Page 4 - Called Chaz News Today

And i was trying to figure out. when i finally went to her shortly after the incident with jen and told her, im going to do this. you know i have been struggling with this and i realize this is something i need to do and im going to do it. she was actually unbelievably supportive. just like amazing. i kind of couldnt believe it. she was so calm and we had a wonderful talk about it. and then i think as the reality started to hit her, it became more difficult for her. shes talked about when my voi...

Afterwards both knew this has got to happen. >> and, remarkably -- i dont say remarkably, i dont know here at all, but jennifer stayed with us and supported you. difficult though its been for her. >> mm-hmm. >> well discuss with her how difficult its been. pretty amazing that shes done that. >> it is. >> well listen to a clip of your mother cher, her reaction to your transition. >> its been difficult for different -- anyone different from burning people they thought were witches, any time youre ...

Will we, piers, will we? >> chaz? theres a glauntlet thats been thrown down there. heres your chance. >> we have been engaged for two years. kind of had to put things on hold a little bit. i think the other thing is we have both been real -- >> i think the lady would like you to get on with it. >> she would. >> now being a man you have no excuse. >> no, we dont. but the one thing we talked about is how we are big supporters of marriage equality. its weird to be able to do it now. >> are you lega...

Within the year-long window within which chaz has now said he would be held to and we get to the church and you are asked formally to officiate would you do it? >> you know, honestly i would be deeply honored to. i think we have to have family discussions and i dont see why i wouldnt. but being put on the spot right here to do it, i guess i would feel more comfortable if i heard the two of them make the commitment in the actual ask. >> i guess im managing to maneuver this the way jennifer would ...

>> it is. very fortunate. it cant always be the case. >> no. its not always the case, but it does happen. i know other -- we know people who have gone through the transition together. but, you know, we feel lucky. >> do you know people where it hasnt worked? once the transitions happened they split up? >> i dont actually. i only know one other couple that had very similar circumstances to ours and they are, you know, happily married now. >> is part of the reason that you feel able to deal with i...

I had no idea how i would react. but to my surprise, i was thrilled. like i got it. when i saw his chest the way it looks now, i thought, oh, right, this makes sense. and i was surprised. i actually thought i might miss the other, but it worked. >> so physically there wasnt a problem. what about psychologically? >> emotionally we went through a lot of work. and i mean you go from being in a female dynamic, even though i believe chaz was always male, he had estrogen. so you have two estrogens in ...

Alcohol. why was that? >> i cant blame it solely on chazs transition. my sobriety has been a struggle for years. it has been an off and on thing. when he told me he was going to do this i used it as a pass for myself which only an alcoholic can do. >> when you saw jennifer fall off the wagon, did it worry you that the stress of everything you put her through was now coming out in alcohol? >> actually, no. what it made me was angry really. and it was different because i think in the past i would ...

The male chaz. i mean, in a sense of testosterone and estrogen. there was a softness that chaz had as a female that is different now as a male. >> from a technical point of view, are you now a straight guy? >> sure, yeah. >> and you cant be a lesbian any more, right? >> im a bisexual woman. >> you remained a bisexual woman. >> and i stayed that way. so there you go. >> do you amuse yourselves when you explain all this to people who just sort of cant get it? >> we amused dave. or he did. >> what ...

Place as a culture that we would be able to be more respectful. >> tell me, since this has all blown up and you have been on tv everywhere, have you been vindicated on your belief on that? when you walk around, are people supportive to you? >> very. >> are you amazed how far america has come? >> i have been amazed how the media has covered this and how fair and open-minded everybody seemed to be. yeah. you know, if somebody recognizes me, i always get, you know, a really positive response from t...

Lesbianing rights, transgender rights and so on. do you hope that the publicity surrounding chazs story may lead to a more liberal attitude towards this kind of thing? >> well, you know, i dont want to throw out any political terms or label anybody anything here. but im always one who believes we can learn something from everybodys story wherever we can hear it that there are bit was it to learn and we can all gain some wisdom and happiness watching other peoples stories and accepting them and t...