One thing important to transgender people is being called the correct pronoun. Having others recognize you and respect you enough to call you by the pronoun you identify with is a validation of existence for many.

So when you have gay icon Cher calling her transgender son, Chaz Bono, "she" and a "lesbian" on the David Letterman Show, it's really a tragedy not only to Chaz but to all people in mainstream society — and the LGB world, too — who are still learning the issues transgender individuals face.

According to an article on the Huffington Post, "Cher also said she considers Chaz a lesbian, even though he has described his relationship with his girlfriend as heterosexual."

"She was a lesbian — she still is — but it's not the same now," Cher told Letterman Thursday night. "She has a beautiful girlfriend. But it's not the same thing as being a homosexual, you feel as if you're in the wrong body."

Chaz refers to himself as "he." His mom should also.

It must be hard to realize that the daughter you raised now identifies as a male, but as a loving parent — and, hello, again, a gay icon — who refuses to acknowledge this about her child, it just sets a precedent for society at large. Cher can make a difference with her words due to her star status. Let's hope she learns to deal with her own issues and quit projecting them onto Chaz.

Watch the video below: