Chastity Bono, the daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono, is undergoing gender reassignement surgery to become a man.
Chastity began her transition from a female to a male earlier this year after turning 40 years-old. She will now go by the name Chaz.
Chastity Bono’s publicist Howard Bragman confirmed the news stating, “Yes, it’s true — Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity.”
“He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz’s hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his ‘coming out’ did nearly 20 years ago,” Bragman said.
“We ask that the media respect Chaz’s privacy during this long process as he will not be doing any interviews at this time,” the statement concluded.
Neil G. Giulano, the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) had this to say: “Chaz Bono’s
decision to live his life authentically represents an important step forward, both for him personally and for all who are committed to advancing discussions about fairness and equality for transgender people. Coming out as transgender is an extremely personal decision and one that is never made lightly.”Chastity Bono wrote a book back in 1998, where she revealed that she had “come out” at the age of 18.
Chastity’s mother,
Cher, said she “flipped out” when she heard the news, even banishing Chastity from her NYC apartment.

