GLAAD Thrilled About Chaz Bono On 'Dancing With the Stars'

Transgender advocate Chaz Bono and gay stylist Carson Kressley are part of the lineup for the upcoming season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars and no group is more thrilled than GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
 
In a statement, Herndon Graddick, Senior Director of Programs at GLAAD said, "At a time when transgender representation in the media is sorely lacking, Chaz Bono joining the cast of a series like Dancing With the Stars is a tremendous step forward for the public to recognize that transgender people are an important part of the fabric of American culture."

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Bono, the transgender son of Cher and Sonny Bono, is a well known advocate for transgender issues and was the subject of the recent documentary Becoming Chaz, detailing his transformation from woman to man. Kressley was once one of the Fab Five on Bravo's hit series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and is now the host of Carson Nation on OWN.

GLAAD also praised the inclusion of transgender model Isis King and lesbian Kayla Ferrel in the upcoming season of America's Next Top Model -- All Stars.

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"With both gay and transgender contestants represented, ABC and the CW have created primetime firsts that reflect the growing acceptance of gay and transgender people in America today," the statement said.