Thursday, June 04, 2015

Another post related to my last one. Bob was traveling yesterday and listening to AM radio in the car to help stay alert on the long drive. He told me that a caller remarked how the contrast between the media attention, and public reaction to another transgender celebrity is startling: in the former case, Chaz Bono. It's a good example, because it is unfair to compare a famous person to someone in ordinary life who is trangender -- of course the situations are going to be very different financially and publicity-wise. But Chastity was known to us almost since birth. I remember watching a story at the time of his transition (not on the news BTW, I believe it was on the Tonight Show) and I agree with the caller.  Certainly we can't really know these celebrities, but to me Chaz seemed sincere and the story was so much more compelling. Yet I don't recall any sexy magazine covers or courage awards. Is it because it was a woman to man transition? Is it because Bruce Jenner is now presenting as a woman who appears 30 years younger than her actual age? Is it because of the absurd choice of a "today" name nothing like the original (no one named their daughter "Caitlyn" 65 years ago)? Is it because of the obscene Kardashian connection?

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