Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Becoming Chaz


I was watching Oprah yesterday. I know. Me? Oprah? Oil? Water? But her guest was Chaz Bono, who was discussing his book, "Transition", and the documentary, Becoming Chaz, which airs tonight on OWN at 9 PM.

See, I am fascinated by what it means to be transgendered. I always have been. I can relate to the struggle to be accepted for who you are, but the struggle to physically alter your body to be your true self is especially difficult. And so many people, even people who you think would know better, believe that gay people wish to be that other gender. Gay men want to be women, and lesbians want to be men. I've actually had co-workers, when I've discussed this issue, ask me if I ever wanted to be a girl. 

And, well, that would be a No. But that's me.

Still, I do see how they can jump to this conclusion. As Chaz said, when he was Chastity, a young girl, heading into puberty, she began to feel attracted to women, so, naturally she assumed she was a lesbian. And she had a public coming out.

But that wasn't the end. She still wasn't happy. There was still something missing. And through therapy, she learned that she was really he; born in the wrong body. And it's quite clear, based on the footage of the documentary, and the interview yesterday, that Chaz is so much happier, more himself, now that he has transitioned.

Like I said, I understand the struggle to come out as gay. That's hard. But to come out and declare that you were born the wrong gender, takes far more courage. People, these days, are more understanding of gay, but transgendered people still have to fight to be understood.

Anyway, if you get OWN, Becoming Chaz airs tonight, at 9 PM Eastern. It really is must-see TV.

11 comments:

  1. I agree! It's time we put more emphasis on the "T" from LGTB.
    There are real wonderful people behind that letter!

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  2. Also of note - is that they are recognizing it in children - delaying puberty and having them live as the opposite sex in childhood. I am in awe of the parenting responsibilities.

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  3. Anonymous10:41 AM

    I watched that Oprah episode too yesterday. Honestly, I don't think I can ever comprehend what it feels like to be in the wrong body, but when Chaz mentioned that when she had her breasts removed she felt such a sense of relief. That I can understand, if I woke one day and sprouted boobs, I'd want them removed too.

    I may be a man and I may be gay, but I've NEVER wanted to be a woman.

    In that sense of the word, I can try to understand what transgendered people go through, but I don't think anyone and truly understand what it is they feel unless they have gone through it themselves.

    I guess to elaborate further and try to make sense of my blathering comments, I know what it's like to be gay, but I'll never know what it's like to be straight. THAT I get!

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  4. Anonymous10:41 AM

    I wish I could see this but I no longer have cable. I may end up buying the book this weekend if it's available.

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  5. I can't wait to see it. I am confused though. He hated having boobs but doesn't mind still having a vagina? It is all so confusing but so very interesting.

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  6. I watched it too. It must be miserable to feel that way. I understand Cher and the pronouns. That would be hard to get used to changing. I'm going to watch the documentary later on since it's being repeated.

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  7. HONEY- this bitch does drag and has even gotten picked up by straight boys who thought I was a woman till I spoke. I don't know why as campy as my looks ca get. As good as my image looks, I still do not want to be a woman. I think I do it just to say I can, my love of the art, and the transformation never ceases to amaze me. Excuse me for being blunt, but I like my cock way to much!!!! But i do have a very good friend who was born a boy. When I met her, she was a woman already. After three years of knowing each other, she told me she used to be a boy, but always felt female. In her pictures she even always looked male/female, very hard to tell. But she was much more happy when she realized it and went 100%. She is very stunning, gets mistaken for a glamarous Shirley Manson all the time! And she is even married now! More power to those you have it done and go on happy; I think the show will be intresting.

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  8. I watched the documentary last night and I'm going to give gay men a bad name here . . . THEY DIDN'T SHOW CHER ENOUGH!

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  9. If I can comment to what robertga99 asked about Chaz hating her boobs, but keeping her vagina. The root of the problem is that it's very hard to take female genitalia and build a working male penis. There are a few surgeries, but none of them really give a good effect. And the operation to remove a vagina, is not a surgery to take lightly. If not done correctly, it can lead to massive infection, fistulas, and many other complications. Most doctors recommend keeping the vagina, due to these and other complications.

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  10. Bob, someday we will get to the point where people understand what being transgendered really means. Too often , even in our own community, they are marginalized. The subject is not that complicated, but human beings make it complicated, because they don't want to deal with this aspect of themselves. They love to cling to boxes.

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