Stephen Ira Blasts Chaz Bono
Stephen Ira is the transgendered son of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening and he is not a fan of Chaz Bono. Actually I would say Stephen really dislikes Chaz a lot. Stephen, who attends Sarah Lawrence College and has talked about how they refuse to switch his gender from female to male wrote a blog post this week that the NY Post picked up. In his post, Stephen calls out Chaz and says that Chaz is a misogynist.
“I don’t want any rich white trans guy . . . telling the media that testosterone made him a misogynist . . . he has some deep-seated misogyny to work through.”
Stephen also took issue with Chaz saying that because of testosterone that Chaz no longer has as much tolerance for women or gossiping and that he finds it very grating.
46 comments:
This is so interesting--I had no idea they had a transgender son! He is adorable, too.
Sorry, I can't stop laughing at the child of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening opening with "I don't want any rich white trans guy...."
Pot, Kettle, Black.
I don't know what all Chaz said, he's never struck me as a happy person in either body.
I remember back when Chaz was still Chastity, she got on the lesbian shit list when she criticized the way Ellen DeGeneres came out.
By the way, does Chaz actually have a job or does he consider himself a professional gay activist?
Apparently Warren Beatty hates this whole sitch immensely --even moreso because Stephen Ira was originally named for his mother-- and Annette Bening is trying to hold everything together. You'd think old Warren would have a bit more tolerance with the life he's led.
I gotta say, I like this kid's moxy.
@Feisty Agreed. Anti-elitism is terribly trendy now, even among the elites.
Glad someone finally called Chastity out. He thinks just because he is Cher's son, he can throw his weight around.
I second everyone above- this kid has very valid points!
Plus, it is a huge misconception that testosterone CAUSES aggression in males or that when men get angry they're 'just being guys'. Women at different times have just as much levels of testosterone as men can. Rather it is agression that FUELS testosterone levels.
So yeah, i definitely think Chaz has misogynistic tendencies and appears a little ignorant.
Seems like any good will Chaz had with his change is slowly slipping away.
Chaz did not have the best personality on DWTS either. You could tell he was kind of a dick.
While I'm inclined to find Chaz kinda likeable (based on nothing but I liked him on DWTS), a friend was in a gay bar in Atlanta a few years ago, when Chaz was Chastity, and (s)he actually pulled the "don't you know who I am" card on the bartender for some reason. Hilarity ensued.
He looks like his mom
I don't know if Chaz is a jerk or not, but I listened to an interview of a transgender person (woman to man). They said the thing that really surprised them was when they were in testosterone therapy, he was shocked at his thoughts about women. He had more sexually aggressive thoughts about the women he would see just walking down the street. Hormones definitely play a role in thought/behavior. Not saying that testosterone can be used as an excuse to be a jerk, though.
I'm finding it very interesting that the transgendered community is now nitpicking how each other should act. For a group who is based on being accepted for being different many seem to be hypocritical.
I'd think that there is a part of the process that is very confusing to the TG person when emotionally transitioning. People start accepting you as the sex you become and how to handle it. It must be difficult to feel accepted. I can see how anger and confusion would be a part of it.
Wait this is an answer to an old blind about a Hwood super couple dealing with a transgender kid
anyone remember it?
GKM-I remember it, but I think the secret has been out for a while so this isn't really a reveal. I think the blind was about the Warren and Annette's reaction.
I read his blog and wish I could fast forward 20 years to see what he thinks of his posts when he's older.
He does have many valid points but he's a rambling first year college pseudo-intellect. Why use ten words when 20 will do? It makes it kinda difficult to take him serious.
I remember hearing that Warren and Annette were struggling with this transgender situation - hopefully they've all come to terms with it now. Seems like they have a very clever, well-spoken child :)
This BI was at that other guy's blog. And it said that parents made him change his school, to hide the "problem".
I remember when this was still a blind item! *L* Don't think it was on here, but I do remember it.
This kid seems really smart and I hope his parents are proud of him no matter what.
@trouble bubble....riiight. Thats' where I read it. Never go to that site anymore...
@Nutty_Flavor - True. It just reminds me too much of "I was born a poor black child..." and then the laughing starts.
Not sure what problem this guy has with Chaz, but isn't it entirely possible that the hormone treatments affect everyone differently? What works for one person may not work the same way for everyone.
@Terri, my thoughts exactly. for a community of people who basically preach acceptance of people no matter hat their persuasion may be, they certainly seem to pick each other apart a lot. it makes me sad, that community should be a safe place for them. :'(
yeah because men don't prattle or gossip - what load of codswallop!
more power to you, stephen ira. give em hell
I will never forget the old classic joke about him going to his father Warren Beatty and saying, "I feel like I've been stuck in a woman's body," and his father saying, "Yeah, I know exactly how that feels."
@Nutty_Flavor - It's gotten ridiculous this trend to hate elitism. Sarah Palin started this. I remember Aaron Sorkin's little "F You" to her when he won his Golden Globe earlier this year. "I want my daughter to look around this room and know that 'elitism' is not a bad thing."
