Sports Writer Announces Gender Switch

"I'm A Transsexual," Mike Penner Of Los Angeles Times Said In Column

(AP)  A veteran sports writer for the Los Angeles Times said in his column Thursday that he is a transsexual.

Mike Penner told readers of his struggle to embrace his gender, and said when he returns from vacation in a few weeks he will be known as Christine Daniels. He did not say whether he was having surgery or why he's changing his last name.

"I am a transsexual sports writer," Penner wrote. "It has taken more than 40 years, a million tears and hundreds of hours of soul-wrenching therapy for me to work up the courage to type those words."

The 49-year-old Penner said his brain has been "wired female" and he's tried to fight off the urge to change sexes. He called writing a story about his sexuality the "most frightening of all the towering mountains of fear I somehow had to confront and struggle to scale."

"How do you go about sharing your most important truth, one you spent a lifetime trying to keep deeply buried, to a world that has grown familiar and comfortable with your facade?" Penner asked.

"I gave it as good a fight as I possibly could. I went more than 40 hard rounds with it. Eventually, though, you realize you are only fighting yourself and your happiness and your mental health — a no-win situation any way you look at it," he wrote.

Penner, who is married to another Los Angeles Times writer, said he started coming out about two months ago by telling his boss, his barber and a soccer teammate, and that he now feels happier and healthier.

"Mike Penner has been an exemplary contributor to the Los Angeles Times sports pages for over two decades and today's column is no exception," Randy Harvey, the newspaper's sports editor, said in a statement. "The decision to go public cannot have been an easy one and, while we do not make a habit of commenting on the personal and private lives of our journalists, we do look forward to continuing our relationship into the future."

John Amaechi, the first NBA player to publicly come out of the closet as being gay, said he read Penner's column Thursday after returning from a speaking engagement in Berkeley at the University of California.

"It's incredibly bold and far more courageous than anything I could have done," said Amaechi, who spent five seasons in the NBA. "I commend him."

Gay and lesbian activists praised Penner and the Los Angeles Times.

"Christine's still-unfolding story sends a powerful message about the importance of living openly and honestly as does the Times' public support of her transition," said Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Penner has spent more than 20 years at the Los Angeles Times and has covered the Olympics, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and has served as the Times' sports media critic.

[randalds]

do you have anything intelligent to write... or are you so simplistic that it is all you got.... seriously.... stay off the site and let the adults talk....

Posted by jester188 at 12:26 AM : Apr 28, 2007

He never has had so far! LOL! He's a tool and a troll.

[michellem99-2009]

Yes. If they suffer from mental illness them should be on meds. A danger to self and others locked up until well. Predtators who rape children must be taken off the street,no ifs,ands, or buts. Yes they pander if you will to special interest folks.It very wrong to go out there and cut up someone's person. That is why we HAVE hospitals/medical centres.Once transgender operation is done there is no going to old gender.They have to live with it.Sorry but true.
This nation passed an anti hate act.I don't believe in it for me. I know the BOOK says is wrong. In my heart it is. I am not their judge-The Man up stairs is.The family and Drs have to as a team. It is a waste of money. It is their money. Medicaid ought not pay for it. I don't see it as medically needed. A social issue. I was taught as most.I still them as the gedger they was born.

[agnim]

"So thus they suffered with it Some parents are selfish, with their children.SO what if they have their bodies fixed to be in line if that is needed. They have tests to be sure it is right for them. ...
Posted by MichelleM99 at 06:11 PM : Apr 28, 2007"

If the mind is sick, then the MIND needs to be fixed. Changing the body won't do.

There was the case of this mentally mixed up guy who cut out all kinds of healthy body parts, including ribs, in the hopes of fixing his gender identity problem.
Problem was that some time after cutting up himself, his mind was not female anymore; and he wanted to change back.

It's not a matter of calling names.

Society has a serious problem when homosexuals and their apologists try to convince intelligent people that they are not mentally mixed. They want to be left in the society to pervert the behavior of children who were not born mixed up homosexuals! And so they wind up spreading their deviant homosexual behavior to corrupt healthy children, as has been done in the churches of child sodomy.

[michellem99-2009]

I am in my 50s and I been all over this nation. There are children born with handicaps. So to call a child who is different names is rude,cold. We don't know what pains they face. I am so grateful I was not formed in an image of a childmother as my mother was 16 with a baby and I changed her life. She was forced to leave high school. She walked out on us,I was 5.So these parents need the love,support,the net, what ever to do the right thing. We don't know if their body parts work or not. Years ago they did not know how to address this issus. So thus they suffered with it Some parents are selfish, with their children.SO what if they have their bodies fixed to be in line if that is needed. They have tests to be sure it is right for them. It is not done lightly. Children are taught values lessons.Some are taught hate not love. I would not change my gender.

