Image Credit: ABC
In response to the Internet backlash against transgender Chaz Bono’s decision to join the season 13 cast of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, attorney Gloria Allred has joined Robin Tyler, executive director of the Equality Campaign, and LGBT activist and comedian Belinda Carroll to co-chair a viewing party in Los Angeles on Sept. 19 to watch Chaz perform. Allred was the one who decided to add a dance element to the event, she said at a news conference this morning. “I look forward to dancing on that evening with any transitioned male or female who invites me to dance,” she said. (Location is TBA, but according to Allred, “Everyone who supports Chaz is invited to this party in L.A.”)
Allred and Tyler launched a “Chaz Bono Dancing With the Stars” Facebook campaign and Twitter account (@WeSupportChaz) this morning to spread the word. “We have decided to isue a national call for LGBT people and our allies to have Dancing With the Stars viewing and dance parties in support of Chaz Bono,” Tyler said. Viewing parties are already being planned in Portland, Austin, and New York.
Tyler, who cofounded successful campaigns such as Stop Dr. Laura and Don’t Ammend, reached out to Allred after becoming increasingly upset over the online response to Chaz’s DWTS casting. Chaz dominated the conversation in thousands of comments on ABC.com and around the Internet — and the ugly reaction, said Tyler, was shocking. “Our community and fair-minded people will not tolerate this kind of bullying and hate mail,” she said. “It was okay for Chaz Bono to be seen on a national cable documentary explaining his life and why he transitioned from female to male, but it is not okay to have Chaz Bono on Dancing With the Stars, actually dancing with a woman?” she asked.
Allred said that although she does not represent Chaz Bono and has never met him, she has represented many transitioned persons who have been victims of hate. In response to a Fox News column by psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow called “Don’t Let Your Kids Watch Chaz Bono on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’” Allred countered, “I believe that children should watch Chaz dance and their parents should view the broadcast on which he appears as a teaching moment and an opportunity to engage their children in a dialogue.” She said parents should discuss with their children how people who have been transitioned have often been unfairly stigmatized and discriminated against and have become the victims of violence because of dangerous stereotypes about them.
As for Chaz, he assured the public on today’s Good Morning America that once he’s taken the stage Sept. 19, he won’t be up there talking about anything other than dancing. “People who don’t have gender dysphoria aren’t going to catch it by watching me on television,” he said.
Read more:
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‘DWTS’: Happy with season 13 cast? (VOTE)
Cast checks in with EW after Monday’s announcement
GLAAD on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ casting: ‘Tremendous step forward’
I hope Chaz lasts a bit I would like to see if he loses weight like all the other dancers seem to do.
Well at least they can’t breed.
Don’t need to. We recruit.
Here’s something to blow your mind- remember the pregnant “man” on Oprah?
I Agree!
If Gloria Alred thinks it is a good idea to watch this person appear on DWTS, then I am opposed! Nothing that this ambulance chaser supports or defends pleases me.
If Gloria Allred has an opinion on ANYTHING (or ANY IT in this case) I am Opposed—Stupid Broad!
Good luck to Chaz, but Gloria nothing but a media wh*re. She will do anything to get her name mentioned, so why am I not surprised she latched herself on to the Chaz wagon…
Unfortunatly, Ms Allred pi$$es off many more people tha Chaz ever could. This may not be doing him any favors.
Gloria is an Ambulance Chaser
Exactly Sugar, Chaz stay far, far away from Gloria.
America loves crap.
Thanks Gloria. Nobody wants to watch a freak show.
I can’t beleiver all the negative comments. If you ahve nothing nice to say keep the nasty comments to yourself. He is a human being and who really cares what he decides to be in his life . The proble with the society today is everyone lies to their children and tries to shelter them from the truth. Start focusing on reality and parent your kids instead of paying attention elsewhere. Look in the mirror once in a while, maybe you will find YOU like CHAZ did. I hope he wins!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is a she. No matter how she mutilates her body or chemically alters it, you can’t change your DNA. She will never possess a Y chromosome. Tired of her and now ABC pushing their beliefs. Do what you want but I choose (because I’m pro-choice…get it?) not to accept nor condone. I don’t hate her; I just don’t accept her actions. Why do I care? Because it’s being forced on me.
I don’t understand… you don’t accept her actions? What does that mean?
I don’t know either tranzchick but when did hate have to be logical.
Hey Lola, want to freak out even more? I’m a gay man and I think Chaz is hot. Pity for me he’s only into women…
EW, can you trace Lola’s location? Someone must be at her home forcing her to read and comment on entertainment articles on the Internet! We must help her!
Chastity is NOT and NEVER will be a man…….she is a sick, delusional, girl who has mutilated her body as a pathetic attempt to mimic the sex that she was not born and will never be, no matter how many misinformed liberal nutballs claim otherwise
Wow! You are protesting a little too much, don’t you think? By the way I may be a ‘nutball’, might even be a liberal but if you can’t tell by my name; I’m probably a bit more informed than you think you are. Take my word for it, you probably know at least one transgender person and don’t even realise it. We’re everywhere. Spooky isn’t it?
I am amazed that Christian Groups are having a fit about Chaz…oh, but they are not concerned about the women who are dancing virtually naked on the show?? I am a Christian and I choose to not watch this show because I believe it is trashy…MY OPINION and MY CHOICE…I question the validity of family groups and religious groups who are all of a sudden having a problem with this show. HELLO!!! This is not a family show and if you are a Christian you should not be watching it anyway so butt out!!…sorry, just my opinion!
Fat people, unattractive people & mentally ill people are the only members of our society who can still be joked about without censure. Chaz is both fat & unattractive; and whatever his status as male or female … people will react to his looks. But because he’s transgender … he gets a pass apparently. So … he’ll be voted off early cuz of his appearance & not cuz of his transition from female to male.
I think americans talk to dang much…….quit putting on tv about chaz bono my daughter has not one time said a word untill seeing it all over the news…..so very sad, i don’t agree, but even god said don’t judge, not my place to judge! My niece is gay after being sexually malested I don’t talk about it to my children, she lives her life, we don’t speak of it but if asked I tell the truth, so when kids are old enough to ask then tell them! It works.
All the people saying they aren’t watching, well they will probly watch……you just can’t help it how can you bitch and complain if you don’t watch!
Chaz will be out in the first round—so there goes the controversy!~
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