A reader alerted me to the Anderson Cooper/Chaz Bono interview on CNN, and since I don’t have a working television, I watched the interview online. I don’t know if I saw the whole interview or just a snippet, but it certainly shattered some assumptions that make their rounds out there in the world (and sometimes in my head).
Assumption #1: Because a person is famous, he or she will be a great spokesperson for our community.
Now, I’m sure Chaz is a great guy, but he’s not a particularly eloquent spokesperson (and I have to remember that it was his parents who were/are performers, not him). I was happy when he came out, and I’m still happy that he’s out, because he brought some major visibility to the trans masculine population, which most non-trans people (and a few trans women) think doesn’t exist, or, at the very least, is inconsequential. But as well-known as he is, Chaz still may not be the best representation for us.
As I watched him hem and haw his way through the questions, I kept hoping that he would get a little political or go for the broader explanation, and I kept thinking about how I would answer the same questions. But then, if I was being interviewed by Anderson Cooper, I would probably stutter around, too, and end up saying, “Gee, you’re cute,” which really wouldn’t help our movement in any way — and probably wouldn’t even get me a date.
Assumption #2: Because we are the “LGBT” community, gay men and lesbians know more about us than straight people.
It’s true that Cooper has likely been instructed to conduct his interviews for the masses, which is, in the mind of the media, the lowest common denominator — people who don’t really know much and don’t really think a whole lot about what they do know. But “As of last fall, I read that you were shaving once a week. Are you doing it more now?” dips below even the lowest common denominator.
You would hope that, as an alleged gay man, Cooper would have enough knowledge of the trans community to find some meaningful questions that would really serve to inform non-trans viewers. But being an alleged gay man obviously does not give him any special insights.
Off topic: If you think this assumption is true, note that a headline printed in the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News online Saturday said “J. Crew accused of discriminating against transgenders” (“transgenders” has now been changed to “transgender job applicants” — our activists never sleep!).
Assumption #3: Because the intro to Cooper’s show — the photos and the music — are so dramatic, the interview questions will be hard-hitting, deep, and revealing.
See “As of last fall, I read that you were shaving once a week. Are you doing it more now?” above.
Assumption #4: Because trans people are increasingly visible in the media, trans organizations are active nationally, trans people are all over the Internet, and trans topics are being discussed at Sunday church socials, Trans 101 topics are old news.
“Trans issues and information” is really in its infancy, regardless of how all-over-the-place we are. Even when I speak on a college campus, it’s obvious that the most basic information — especially the physical changes brought on by hormones and surgery — is still the most fascinating part of this whole thing for non-trans people. Trans 101 probably won’t go out of style for quite some time — unlike me, who feels totally out of style compared to the college students I’m speaking to.
Assumption #5: Because of increasing trans visibility, people are much more comfortable with the topic now.
Both Cooper and Bono seemed uncomfortable with the topic. But Bono, as noted above, is not a performer. And his private life is being put out there for public scrutiny.
To be fair, so is Cooper’s. After all, isn’t everyone who’s watching the interview wondering why an alleged gay man isn’t asking better-informed questions?
(Thanks to Daya for the great post idea.)
Great post, as I expected it would be…
While watching the interview I kept hearing your voice dissecting it.
I guess our job now is to figure out how to shift the conversation from the physical to the emotional, where most transitions take place…usually WAY before any physical changes.
Perhaps if we can entice the public about that deeper subject, we can teach them about the riches there.
You rool…as always…
I don’t mind too much about the basicness of the interview, but then I don’t know the context of the show. I was just irritated why Chaz didn’t really say anything- he seemed to feel unconfortable, and I didn’t understand why. He looked very serious and overwhelmed. The moderator looked a bit unconfortable too, but I didn’t read that as hostile or anything. I didn’t get the problem, it was as if something was wrong backstage, or as of both had the stomach flu or something. Chaz was much more relaxed in an other interview he gave a while ago- so he *can* do it.
can I change my first comment? I watched it again focusing more on the moderator and he really seemed a bit slow. I wonder if he knew Chaz before the transition. It was like he was thinking: why is this nice dyke doing this? Usually I know this reacion only from lesbians who whatch “former lesbians” transition.
I’ve got to imagine Anderson Cooper is worldly enough to understand what’s going on. He’s hip…
I just couldn’t put my finger on it…but you’re right…it was as if they were both uncomfortable.
Chaz was certainly less than articulate, and it seems as though Anderson Cooper was uncomfortable when he realized that Chaz was not going to give a good interview. What was interesting was that Chaz mentioned “top surgery” and then seemed uncomfortable when Cooper asked him for more details about it. Yes, Cooper asked the dumb question about shaving, but also asked some insightful questions prior to that. I think he went to the shaving bit when he couldn’t get the in-depth, articulate answers he was looking for. Maybe it was a bone he was tossing out to Chaz to reduce the tension, or maybe he was trying to commiserate with him.
PS – I about jumped out of my skin when Chaz referred to top surgery as being “like a cosmetic surgery.” I think that was not the best choice of words.
I think you’re right about Anderson Cooper. I still love him…so I didn’t think he blew it or anything.
Chaz looks unhealthy…and not particularly happy. He really needs to get his weight and his health under control before he acts as a rep for getting emotionally healthy by recognizing ones true nature. There’s something about that concept and his extreme discomfort that don’t mesh.
About interviewing–I do it at least once or twice a week for the newspaper I work for. Luckily, it’s not live, because the people that you think are going to be great interviews often have nothing to say.
Comedians or funny TV personalities, for example, can be really boring in real life. So can people who just appear fascinating in their certain persona. You forget that it’s an act or a public persona, and it doesn’t necessarily translate to real life.
That’s why I’m lucky to be doing it in print, because I can cut and adjust stuff (obviously, I never change quotes or cut stuff to change the meaning of quotes). But I can cut out extraneous stuff or write the story in some way other than a Q&A format to make it more interesting for the reader.
Couple of thoughts:
1. Some of the awkwardness was a result of Anderson and Chaz being in different locations so the slowness seemed more a result of having a video feed delay. That’s never fun for either side of the interview.
2. Chaz needs some help with the language and message to use. You’d think that someone who worked for GLAAD and The Advocate would do a bit more homework about how to present himself, esp. when he knows that he’ll get the media calls because of his celebrity status. Perhaps some of our organizations need to find a way to get in touch with him to help him polish his presentation.
3. Don’t go to do interviews about transition if you’re going to be all uncomfortable talking about the process. While I agree that Trans 101 may not be as necessary for some folks – remember that the great masses are stilll pretty uneducated on these issues. And the great masses want the juicy details of what our bodies look like. There are certainly ways to answer that question that don’t include having to discuss one’s own body in detail but which honestly answer the question – and which – as Daya says – can move away from the body determinist discussion.
Spencer–how great of you to come by! Thanks so much for reading and thanks for your comment. It’s great to hear from you.
That was painful to watch, and unfortunate. Don’t they go through the questions ahead of time? Sigh. Well sussed Matt. Thanks!
Chaz is only doing what others can not or will not do. He has taken it upon himself to help educate people to the fact that transgender people do exist and that they do matter and have a right to be happy.
The fact that he is becoming the “face” of this educational movement was probably not his choice, just like it was not his choice to be born in the wrong type of body.
He has the courage to put his personal life out there to the public, and I have a lot of respect for that.
Give him time to adjust. None of us know the stress he is going through with everything, even those of you that have had the surgery/ies. You were not in the public eye.
Signed,
A straight 39 year old male.