I almost cheered.
First of all I'm a fag hag from way back so don't think I'm ignorant when you read my next comment. I find it really funny when Chaz, and other FTM trans, who have no future plans to finalize their "bottom" surgery (as they refer to it). WTF !? You're just a gal with a testosterone enlarged clit! Lucky gal, at least someone can find it now, but I digress.... You can call yourself a man all you want, but until you've finalized the surgery you're still a member of the club. Ergo Chaz quit bad mouthing women....you are one!
@Barton Fink- LOL that's hilarious. and talk about ironic situation, what with this being Warren freaking Beatty's child!
In all fairness, a lot of transmen don't go for genital reassignment because it's a hell of a lot harder to make a penis than a vagina that both looks OK and handles both of its dual functions well. (Who knew?) It can be done, but it's very expensive, and when the results are often only so-so at best (whereas postsurgical transwomen can pass for being born female very well), I can certainly understand why a lot of guys are hesitant to take the final step.
Also, hormones can indeed affect your moods and attitudes, but as Stephen points out, testosterone alone won't make you a misogynist--methinks Chaz has had some issues w/women all along, even if the hormones did ramp them up to a degree. Just my $.02...
I know I am going to be attacked for this, but I am so, so tired of this whole thing. There is NO WAY people can actually change their sex. No amount of surgery and synthetic hormones can change your DNA. No matter what you do, biologically you will die the same sex you were born as. So while these people are perfectly free to claim that they are "transgender," the fact is, they aren't. That's not a slur nor is it a value judgment. It's just a fact.
I have to agree with Feisty. I don't think that Chaz is a particularly happy person.
First, I think he has abandonment issues. I like Cher well enough, but I am thinking she was not there for Chaz/Chastity growing up. And Sonny was busy making his new family with Mary. So, I think that there was some damage done there.
Second, along the "abandonment/no one was watching out for this child" line, his first relationship as a lesbian was with a friend of Cher's at a pretty young age and I think there was a bit of victimization going on there. I mean .. who does that? Seduces her friend's child? I think that might have added to the emotional damage that was already there.
Third, after watching "Becoming Chaz" .. he has a really unhealthy relationship with his girlfriend and she - at least to the point of the ending of the documentary - wasn't even sure she wanted to stay with him because she is a lesbian and was not looking for a relationship with a male. And from what I saw from the male he was .. he is a jagoff.
So all of this is to say, I think Stephen Ira has a point about blaming his behavior/attitudes on testosterone. He has issues that need to be addressed with years of therapy and his attempt to rationalize his behavior using testosterone as an excuse is just that .. an excuse and not the actual cause. Just my opinion .. feel free to disagree!
I have to agree with Feisty. I don't think that Chaz is a particularly happy person.
First, I think he has abandonment issues. I like Cher well enough, but I am thinking she was not there for Chaz/Chastity growing up. And Sonny was busy making his new family with Mary. So, I think that there was some damage done there.
Second, along the "abandonment/no one was watching out for this child" line, his first relationship as a lesbian was with a friend of Cher's at a pretty young age and I think there was a bit of victimization going on there. I mean .. who does that? Seduces her friend's child? I think that might have added to the emotional damage that was already there.
Third, after watching "Becoming Chaz" .. he has a really unhealthy relationship with his girlfriend and she - at least to the point of the ending of the documentary - wasn't even sure she wanted to stay with him because she is a lesbian and was not looking for a relationship with a male. And from what I saw from the male he was .. he is a jagoff.
So all of this is to say, I think Stephen Ira has a point about blaming his behavior/attitudes on testosterone. He has issues that need to be addressed with years of therapy and his attempt to rationalize his behavior using testosterone as an excuse is just that .. an excuse and not the actual cause. Just my opinion .. feel free to disagree!
@Texshan: You're right about one thing: there is NO WAY that people can change their DNA. No amount of self-justification and no amount of synthetic compassion will ever change who you are fundamentally. So while some people are perfectly free to claim that they are "non-judgmental," the fact is, they ARE judgmental, and often wrong to book. It's just fact.
the BI was something like, "what hollywood couple is fighting over their child wanting to do gender reassignment? mom want to pay for it. dad thinks its a phase". right after that our local radio station said that bening and beatty were dinning w/ cher and chaz and discussing the issues of this surgery.
i feel sorry for chaz. its got to be tough to have his parents, and then the gender issues, weight issues, anger issues. i remember a cute little blond girl going on the show to say good night to the audience in her pj's. sad.
@Terri and @Chrissy: I run counter to you both. I think when a subculture (as transgenderism surely is) gets a bit more mainstream, that is when they start realising that they're all "not the same". There is no single black position, no single woman's position, no single position for the disabled. I see this as evidence of more tolerance in an upside down way.
