I take it all back
I like Ellen Degeneres. I sometimes watch her show, but it's not and every day thing, for the most part. Lately, it kinda has been, just because she's on after the Good Dr. (Phil). I find Dr. P somewhat entertaining, and watching daily gives me something to talk to my mother about.
In the past, I've been aggravated that Ellen doesn't open up a bit more. Sure, I understood she got burned 10 years ago. And, this season, she has been much more open about saying "We" when talking about home life. And, she was seen with Portia on her arm, and smooched her when she won. But still, I got a bit irritated when she would interview out celebrities and it didn't come up. I'm not asking for her to say to Melissa Etheridge, "so, we are lesbo friends from way back" but when I last saw her on there, they didn't even mention the marriage to Tammy Lynn Michaels. Any family talk was aimed at kids--Melissa might has well have been single.
Today, though, I eat my words and I take my earlier grumblings back. The dude from Grey's Anatomy, T. R. Knight, was on, and they very frankly discussed things. Here's the summary from her site:
T.R. KNIGHT of "Grey's Anatomy" discusses his choice to publicly come out and the factors that led him to make that decision. Plus. Ellen finds out what it's like to be working on one of the hottest nighttime dramas on television.
The interview was amazing; Ellen was gracious and encouraging, assuring T. R. that things are getting better. He was floored to be talking to her about it, citing that in April it will be 10 years since her historic episode.
Dr. Phil, on the otherhand, disappointed me today on his Gender Identity Crisis show today; I'm sure that he talked to Cameron before the show, and had more information than we know, but he seemed rather dismissive in some ways. What bothered me a bit more was that he didn't have any post-op FTMs who could talk to Cameron and share what they have experienced. There was also a child who has AIS whose parents have already decided to surgically ensure the child is raised as a girl. He seemed to think they were not set in their decision, but it certainly seemed they were just as sure as Cameron was about his decision to have breast surgery. Dr. Phil also interviewed two parents who have children at a school where there is a "cross-dressing teen". Note that the teen and her family refused to come on the show, which was probably a wise decision, as the two moms there had never even seen the teenager, but were convinced that the school should force her to dress as a boy (her biological gender).
I was irritated by the lack of explanation and loose use of terminology. Cross dresser does not equal transgender. Transgender does not equal gay or homosexual either (Cameron's mom claimed that ever since "she turned gay" that Cameron had been unhappy and "not herself").
So, in talk world today, I have flipped sides--Ellen handled things far better than Phil today.
In the past, I've been aggravated that Ellen doesn't open up a bit more. Sure, I understood she got burned 10 years ago. And, this season, she has been much more open about saying "We" when talking about home life. And, she was seen with Portia on her arm, and smooched her when she won. But still, I got a bit irritated when she would interview out celebrities and it didn't come up. I'm not asking for her to say to Melissa Etheridge, "so, we are lesbo friends from way back" but when I last saw her on there, they didn't even mention the marriage to Tammy Lynn Michaels. Any family talk was aimed at kids--Melissa might has well have been single.
Today, though, I eat my words and I take my earlier grumblings back. The dude from Grey's Anatomy, T. R. Knight, was on, and they very frankly discussed things. Here's the summary from her site:
T.R. KNIGHT of "Grey's Anatomy" discusses his choice to publicly come out and the factors that led him to make that decision. Plus. Ellen finds out what it's like to be working on one of the hottest nighttime dramas on television.
The interview was amazing; Ellen was gracious and encouraging, assuring T. R. that things are getting better. He was floored to be talking to her about it, citing that in April it will be 10 years since her historic episode.
Dr. Phil, on the otherhand, disappointed me today on his Gender Identity Crisis show today; I'm sure that he talked to Cameron before the show, and had more information than we know, but he seemed rather dismissive in some ways. What bothered me a bit more was that he didn't have any post-op FTMs who could talk to Cameron and share what they have experienced. There was also a child who has AIS whose parents have already decided to surgically ensure the child is raised as a girl. He seemed to think they were not set in their decision, but it certainly seemed they were just as sure as Cameron was about his decision to have breast surgery. Dr. Phil also interviewed two parents who have children at a school where there is a "cross-dressing teen". Note that the teen and her family refused to come on the show, which was probably a wise decision, as the two moms there had never even seen the teenager, but were convinced that the school should force her to dress as a boy (her biological gender).
I was irritated by the lack of explanation and loose use of terminology. Cross dresser does not equal transgender. Transgender does not equal gay or homosexual either (Cameron's mom claimed that ever since "she turned gay" that Cameron had been unhappy and "not herself").
So, in talk world today, I have flipped sides--Ellen handled things far better than Phil today.