“It’s back on everyone!” screams an excited man standing on a barstool.
The bars two large chandlers flicker on and off. Bill Conti’s "Gonna Fly Now" (otherwise known as “The Rocky Theme”) cuts out. A collective hush falls over the packed aptly named Fedora Lounge. Anthony Martinez races over to the main flat screen television to turn up the volume.
“[mumbling]…Chaz…[mumbling]…has what it takes?” says the announcer.
“…Safe!”
The crowd roars with excitement. For a moment, the cheers are almost deafening. “Gonna Fly Now” swells up just where it had left off moments before. Two girls standing on the bar kiss as onlookers throw star-shaped confetti at the couple.
So what’s all the hype?
Chaz Bono has made it through week four of "Dancing with the Stars".
“Who would have thought we would be so invested in this over 2000 miles away”, yells Anthony Martinez, referring to the LA-based production. “It’s really helped to bring a greater sense of pride to our community”.
Martinez is the Executive Director of The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), a Chicago-based LGBT advocacy group. On every Tuesday for the past two weeks, his organization has sponsored a “Support Chaz” night at Fedora Lounge, a gay bar in River North. A night that started as a few friends having some drinks has grown into a 50+ weekly event that brings LGBT community members and their allies together for mutual support and camaraderie for Bono as well as each other.
“Chaz being on ‘Dancing’ is a great opportunity to rally LGBT Chicagoans and their allies around a common cause”, said Martinez. “We are celebrating the visibility of LGBT persons on Television, but more importantly, Chaz’s visibility as a Transgender person in the media”.
Chaz Bono, born Chastity Bono to famous Pop Diva Cher and the late Sonny Bono, underwent female to male sexual reassignment surgery in 2008. As a Transgendered man, Bono has endured a barrage of criticism since “Dancing with the Stars” announced he would be a contestant on the show’s thirteenth season.
It was this criticism that steered Mia Phifer, chief fundraiser for TCRA, to take action. After hearing a string a transphobic jokes about Bono at a downtown bar a few weeks ago, Phifer decided to organize the gay community around Bono and Transphobia.
“I was livid”, said Phifer. “Transgender people are some of the most misunderstood minority we have. So, I thought it was important to bring the LGBT community together here in Chicago to support a cause that was playing out in the national arena”.
Phifer was able to rally ten or so of her close friends for their first event at the Fedora Lounge for week two of “Dancing with the Stars”. By week four, the event was pushing fifty.
“The turnout demonstrates how Chaz has become the LGBT underdog of the show”, said Phifer. “Chaz’s ‘no-bull’ attitude toward criticism has really resonated in his growing fan base”.
Although Chaz’s popularity with the LGBT community is growing, his dancing scores on the show have been lackluster. Chaz was tied for sixth place this past week with a combined score of 21 (out of a possible 30).
But TCRA’s founder and former Illinois State Senate Candidate Jacob Meister says the “hard facts” of the show are beyond the point. Meister says that Bono’s performance this past week is a testament to what the TCRA is fighting for.
“Chaz’s performance of the ‘Rocky Theme Song’ this past week works as a narrative to Trans-persons and members of the LGBT community as a whole”, said Meister. “It illustrates the LGBT community’s ability to rise up against any and all adversity- the importance of that imagery heavily outweighs a judges score”.
But what will become of the event if Bono gets voted off?
“Our event ends with Chaz- however far he may get”, says Meister. “But the resonance Chaz has had on the LGBT community here in Chicago won’t be going anywhere. As far as I am concerned, Chaz has already won”.
