Courageously, Chaz Bono, celebrity love child of Sonny Bono and Cher has come out publicly with his intentions to transition from female to male. Various sources (Google, Yahoo, TMZ, CBS, NBC) have all been extremely considerate, using fairly unstigmatized words taken directly from Bono's publicist, to describe his intentions to have a "sex change." ABC News reveals that "he started his transition in March," and that he will assume the name as Chaz full time. Since the initial reports on June 11th, 2009, via rumors on gossip site, TMZ, news sources have fumbled over pronouns (Daily News, Huffington Post, UsWeekly), made assumptions about his transition process (Gawker, Telegraph), and continue to focus on Bono's previous lesbian visibility (Washington Post)(Associated Press)(Telegraph). All of these reports seem to end on, "and there has been no reports of how Cher is taking it."
Quickly this is spiraling into an unfortunate media feeding frenzy, where Chaz is forced into outing himself with pending physical transitional changes, due to reported testosterone regime since his 40th birthday in March (ABC). This is likely coming to the surface now, considering that both Cher and Bono (including the two other Bono children) have recently filed a $5 million suit against Universal pertaining to the late Sonny Bono's music profits, and under this case, would have to document Chaz Bono's new legal name and gender (presuming that Bono has filed papers to have these documents changed) and appear in court with a deepened voice and other more notably male characteristics. The tabloids would have been far more atrocious than they are now.
While some sources are hailing Chaz as the "new face of the transgender community" (Advocate via ABC News, AfterEllen.com), and others have regarded his transition as "a legal way to to marry her partner legally" (TMZ, Perez Hilton), gossip collectors and the gawking public will continue to throw around assumptions, doubt and hateful slander until Bono surfaces as a "fully transitioned man," for a public world interview. Has Chaz Bono unwillingly become the new Christine Jorgensen of the modern era ? Is this the breakthrough of the existence of trans men in the media, where today's visible transsexual has been female (ABC News)?
Regardless of Chaz's recent statement through his editor, the clear cut message is that he would like to be seen as male and use masculine pronouns: that's all. The standard public discretions of "Chaz was born female, and will always be," or "why didn't Chastity decide she was a man sooner? Isn't she just a lesbian?" are flying throughout the blogosphere with reckless abandon. Insinuations that Chaz desires genital reconstruction or any form of surgery are rampant, showing that public expects "the new Chastity, now Chaz" to present stereotypical masculinity and male performance. Undoubtedly, if Bono fails to appease publicly cemented gender norms, it will only put further strain on public respect for his gender, which is only evidence that the LGBT community needs to support him as best as it can.
Will Chaz Bono make an appearance during pride this year? Doubtful. However, if Chaz were to make an appearance now and consistently throughout his transition, it is questionable whether or not it would positive to him - the public would mostly likely be concerned with "how male" or "how female" Bono appears, rather than the concern for his gender identity. Chaz has every right to privacy in his transition, but is it possible with a gawking audience?
Aside from some of the more crude approaches to Bono's transition (Boston Globe), Bono has gotten a great deal of positive and respectful support (Spinner), and even a shout out from major FTM community figure, former board member of the HRC and top consultant at the Transgender Law Center, Jamison Green (CNN). The online LGBT community at large is raving about his work with GLAAD (Bilerico Project) and his place as a courageous fighter and firm advocate for LGBT rights despite overly critical press coverage. Though not all of the LGBT media have commented on Chaz's decision (blogs and other publications included), hopefully, the community will remember that Bono is only out, not "gone."
Hopefully, more and more people will keep suit to the supportive forces for Chaz and take this as an opportunity to discuss the place of gender diversity in America. But only time will tell if Bono's transition will make an impact on the nations perceptions of the "transgender phenomenon."
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