Chasity Bono to get Sex Change Op.

[MA-Caver]

Chastity Bono announces sex change

LOS ANGELES – 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."
(more here) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090611/ap_en_ce/us_people_chastity_bono

Gee I dunno, I remember watching the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour as a kid and remember the cute little girl whenever she came out on stage to be with mommy & daddy

So, somewhere down the line she got the idea that she is a boy and now wants the operation to make it so.
Now personally, if a person decides they're gay... then fine, that is their choice and it's their life... but I do have a problem with gender re-assignment because it's NOT the body you were born with and that is definitely going against nature.
There are times when I feel feminine but it doesn't mean that I need to change the sex that I was born with.
I'm sorry I think this is a very bad idea.

 

[CoryKS]

Jeez, if you're going to do it, do it when you're young. Who pays good money to become a chubby middle-aged man?

 

[celtic_crippler]

Whateva' peels yer 'nanner.

 

[Omar B]

If that's what'll make her feel happy and comfortable in her own skin. It's a known psychological thing where people know in their heads they were born the wrong sex, call them crazy if you wish but far be it from any of us to have them lead their lives as they see fit.

 

[The Last Legionary]

Shrug. Who cares? Bono can do what's right for Bono, I do what's right for me. If that means have spikes implanted in my tattooed skull, ubangi my neck, butterfly my tackle, or whatever, hey, lemme do it. It's my body, and there isn't a law.

 

[arnisador]

Sheesh. Well, it's a free country...

 

[Carol]

A very good friend of mine went through a terrible situation. The woman he loved very much had made a decision to become a man. This had nothing to do with her sexuality....she prefers men. Which meant, after the relationship, she would become a gay man. He said that the two of them had talked deeply about their relationship, and had even gone through counseling together, but my friend ultimately said as much as he loved her, he just couldn't be in a homosexual relationship. They broke up. She continued with their plans.

I wish her the best and hope that it brings her peace.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

If that's what'll make her feel happy and comfortable in her own skin. It's a known psychological thing where people know in their heads they were born the wrong sex, call them crazy if you wish but far be it from any of us to have them lead their lives as they see fit.

If they claimed they were born to be a cow and tried to get themselves sold to a slaughterhouse, we'd drop a net on them. Crazy is crazy. Pandering to it doesn't make it less crazy.

 

[shesulsa]

If they claimed they were born to be a cow and tried to get themselves sold to a slaughterhouse, we'd drop a net on them. Crazy is crazy. Pandering to it doesn't make it less crazy.

Jeezus.

We've hashed this one out before on MT. It's pretty well established now (I think) that gender is determined in the brain independently of physical gender gestational development.

I don't see how anyone who has any kind of understanding to psychology and brain development can rationalize that a person thinking they're bovine equates their gender assignment.

Ya know ... I'm just gonna beg off now.

 

[Omar B]

If they claimed they were born to be a cow and tried to get themselves sold to a slaughterhouse, we'd drop a net on them. Crazy is crazy. Pandering to it doesn't make it less crazy.

One of the most irrational things I've ever seen written here. I would have expected better Bill. You may not be for a sex change but your analogy drags your argument into the absurd.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I certainly don't understand it. It's something far removed from my experience and I've never personally known a transgendered person.

I am a woman in a woman's body, I was born to be a woman and I'm glad. What I can imagine is if I was *me* and was born a man. What would I do then?

I will admit the thought of sex change operations gives me the willies, but I cannot fault those dealing with it having to make such a decision. I do know it's a lengthy process that involves much counseling before the actual procedure.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

One of the most irrational things I've ever seen written here. I would have expected better Bill. You may not be for a sex change but your analogy drags your argument into the absurd.

It is absurd.

 

[Tez3]

Just an interesting fact, a woman who has the op to become a man when all treatment is finished will look ten years younger whereas the other way around the man who becomes a woman will age ten years. its due to the fact that the skin is different between the sexes and the fact men and women treat their skin differently. So Chastity when fully a man may well be handsome, slim and HAPPY, good luck to him, everyone deserves a shot at being happy and after all it doesn't hurt anyone else.
I've known two transgender people, both born men who are undergoing the process to become women. One I know fairly well and despite having the body of a man (though not a 'masculine' man) the blood and hormone tests support her feeling she's in the wrong body as they are distinctly more female than male.
It would be a good thing you know if people were far less critical and scornful over things that in the end don't concern them. After all no ones perfect!

 

[MA-Caver]

It would be a good thing you know if people were far less critical and scornful over things that in the end don't concern them. After all no ones perfect!

Tez I understand and appreciate your counter-argument as it were, you're right it doesn't concern us as individuals but as a whole it changes the perspective of normality in our (respective societies). Of course what does normal mean anyway and that is a whole other argument.
But the fact that people do feel an aberration with the whole thing says that it's not a natural act. Oh sure there are certain species in the animal kingdom that spontaneously change sex in a single sex environment but that is a survival trait, a survival of the species thing and those animals are genetically predisposed to do so. Humans are not.

