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As a transgender woman, Trace Lysette had watched from the sidelines as actors like Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”) and Matt Bomer (“Anything”) played members of her community on the big and small screen. When news hit last month that Scarlett Johansson would portray a transgender man in the biopic “Rub and Tug,” she could no longer stay quiet. Since the “Transparent” actress wasn’t getting opportunities to audition for cisgender (non-transgender) roles, she argued on Twitter that the industry should at least allow transgender actors to play what they know.

Chaz Bono cannot find love because he “repels” women. Lovelorn Bono, 46, says he has been out on dates but just cannot connect with the opposite sex even though the transgender LGBT advocate was once a member of the opposite sex. The reality star son of Cher has been struggling to find a permanent partner after splitting with Jennifer Elia in 2011. “I seem to repel women that I am attracted to,” Bono told Confidenti@l at the Les Girls charity fund-raiser in Los Angeles.” He says, “I have been single for four years, which has been a great thing and...

I don't know what the proper etiquette on this is so I'm just going to say it in a way that actually makes sense. Chaz Bono is the daughter of Cher and Sonny Bono. Until a few years ago Chaz was Chastity before having a sex change from female to male (or man to woman, because apparently they're not the same thing) So, Chaz is having trouble hookin' up with the girls.The New York Daily News reports, “I seem to repel women that I am attracted to,” Bono told Confidenti@l at the Les Girls charity fund-raiser in Los Angeles.” He...

Cher Tweets "@cher "If ROMNEY gets elected I don't know if i can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters" And again, @cher "TOO HARSH ? Thats me Holding BACK! They care nothing about the POOR The OLD The SICK The HUNGRY CHILDREN & People striving 4 a Better LIFE !" Finally,(Mercifully) @cher "Tell The Truth (lyric of new song) Supreme Court GONE,Women & Children Left Behind! GOD HELP US !" What the heck happened to Cher? Dumped Sonny. Too many drugs with Gregg Allman? Hired a lesbian sitter for Chastity....

Chaz Bono and fiancée Jennifer Elia have called off their engagement. The couple - who have dated since 1999 - have not only cancelled plans to get hitched but have decided to end their relationship entirely. His spokesperson Howard Bragman said today: ‘They leave this relationship with great love, respect and affection toward one another. 'No further amplification will be forthcoming and they ask that you respect their privacy at this time.' It's over: Chaz Bono and Jennifer Elia have called off their engagement It's over: Chaz Bono and Jennifer Elia have called off their engagement Earlier today, Chaz tweeted:...

You knew the first one to get married would be a Navy guy. At least you did if you had ever been in the Army. Or had heard the Village People song. At the stroke of midnight yesterday, it became OK to be queer in the military. And across America, newscast after newscast carried the water of the gay-rights movement. We saw repeated pictures of clean-cut men kissing, and heard any number of past and present military homosexuals talking about their moral victory, and there were sound bites of various generals and secretaries testifying that this was the right thing...

It was the question of the night: how would Chaz Bono fare under pressure on Dancing with the Stars? When it was all over, the activist transgender child of Sonny and Cher – whose appearance drew both praise and controversy – basked in cheers from the audience and warm remarks from the judges Monday. It seems Chaz can cha cha. "Chazzy Boy, you can dance!" said Carrie Ann Inaba. Len Goodman responded with a "Razzamataz Chaz" and praised his footwork, while Bruno Tonioli said, "So cuddly and cute. Great, great debut, Chaz. You should be proud," as Bono and pro...

ABC believes there are "crazies" out there who have a thing against Chaz Bono ... and network execs have taken precautions by ordering security for Chaz both on and off the "Dancing with the Stars" set. Sources connected with the show tell TMZ ... there have not been any specific threats against Chaz, but the honchos know there's an element of hatred out there and they feel it's necessary to block Chaz from harm. As a result, we're told Chaz will get security while he's on the CBS Television City lot -- where the show is filmed -- and off...

