What Chaz Bono on "DWTS" Means... A Transgender Man's Perspective
Posted by Niko Thompson on October 3, 2011

http://www.afterelton.com/people/2011/10/what-chaz-bono-on-dwts-means-transgender-perspective

As you probably already know, this year one of the contestants on Dancing with the Stars is Chaz Bono, a transgender man, writer, LGBT activist, and son of Sonny and Cher. Being a transgender man myself, I had mixed reactions when I first heard the announcement that he would be competing.

On the one hand, I was excited that they were willing to branch out and include a transgender contestant, even if that was sure to – and did, in fact – attract a lot of negative attention. As they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity.

But I did wonder if the show would have wanted Chaz if he were not transgender. If he were still Chastity. Was being transgender itself enough to qualify you as a "celebrity?" Was including him on the show just a ratings gimmick?

I thought it was good for him and good for a tg/ts being on tv.  However, what did he do before DWTS? Was he even significant besides being Cher's child?

I feel FOX is cashing in on his tg-ness as a gimmick to a certain degree.