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This week's announcement that Chaz Bono is part of the new cast of "Dancing With The Stars" brought out the haters and the transphobes -- over at the DWTS message boards, viewers suggested that the show was no longer family-friendly and that the producers were pushing a homosexual agenda.
But the comments also fired up those who support Chaz, including DWTS executive producer Conrad Green, Chaz' dance partner Lacey Schwimmer, and his mother, Cher.
In comments made to the Hollywood Reporter, Green said:
We don't have an agenda of any sorts. I think of the 120 celebrities we've put on the show, we've had, I think now, three transgender or gay contestants. If that's a homosexual agenda, we're not doing very well at it. What we try to do is reflect a broad range of the entertainment world in the casting of the show, and we're always trying to find new things that people haven't seen, new types of stories and that's what we've been doing this season.
"We’re all taught to not bully, or harass, and treat everyone as equals yet all these people are doing exactly the opposite...I’ve always been a huge supporter of the LGBT community and I couldn’t be more excited to have Chaz. Not only is he Sonny & Cher’s child but he’s also a generally cool person."
Schwimmer also tweeted two days ago: "I'm so thrilled to let you know my dance partner on @DancingABC is @ChazBono !! He is such an amazing person! And so sweet! Weee"
As for Mama Cher, she minced even fewer words when it came to the things people are saying about her son. The disco queen took to Twitter on August 31 to express her maternal rage:
Chaz is Being Viciously Attacked on Blogs & Message boards about being on DWTS!This is Still America right ? It took guts 2 do it I support him no matter what he chooses 2do! God! will there always be haters! It took COURAGE 2 do dwts ! TG Chaz has an Unlimited supply
...Mothers don't stop Getting angry with stupid bigots who fk with their children !