That occasionally hormonal imbalance throws a wrench into the works happens, but there are ways of taking care of such things without mutilating the body which gender re-assignment surgery is, particularly in males. I think that is what the "turn-off" is on that.
It's what you're born with so deal with it. There are those who are born with less than fully formed limbs, are they chopping them off and having newer ones attached for the sake of aesthetics?
The idea of wanting gender reassignment is (to me) self-serving, it's not saying I'm happy with what I was given when I came into this world. (To me) it denotes a lack of character. Comfortable in your body, comfortable with who/what you are.
That you choose to have relations of someone of the same sex is a matter of choice and that can be readily changed (i.e. Anne Hench who was a lesbian now straight ... or is she a lesbian again?).
I've known men who are VERY feminine and have been for years (met their families and parents who confirm that is how they've been throughout their childhood). But they're comfortable with their bodies and what they're given. Likewise I've met some very masculine women and they are likewise happy with themselves.
Maybe they don't get the surgery because probably they can't afford it... but I'm guessing that they still wouldn't. Chasity can afford it and thus following her vanity.
Either way... she will always be female to me.

 

[Tez3]

Tez I understand and appreciate your counter-argument as it were, you're right it doesn't concern us as individuals but as a whole it changes the perspective of normality in our (respective societies). Of course what does normal mean anyway and that is a whole other argument.
But the fact that people do feel an aberration with the whole thing says that it's not a natural act. Oh sure there are certain species in the animal kingdom that spontaneously change sex in a single sex environment but that is a survival trait, a survival of the species thing and those animals are genetically predisposed to do so. Humans are not.

That occasionally hormonal imbalance throws a wrench into the works happens, but there are ways of taking care of such things without mutilating the body which gender re-assignment surgery is, particularly in males. I think that is what the "turn-off" is on that.
It's what you're born with so deal with it. There are those who are born with less than fully formed limbs, are they chopping them off and having newer ones attached for the sake of aesthetics?
The idea of wanting gender reassignment is (to me) self-serving, it's not saying I'm happy with what I was given when I came into this world. (To me) it denotes a lack of character. Comfortable in your body, comfortable with who/what you are.
That you choose to have relations of someone of the same sex is a matter of choice and that can be readily changed (i.e. Anne Hench who was a lesbian now straight ... or is she a lesbian again?).
I've known men who are VERY feminine and have been for years (met their families and parents who confirm that is how they've been throughout their childhood). But they're comfortable with their bodies and what they're given. Likewise I've met some very masculine women and they are likewise happy with themselves.
Maybe they don't get the surgery because probably they can't afford it... but I'm guessing that they still wouldn't. Chasity can afford it and thus following her vanity.
Either way... she will always be female to me.

To be brutally honest I don't care in the least if they want to change sex, life is short and the bills need paying, if they can be happy then go for it. For the record...if I could afford it yes there's bits of me that I'd change, why shouldn't I? I really don't care who's a lesbian or not and am certainly not going to criticise. I'm pretty sure I'm not one but then again why go through life with one hand tied behind your back lol!
That Chastity is changing sex is only of passing interest to me, I have more personal things to concern me than 'Hello' magazine gossip.

 

[arnisador]

The idea of wanting gender reassignment is (to me) self-serving

Ummmm...since it's only done to the person requesting it, isn't that OK? No one is making a decision to change your sex. What's wrong with being self-serving here?

(To me) it denotes a lack of character.

I don't get that.

That you choose to have relations of someone of the same sex is a matter of choice and that can be readily changed (i.e. Anne Hench who was a lesbian now straight ... or is she a lesbian again?).

Well known to be false, and Ann Heche is probably more nuts than anything else.

Chasity can afford it and thus following her vanity.

Suppose that were true...so what?

Either way... she will always be female to me.

Despite what I have said above, I tend to view male/female rather strictly in terms of genetic, so I don't see this as changing gender though it is more than just changing outward appearance. If Chastity Bono wants to be referred to as he/him from now on, I'll respect that choice.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Personally, I remain unconvinced that people wanting gender reassignment surgery are anything but mentally unwell, but be that as it may, it's their own business and I really do not get riled up about it. As long as I do not have to pay for it with tax money.

I am sure in the case of Chastity Bono, she has sufficient funds to cover the costs involved, but many of these procedures are paid for with public (meaning tax) funds. Some states have banned the use of medicaid money to pay for such procedures, but they do pay for treatment, medication, and so on. I view such procedures as cosmetic and thus not something that taxpayers should fund.

However, to be fair - my own family member, the crack addict, had the state (meaning you and me) pay for her new teeth when hers rotted out of her head due to her drug abuse. The state ruled it was important to her 'self esteem'. I guess one must look one's best when scoring a rock.

Eh, I guess I'm just not that fond of the public wallet being used to fund what are essentially personal choices. I wish Chastity luck in her new life. For some reason, I suspect she will not find the happiness she seeks, but if she does find it, more power to him.

 

[cooker1]

Unfortunately the public wallet is used to fund everything. This will somehow come back on the public as well.

 

[celtic_crippler]

I don't understand it either, but there's a lot of folks that don't understand why I do the things I do as well! LOL

She ain't hurting anyone so who the heck am I to tell her what to do with her life?

As long as it's her money and her body...go for it. Implant horns in your head and moo like a cow if you want too. It's no skin off my back.

What's ridiculous is people telling other people how to live their lives when what they do has no real impact on the others.

Golden rule: keep yer nose outta my biz and I'll do the same fer you.

 

[KELLYG]

Before ya'll start hatin realize that is is only MY opinion and I do not expect any one to agree with me but here it is. I feel in my heart that gender reasignment is wrong. I think that it is akin to mutiliation. You were born with a particular body and that is the one you need to live in and take care of.