Author-activist Chaz Bono has said
there is no backing out of Dancing with the Stars.
On Monday night, ABC announced the 12
stars who'll participate in the upcoming 13th season of
Dancing with the Stars, which premieres on September 19.
The inclusion of Bono, the child of gay
icon Cher and the late entertainer-politician Sonny Bono, and openly
gay fashion expert Carson Kressley has stirred up controversy.
Bono has legally changed his name and gender.
During an appearance on the Christian
Broadcasting Network (CBN), Dan Gainor of the socially conservative
Culture & Media Institute (CMI) said Bono's inclusion was
“another example of how Hollywood and particularly television force
a sexual agenda on America.” (The video is embedded in the right
panel of this page.)
CMI and other conservative groups have
called for a boycott of the show over its casting.
In an interview with San
Diego Gay & Lesbian News, Bono, who has already begun
training with dancing partner Lacey Schwimmer, dismissed the
controversy.
When asked about the possibility of
backing out of the show, Bono said: “Nope. We are going forward no
matter what.”
“The most important thing,” Bono
added, “is that I wish there was someone like me on television when
I was a kid, or even when I was a little older and struggling so
much. That is the inspiration for me. I know I can reach more
people this way, those who are afraid to be themselves, or unsure and
scared.”
(Related: Cher
defends Chaz Bono from offended Dancing
with the Stars
viewers.)