While many people, especially in the LBGT community, have lauded the addition of Chaz Bono to the "Dancing with the Stars" cast, others are concerned, disappointed, and just plain angry – and they went to the show’s online message board to let producers know how they feel. One of the main concerns was that transgendered contestants will be confusing to children and inappropriate for a family program. “I personally do not mind watching Chaz,” wrote Callisandria2. “The problem is that I watch this show with my 10 year old daughter. I am sure the show will talk about Chaz and...

"Dancing With the Stars" aims for provocative casts, and Chaz Bono's addition to the show has already yielded strong reaction -- some of it ugly. Bono, the only child of Sonny Bono and Cher, was born a woman but legally changed his gender and name last year. The announcement Monday that he would join the highly rated ABC dance competition immediately made him one of the highest-profile transgendered people in the world. It also brought to the surface prejudices about Bono and others who have changed their gender, judging from the "Dancing With the Stars" message board. In hundreds of...

FULL TITLE: He's all man now: A fuzzy-faced Chaz Bono shows off his beard for the first time as he runs errands round Los Angeles Two years after he started his gender reassignment process, Chaz Bono appears to have completely made the transition from female to male. He was snapped sporting a new beard as he ran errands round Los Angeles yesterday. The 42-year-old looked all man with his facial hair and short cropped hair as he filled up his car. Dressed in shorts and a vest top, Chaz teamed his look with a chunky bracelet, designer watch and aviator...

It was not that long ago that I would regularly watch the Sonny and Cher TV show, featuring their cute little towheaded daughter, Chastity, the three of them posing like a holy family. It  was hard to imagine little Chastity becoming "Chaz" after discovering her born lesbianism. But, wait a minute, if she was born a lesbian, why would she undergo semi gender-change surgery? (The semi surgery only included an  upper half alteration - or breast reduction). Even the very progressive David Letterman was confused and confounded by his awkward sounding guest.   There are so many paradoxes surrounding the...

Cher spent months avoiding her transgender son Chaz Bono as he went through the process to become a man. She says she was terrified she wouldn't recognize him as her child. Bono was born Chastity - Cher and ex-husband Sonny Bono's only daughter - and she broke her mother's heart when she came out as a lesbian. Chaz feared more heartbreak was to come when he revealed his plans to undergo a lengthy and extensive sex change procedure, but Cher took the news well. However, once the process started, the pop superstar kept her distance. In new documentary Becoming Chaz,...

Chaz Bono is now a man ... legally and otherwise. Cher's newly-minted son showed up to court today in Santa Monica, where a judge granted Chaz' petition for a gender and name change. According to documents filed in March, Chaz underwent an "irreversible surgery" on September 23, 2009 to change his "sex characteristics from female to male." In the docs, Chaz's doctor said, "Chaz Bono has completed his gender reassignment surgery." It's like a transgender Bar Mitzvah!

Chaz Bono is officially a man and has his new name. A judge on Thursday granted a request to change the name and gender of the 41-year-old writer, activist and reality TV star. Chaz Bono was born a girl to Sonny Bono and Cher and underwent a gender-change operation last year. Bono was represented in court by attorney Kristina Wertz of the Transgender Law Center. Wertz says the judge's order is an important step in Chaz Bono's transition and will allow him to reflect his new identity on a variety of official documents. Wertz says in a statement, "Chaz couldn't...

(CBS) In June, Chastity Bono, daughter of entertainers Sonny and Cher, shocked the entertainment world by announcing that she was becoming a he. Now, in his first interview, Chaz Bono, as he now calls himself, speaks to "Entertainment Tonight's" Mary Hart about his transformation, his famous family and the struggle he's gone through since childhood. "I have to tell you that I was really quite moved with my time with Chaz. His honesty, thoughtfulness and warmth not only impressed me, but it helped me understand this very serious choice he's made," Hart told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. According to...

Cher's former daughter Chastity Bono has stepped out for the first time since undergoing a sex change. The 40-year-old activist, who now wants to be known as Chaz, made his debut as a man after beginning the surgical process earlier this year. Chaz, who now refers to himself as a 'he', was spotted enjoying a massage in West Hollywood yesterday. Wearing combat shorts, T-shirt, trainers and baseball cap, Chaz certainly passed for an overweight American male as he left the Body Well in Santa Monica Boulevard on Tuesday