Thanks for sharing these memories, Cathy. It gives some insight into the person behind the celebrity.

And best wishes to Chaz.

I am more than disgusted at all of the transphobia in our own community. It's sickening. Gay people should know better. And those that slur transgendered people (and bisexuals) are just as bad as the anti-gay people who slur us. Bigotry is bigotry and gay people who give into their own ignorance and phobias should be deeply ashamed.

First of all, congratulations and all the best to Chaz. An as MtF TS, I can really appreciate the diffuculty and struggle you have, are, and will deal with. I would gladly offer you any help I can.
Now then; WTF is with all this negativity? WHY is anyone, especially on LGBT blogs disparaging Chaz? Do they feel he is a "traitor" to the lesbian movement? Bullsh*it. Chaz is being his true self. Why is that wrong? Is it some sort of a crime?
I agree with John. The amount of transphobic prejudice and hate, especially from within the LGBT community itself, is insulting. Even worse, in almost every case it comes purely from ignorance. It is truly sad when the people you need to educate the most are the ones who are your supposed allies.
Pardon the cynic in me, but I feel there is one more thing I need to mention. Chaz has done work before with HRC, so I have to wonder how soon HRC will try to grab him up again, this time as a spokeperson for trans issues, so as to show their "renewed commitment" to transpeople. Yeah, like that will "repair" what HRC did in September 2007 with ENDA...

Cathy, you have inadvertently tripped over one of my longstanding pet peeves with your reminiscents of Chaz.

The fact that he didn't know a "Media 101" fundamental says to me that he was not qualified to have been hired by GLAAD in a professional position. If his name wasn't Bono, the odds that he would have been hired as an activist for any GLBT organization was almost nonexistent.

My issue with this is that aside from someone not being able to provide the necessary level of expertise in the role for which he was hired, it took away the opportunity from a seasoned and talented activist from getting a job in the field instead of toiling away as a volunteer doing a defacto full time job for free.

If jobs in GLBT organizations were plentiful, hiring on someone who will bring a little extra cache because of celebrity would be no big deal. But when opportunities are so few and far between (especially in earlier decades), it's unfair and impractical to do so.

I was annoyed when HRC hired Candace Gingrich for the same reason, although pissing off her brother was amusing. And for that matter, I was perturbed when they hired Elizabeth Birch, whose only qualifications were corporate, and never held a single volunteer position, or participated as an activist on any level whatsoever. So much for paying dues, and building leadership upon first hand experience.

Of course by now, our organizations are so large in both budget and staff, that there's no way anyone who doesn't have corporate experience and/or graduate degrees need not apply.

As for Chaz's transition, I wish him all the luck in the world, and congratulate him for the courage to come out. I, myself, came out as FTM when I was 40, having lived my entire adult life as a lesbian. That is, as an out, activist, politically involved, educated, committed, and dedicated lesbian who spent most of my life doing this work.

It occurs to me that Chaz is (as far as I know) the single most famous person to come out and transition in the public eye. As I wish Chaz all the best in his transition, I also hope that he'll use that notoriety to best effect on behalf of transgender equality. We'll take all the help we can get!

I remember that trip to Dallas and while you are correct that the crowd had few boundaries, it was also evident that Chaz was unprepared for the spotlight. I know he grew up in a famous household and had the glare of fame on his family but it was rarely aimed directly at him. My hope is that he takes the time for THIS coming out process before undertaking any media tours.

On another note, the comments on some of the other blogs are vile and disgusting. It is evident we have a LOT more work to do in educating the public about transgender issues. It never ceases to amaze me how much hate there is "out there" about our community. Ugh.

So thanks for the bravery Chaz, again.

Thanks for sharing the stories Cathy!

Best wishes to Chaz! It isn't easy to transition as such a public figure.

Just to clarify: I don't mean that Chaz should feel obligated to do anything. I mean, I'd love to interview the guy (my show is coming back very soon, with some cool new features), but until I see Chaz doing media interviews or I learn in some other way that he's interested in talking publicly, I won't be issuing an invitation.

Right now, Chaz is no doubt deep into the process of reorganizing his life to his liking, and the best coming out present the community can give him is the space to do it without breathing down his neck to get out there and play activist.

I just mean that since A) he is a celebrity (enough of one that he came out through a publicist), and B) he is already a well-known LGBT rights activist and author, that if he chooses to continue in those roles I hope he'll choose to do so in a way that promotes the cause of transgender rights and equality.