Please help me understand what the proper labels would be here. I was reading an article on "gay celebrities" and one of the people that they included Chaz Bono. Now, here's where I get confused (and I'm truly trying to figure this out, I may be being stupid, but that's my natural state, lol). Chaz Bono is FTM. Therefore, I would refer to Chaz as a "him". And he's attracted to women. Is he truly gay then? Isn't he just a male attracted to women? Can you tell me if i'm a complete idiot for thinking like this? (I readily admit to being an idiot on other things). Thanks!
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the reason they classified Chaz Bono as a gay celebrity is because they were just using gay as an umbrella term for anyone in the LGBTQ community. They probably thought it would be simpler that way.
No problem. Trans 101 here we come! Gender and sex are two different things. Put simply, sex is between our legs. Gender is between our ears. (Somebody smart came up with that, not me.) To be cisgender is to have a gender identity the same as one's sex. To be transgender is to have a gender identity different than one's sex. (And not all trans* people are binary.) Sexual orientation should be resolved by considering gender identity first. Chaz is FtM; therefore, Chaz is a man. He's attracted to women; therefore, he is straight.
Personally, I agree fully with what you have to say about it. Chaz Bono is a trans* man. He is attracted to women. So he is straight. Saying, then, that Mr. Chaz is gay for women is just plain baffling, isn't it? =p
Thanks guys. I'm still pretty new to the LGBT community and I'm pretty careful about words because I know how powerful words are and how easy it is to wound someone by using the wrong words. Thanks!