[agnim]

"And sure the gender is right for the child not Mum Dad chruch or what have you.
Posted by MichelleM99 at 02:21 PM : Apr 28, 2007"

What are you saying?
Children are born to PARENTS so that PARENTS can mold CHILDREN in the image of PARENTS!

No sane parents want anything bad for their children; and so they are going to do the BEST THAT THEY CAN for THEIR children at the moment!

A child born with the problem of gender identity is just another mentally sick child, even if other parts of the child's mind seems function ok.

Since the society shouldn't want f@ggots, either that the mentally mixed up child is conditioned away from any thought of mating, or the child is conditioned to CORRECTLY mate with the opposite gender, as normal humans do!

Mating with other humans is a LEARNED BEHAVIOR!
Or the behavior may not be learned. It is a human choice!

And so the mating behavior that should be learned even by the mentally challenged child with gender confusion is the only correct form of mating --- male-female.

[michellem99-2009]

Fisrt of all .
They are people.
It must be hard for a child who suffers from this.
They don't fit in at home,scchool,chuurc,work.
In public,using the restroom if they can find one as they can't use the restrooms ,They fall thru the cracks dues their genders .Clothes and name.We as a people are taught certain things as children due to our genders at birth. They can't relate to it. Adults can't understand it. Thru computer they can. It should be taken care as soon as medically legally can for the child.
And sure the gender is right for the child not Mum Dad chruch or what have you.

[agnim]

"do you have anything intelligent to write...
Posted by jester188 at 12:26 AM : Apr 28, 2007"

Obviously what I write is so intelligent, you weak and perverted **** mind can only ad hominem! LOL

Tell us which sane individual would CUT OUT HEALTHY BODY PARTS?

Tell us this EXTREMELY mentally mixed up **** is not more proof that ALL homos are sick of mind!

The natural tendency of healthy humans is to preserve bodily health and bodily integrity.

Only the mentally disturbed would cut themselves, would CUT A HEALTHY BODY!

[agnim]

"Could this be a birth defect? Why would a one or two year old child say they were the oposite ***. They know nothing about ***.
Posted by dog-x8 at 02:24 AM : Apr 28, 2007"

YES!

It is indeed a birth defect!

To born confused about one's gender identity IS a 'birth defect'.

For those who are no 'trained' in the church by adult perverts as children to act homosexually, homosexuality IS a 'birth defect', !

[michellem99-2009]

I did not but saw them web cast/DSL. Cute kids.I did see a story on mc nbc that touched on this.They are brave. dog-x8 you are a dear. IF more parents would do this for their handicap child we would not been thrown in foster care. As for me growing up I hated the dress and still do.I was a tom boy,hated dolls.I could when I was young pass as a boy. Persons used call me sir and I told them am female. Born female. I was real thin.
To day they don't. It is good that computers are here, I am visually and disabled. I am 52.

[dog-x8]

Did anyone see Barbara Walters on 20/20 tonight? It was about transgendered children. Could this be a birth defect? Why would a one or two year old child say they were the oposite ***. They know nothing about ***. But the boys insisted they were girls, and the girls, boys. Maybe its not always by choice, your just born that way. All I know is if one of my children had been born this way I would love them unconditionaly. Thats what love is all about.

[michellem99-2009]

I don't know why this would be on CBS's site. The ones I met could not pass as a woman. They looked like a man in drag/a drag queene.Some predators do wear ladie's things and abuse children. Oh yes. I am not saying Mr. Penner/Ms Daniels would.
How ever they are booted out of the military,as are their homosexual brothers and sisters. Is that right, I don't know. If they become women they give up their manhood and the family name and their famlies.A man who is older going thru it,he is over-riding the programming to be female
and line Drs pockets. What he is not telling you his readers how barbaric and painful it is.Thansgendered people have told me that.I was born female and am female. Will he be happy? Most are sorry they did it after it was done.RandalDS It is hard life the person who went thru the process/Not to be done lightly. It can't be undone. Peace

[randalds]

"It's incredibly bold and far more courageous than anything I could have done," said Amaechi, who spent five seasons in the NBA. "I commend him."