@ Texshan and @GK: I agree, you can't change yer DNA. But the problem is that single bits of DNA are not responsible for much of anything. Increasingly, researchers are finding its the interplay between whole lots of DNA, hormones and neurotransmitters that really determines 'who we are'. So, you saying you're willing to tell us that someone's DNA doesn't support what they choose? Given, in all likelihood, they know themselves better than we do? Good luck with that.
Well said, Gladys. Texshan, you're showing your ignorance. Anyone who has studied the issue knows that a lot of people in the field regard transgenderism as a birth defect -- an opposite gender brain in a body. Some people choose to see that as not a defect but a variation. Others choose to see it as a defect to be corrected by surgery and medication. Others, on the other hand, choose not to see at all.
FWIW, I agree with Stephen Ira. I think Chaz has always been misogynist. He's a victim of his fate, like the rest of us.
It really bothers me that people get called ignorant for their opinion. We ALL have opinions and they ALL differ. It's what makes up human and we all have a right to our opinion.
I think what people forget is our DNA may all be similar, but we are all individuals and so no one thinks or handles a similar situation the same. That's the beauty of humanity and it bugs me that people try to put a stigma or label on personal choice. Just because you chose to live your life as a man yet were born a woman does not mean that you need to go out and look for acceptance or demand to be treated differently! If you have issues with acceptance it doesn't matter what you're carrying below! WHY do we do that? It's destructive.
I have never had a problem with being a female and I have no interest in changing my sex so I have NO idea what people in that situation struggle with. BUT it is their struggle and frankly it's none of my damn business!
At any rate, when you're an asshole (and I'm looking at you, Chaz)you deserve to be called an asshole. Being a dick is a CHOICE, remember?
I agree with Texshan. Chaz and Stephen are both women, no matter what they choose to call themselves. You can't change biology. And, BTW, Ira was the first name of Warren's dad.
WTF does gender identification have to do with DNA?? Nothing. It's clear some people here have never actually MET or KNOW a transgendered person. They already FEEL that they are born male or female, they are simply altering their outsides to match their insides. Period. And what kind of person gives a fuck anyway? It's their lives, not yours.
GladysKravitz, I heart you.
Texashan if you say judgemental and ignorant shit, don't be shocked when you get called on it. Yes we all have our opinions and views which make us human, but unless you're to convince us that you're "Bill Nye Science Guy" and your scientific integrity is rustled everytime someone identifies themselves as people of trans experience because DNA can't be changed and you have been made DNA police of all that is true and real, please give it a rest. You don't know what any of these people's DNA is and as someone posted; since many people feel they were born opposite body of the gender of their brain, they're matching what was there to begin with because if you want to stay true to your scientific integrity, surely you know that in utero, the sex of the child is determined by the brain before the physical genitalia develops, so who are you to say what's what?
Just be open about your evident disdain for trans people and stop trying to use DNA and science as shields to hide behind. It's ever so tiresome.
@Bitch..I prefer to call myself a Fruit Fly personally.
Wow, way to read too much into my comment, Bubbles and Melody! I made it clear that my comment was not a judgment call nor a slur, nor was it ignorant. YOU are the ignorant ones, by trying to deny basic science. I am simply stating the facts, regardless of what the sadly misinformed two of you and RQ might think. Your biological makeup determines your sex. This is not an opinion. It is a fact. Biologically you are born either male, female, or, in very rare cases, hermaphrodite. A person may FEEL more comfortable living life as a different sex from the one they were born as, but no amount of wishing and hoping (or surgery) will make it so. None of us are Orlando -- we cannot actually change our sexes. That was my only point. Again, as I VERY CLEARLY stated, I have no opinion on people who choose to live life as the opposite sex. That's their prerogative and their business. I'm not claiming to be the "DNA police," and I'm not "hiding behind" science and DNA. What am I supposedly hiding? Nothing I said was in the least bit controversial to anyone who can think clearly without getting emotional.
Actually Texshan- many studies would show you that there are 4 or 5 sexes that people may BIOLOGICALLY be born into.
Those include male, female, intersex and more that Im forgetting right now and dont want to incorrectly guess at.
True 'Hermaphrodites' are rare, you're right. But it's said that upwards to 1 in 100 children born in the U.S. are born with an extra chromosome like XXY where they appear female but have an extra male chromosome. This is one instance and there are many many more.
The problem with people like you is they insist on living in this very rigid 2-and-only-2 biological sex world which breeds things like babies having micro penises lopped off because we have medicalized gender to the point that we ignore that we are not cookie-cut outs of humans- we vary as do all animals in nature. And while true hermaphrodites are born rarely it IS much more common to see other variances occur.
Because of people like you gender reassignment surgery happens to these infants often within the first year because people are so petrified to not have a baby in this world of only boy and only girl that you insist is fact- the world is filled with more than just black and white binary things- and I think it's time we celebrate those things and those people and stop trying to squeeze everyone in boy and girl only boxes.
*meant to say upwards of 1 in 100 children are born with some variance of male or female that is not simply one or the other.
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