Chaz Bono is the son of Cher and Sonny Bono. While growing up, he always felt uncomfortable and after years of feeling out of place, he realized something: He was a he. He was not Chastity, the daughter of Sonny and Cher, but Chaz -- a woman-loving, video-game playing, All-American male. And so he came out as transgendered and began the transition from female to male.
Becoming Chaz, a documentary he produced about his transition, is currently playing on the OWN network. His book Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man, released in May, also chronicles his journey. Today Bono lives in California with his girlfriend Jenny in a relationship which transitioned along with him from a lesbian relationship to a heterosexual one.
We had a chance to chat with Bono about how it feels to no longer have breasts and how his mom is taking his transition.
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New Times: We saw the documentary so we know that some people had trouble adjusting to the use of new pronouns when referring to you. Did you have that same problem?
Chaz Bono: No, I didn't have any problem to be honest with you.
How long have you and Jenny been together?
Six years.
How much of those six years have you been transitioning?
Well, for the past two years I've been transitioning - I'm going into my third year now.
In Becoming Chaz you said that you preferred spending time at your dad's house growing up, because he accepted you the way you were. Did your mom really discourage your male behavior?
Yes, definitely. We had a lot of disagreements about clothes and you know, the way I looked.
That must have been frustrating for you.
No, because I understand. It's a hard thing to accept. She never rejected me or disowned me or anything like that.
Why do you think you identified as a lesbian before you identified as transgendered?
Because I confused sexual orientation with gender identity and when I was growing up there was no information on being transgender.
Okay, one last question. We know you just went to E3, the gaming con. PS3 or Xbox?
I have both, but I'm mainly an Xbox guy.
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