Watching Chaz Bono on TV Won't Confuse Children

[William769]

Whew! The American Psychiatric Association says it's OK for children to watch Chaz Bono compete on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, reports website TMZ.

APA president John M. Oldham, MD, acknowledges that Gender Identity Disorder is a psychiatric disorder, but tells TMZ, "There is no evidence that viewing a television game show with a transgender contestant would induce Gender Identity Disorder in young people."

Oldham's statement is a welcome contradiction to Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and frequent Fox News contributor, who previously urged parents not to let their children watch the upcoming season of the popular ABC series. He also mistakenly characterized Bono as a "transsexual woman," referred to him with female pronouns, and called him a "very disordered person."

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/09/12/Watching_Chaz_Bono_on_TV_Won_t_Confuse_Children/

[Turbineguy]

1. Dumb children

are less easily confused as smart teabaggers.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. I Think Transgenderism Or Gender Dysphoria Needs To Be Removed From The Next DSM

And in the fullness of time it will be.

[nolabear]

11. They're working on it. The wheels turn a little slowly and it's hard to know how to help people.

One of the biggest issues with the DSM is that diagnoses often lead to insurance coverage. Being transgender isn't easy and calls for some kind of combination of physical and mental help, not to "change" the person but to help them deal with the stresses of either having the physical work done to change gender or not. Both are hard and the world is a hard place to live right now. But the labelling and implication of being "wrong" most certainly needs to change.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. It's Not The Transgendered Person Who Has A Problem.

The problem is caused, imho, by society's reaction to him or her.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. People shouldn't put their hopes to much in his success on the show

[MineralMan]

4. I'm not really sure what you mean. You might want to edit your title.

I think you were trying to say:

People should not put their hopes too much in his success on the show.

Is that what you meant? If so, I suspect you're right. I believe there will be an overwhelming anti-Chaz vote promoted by the right, and I doubt it can be overcome by other efforts.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. The fact that he is very overweight (or perhaps obese)

The type of dancing that they do on that show looks to be very strenuous, and a man in that type of shape is asking for trouble. It is hard (and even dangerous) to go from a sedentary lifestyle to a very athletic one.

[Missy Vixen]

13. And your point would be?

The show producers require all contestants to have a physical before they are allowed to compete.

Chaz Bono is not the only overweight person to ever compete on DWTS.

>It is hard (and even dangerous) to go from a sedentary lifestyle to a very athletic one.<

Weren't you just mocking the overweight on another thread currently on the front page?

It was Bono's decision to participate. He's working with a professional dance teacher. Let's see if he enjoys the additional exercise. It sure worked for Kirstie Alley and Kelly Osbourne.

[Lex]

5. people must have little faith in the stability of their own

gender identity - i.e. if they see a transgendered person, they will want to BE a transgendered person

homosexuality - i.e. if they see homosexuals, they will want to BE homosexuals

[Warpy]

6. Of course not, children will see Chazz for who he is: a man

The only thing that might confuse them is listening to their pearl clutching, pursed lipped, picklefaced parents deploring the fact that he's on TV and dancing in a competition.

[Politicalboi]

9. That's what I thought too

Just like the attire malfunction during the Super Bowl a few years back. I bet not many if any kids saw what happened till the media replayed it over and over and over.

[msongs]

10. kids will not even know unless an adult tells them. BTW I think he looks like a woman really nt

[treestar]

20. +1

Say nothing, and the kid just sees a man.

[SheilaT]

7. I might be willing to argue

that Dancing With The Stars is a dumb show that no one should be watching, but if you're going to watch it and let your kids watch it, so what?

[pintobean]

12. Oh goodie - it's not communicable through the tee-vee.

I guess we're all safe. :sarcasm:

Sorry William. I meant to rec and accidentally unrecced. I think that's the 2nd time I've done that to you.

[Kalidurga]

15. Sa'll right Pinto

I will take the unrec and raise it a rec...

[pintobean]

16. Thank you

my boo-boo is currently keeping this off the greatest page. :(

[gratuitous]

17. The FOX News rebuttal

"Well, just because there's no evidence, it doesn't mean it might not happen! PH34R!"

I would have worried more about kids thinking that Tom DeLay was an actual human being during his turn on Dancing With the Stars.

[Initech]

18. Like I keep saying: the people protesting Chaz need to get a fucking life.

[dtexdem]

19. On the other hand, watching Dancing with the Stars ...

may confuse the entire American population. ;-)