I couldn't agree more! Bravo to you Christine. Sometimes the most courageous thing a person can do is to be themselves. To be the person who they really are. Ignore the bigotry of the small minded and prejudiced people you're bound to run across (like some of the more idiotic ones here) and always remember you only live ONCE, so strive for all of the happiness you can. Don't die with too many regrets, no matter what anyone else says, because when it comes time to go it you who has to go through, so spend your time here as happy as you can be. Oh and keep up the GREAT sports reporting!

[jester188]

Agnim ... your nothing but a tool...

you have just cut and paste the same statement over and over and over again...

do you have anything intelligent to write... or are you so simplistic that it is all you got.... seriously.... stay off the site and let the adults talk....

nothing more than a one pump chump.... you are what makes Americans look bad... you and your little bible thumping group.... you obviously don't live in the educated areas like the coasts.... what are you in the mid-west.... enjoy the trailer... you sick...F%*$

[michellem99-2009]

I would not do it. I feel it is a waste of money. I think it is nasty. I feel it should not be done. They were born the gender they were met to be.They go thru the busness to become a woman medically,legally.They still have the mannerisms of a man,the voice of a man. I don't agree with it.
It is drs. making money .The person going thru it have to pay all the bills himself.So what it comes down to is will that man be able to live on a woman's pay or get canned. Women are paid less then a man. THEY can't pass as women.A blind friend said it*anybody with eyes can see they are*. If man thinks being a woman is all candy. So sorry. He can't relate to our world. No real man wants that. It lowers himself in my mind. I can't relate to a transgender as I don't see them as women. My bringing was boys and girls are the the genders, most people don't buy transganders and think *HORSE'S ARSE*.Personal I do. US of A has anti hate bill.

[agnim]

"They do have books these transgendered folks have written.
Best of wishes.
Posted by MichelleM99 at 09:04 PM : Apr 27, 2007"

"Transgender" my arse: They are mentally mixed up and HOMOSEXUALS!

The desire to CUT OUT HEALTH BODY PARTS is just an extreme case of the homosexual mental malady.

Anyone who would want to handle a kock that is not 'his' is 'female'!

And who would think of reading books 'written' by mad people but other mad people? LOL

Which sane person would CUT OUT HEALTHY BODY PARTS?

[michellem99-2009]

I have read books written by thansgedered folks. While I don't understand it,have met some.Back then,called transsexuals.I was on a city bus and a kid asked his Mum, Why is that man wearing a dress? I have no idea how she answered her son.
Men need not feel that their gender is on the line because it is not. It is not my place to judge or my busness. I do know some children can not handle it.They feel they loss their dad and to them he died.
There are transgendered people who work in the city. They are different. I have to go by the sound of the person's voice as I can't see their face. What a surprise. I visually impaired so due to that they are forgiving. On computer i would not know.
sugarmice does sound quite learnt and wise.So therefore is right.
They do have books these transgendered folks have written.
Best of wishes.

[agnim]

"I understand you may not like homosexuality or agree with it, but to attack them in the way that you have shows me just how disgusting you are. I feel sad for you. Are you a religious person?
Posted by chadi7 at 05:40 PM : Apr 27, 2007"

NO!

I'm not religious person. Wouldn't want to be caught dead associating with an institution of child sodomy, as the church is.

Homosexuality is an INCREASE THREAT TO THE CHILDREN!

Homosexual BEHAVIOR has no socially redeeming value.

And homosexuals are mentally/behaviorally SICK people.

There is too much lying, deceiving, and pretending that homosexuality is not a mental problem needing cure.

Cutting out HEALTHY BODY PARTS is a sure sign of mental disturbance!
And it needs to be RECOGNIZED and dealt with.

I'm just waking Americans from living the LIE that homosexuality is not a mental malady!

[jester188]

rohink ... No ***

you obviously miss the sarcastic element in the whole point... believe me i know who i am.... i respect those who respect others... i help those that need and give my time and money to help others... what do you do... probably nothing...

that is the difference between me and you...
read between the lines... or are you obtuse...

[rohink-2009]

Agnim.. your nothing but a simple minded racest...

I hope you like living in your trailer with your wife who is also (your cousin, mother and sister)....

Posted by jester188

jester, it's racist not racest and what he said doesn't qualify. Seems to me what you were really saying was he is intolerant. I think you might need to take a closer look at your self. Ever heard the saying, "those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?

[sugarmice-2009]

Agnim,
you are one sick puppy - NO take that back - puppies are cute. You are just plain sick
you need to go to India where kiss on the cheek in public is grounds for the death penalty - you belong in a 3rd world country - maybe they should send you to Iraq without armor or a weapon and then we can all give praise..
Leave the earth please - the likes of you are disgusting and unwanted...