyone else?

[3-LockBox]

I don't want anybody messin' with me about the goins-on in my bedroom...why would I mess with anyone else?

Of course one day I hope we will not need to label genders or sexual orientations.

Yep. Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I don't need to know.
Don't care...won't care even if you want me to.

[Auricauricle]

Hey! Whose nose is this??

[Lavarda]

My friend's cousin hid the fact that she was a lesbian for a long time. To do this, she brought guys to family evenings, whom she paid for love, if only her parents would not notice anything. But not so long ago she began to get acquainted here lesbiemates.com and one of the girls showed her by her own example that there is nothing to be afraid of. This is her choice and the opinion of others should be the last thing to worry about. Gaining courage, she confessed. Speaking of the service, there is a paid registration and a huge number of profiles of women who are thirsty for love.