Chaz Bono Talks Sex, Puberty and Shaving

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 29th 2009 10:08AM

Chaz Bono is in the midst of physically becoming a man and is opening up in a two-part interview with Entertainment Tonight (to air Oct 29 and 30) to discuss sex reassignment surgery and facing puberty at age 40. In a statement released (via Huffington Post), Bono reveals, "I believe that gender is something between your ears not between your legs. That is something I discovered in the early '90s. It was just a long process of being comfortable enough to do something about it. I was turning 40, and I thought it's now or never. I want to still feel vibrant and be able to enjoy my life in a male body and not wait until I am an old man."

Cher's son started taking male hormones in March and noted several physical changes right away. "It lowered my voice. Fat redistributes, muscle growth, hair growth, sex drive increases. It doesn't change anything mentally and emotionally. [I'm] still not anywhere near what I will look like but really for the first time I am feeling much more comfortable with how I look physically... I always felt like the male from the time I was a child. There wasn't much feminine about me."

The physical changes will take about four to five years to complete, and Bono is okay with that. "I'll be on testosterone for the rest of my life. The nice thing about this process is it is slow. I am literally going through puberty."

Bono admits he was really excited the first time he could shave his face. "I shave about once a week now. It kind of started to come in just like peach fuzz. I always wanted to shave. It is a very natural process. For my birthday I got a lot of shaving stuff."

The biggest change occured when he underwent a very emotional surgery to remove his breasts. "Most people call it top surgery. The construction of the male chest from a female chest. When I went through puberty and started to grow breasts, it was very uncomfortable and emotional." When asked if he plans to undergo further surgery, he replied, "That's a personal decision and I don't really feel comfortable talking about anything below the waist."

Bono admits he can't personally speak for his mother Cher, but everyone close to him has been nothing but supportive. "The people in my life are just happy that I'm doing this and seeing the positive effect that its having on me," he said.

In June, Cher made her first public statement (via PEOPLE) since Chaz announced that he was undergoing a sex change. Cher said that Chaz is going through "a difficult journey, but one that I will support," and that she respects "the courage it takes to go through this transition in the glare of public scrutiny, and although I may not understand, I will strive to be understanding."

As the sex reassignment continues, he hopes that his life experience will help others. "[I'm] trying to use my life experience to educate people. I feel more like myself more than I ever felt. I feel happier and more confident. I used to live most of my life in my head because I was so uncomfortable in my body. The most important thing about this for me is that my outsides are finally starting to match my insides. I feel like I'm living in my body for the first time and it feels really good."

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Chaz Bono Photos

Chaz Bono arrives at the 2009 Outfest Opening Night Gala at The Orpheum Theatre on July 9, 2009 in Los Angeles. More Photos >>

Michael Tran/FilmMagic.com

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Chaz Bono Snapshots

Chaz Bono arrives to the 2009 Outfest Opening Night Gala: "LA Mission" held at The Orpheum Theatre on July 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. 2009 Outfest Opening Night Gala of "LA Mission" The Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States July 9, 2009 Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic.com To license this image (57875295), contact FilmMagic.com

Michael Tran/FilmMagic.com

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 09: Chaz Bono arrives to the 2009 Outfest opening night gala of 'La Mission' held at The Orpheum Theatre on July 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chaz Bono

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 09: Jennifer Elia and Chaz Bono arrive to the 2009 Outfest opening night gala of 'La Mission' held at The Orpheum Theatre on July 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chaz Bono;Jennifer Elia

Getty Images

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Chaz (formerly Chastity) Bono is spotted out running errands in West Hollywood. EXCLUSIVE June 23, 2009 Job: 90623W14 Los Angeles, California www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

SCOTT/GVK/bauergriffinonline.com

Tags: chaz bono, ChazBono, cher

Comments

(671)

Friday 30 October

By Dale

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LOL!!!! What a commodian!!

By my opinion

Dale ...
Ok ... so what is your point?
I happen to agree with EVERYTHING that Don wrote! Where do you get off telling us what we feel or believe?
Furthermore ...
I hate to tell YOU...
I hope u are not implying that just because they go to an unchristian "christian" church that God is ok with them being gay!!! Because God is very CLEAR regarding His Feeling about homosexuals and their activities!
Do not get me wrong ... I am not saying that He does not love them, or that there is never any hope for them to go to Heaven ... because if they ever REALLY start reading Gods Word (the Bible) and do as is instructed by the Word. If they believe in their heart who Jesus was and speak it with their mouth AND REPENT AND DO THAT SIN NO MORE! then yes, God will forgive and accept them. But just going to a church means NOTHING!! The churches are full of sining non Christians!! Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than Sleeping in the garage will make you a car!!!
And, lastly, to quote your own words back at you ... as long as you're putting down someone because they're different from you, you ARE making hateful remarks!! That is exactly what you are doing every time YOU try to tell me what I feel when you try to tell me HOW I DO OR DO NOT feel regarding homosexuals! What about when you call us homophobic ... that is nothing but a stupid little word someone made up in the eights or nineties to make themselves feel better about something by trying to put other people down! What about all the hate/anger and lies directed at straight people! What is it called when you try to say what I should or should not believe or when you try to change my Religion just so you can feel good about your sinful activities!
Just because you are lost and heading to hell stop trying to pull everyone else down with you!

Thursday 29 October

By ylbordelon

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I bet he still fights like a girl. :)

By james gardner

Something tells me he never fought like a girl...

By Patti

Hahaha.....lmao:)

I'll bet you still think you're a human. (-:

By johnm8948

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why is that the top stories are always about gays? I hear in the Ca. healthcare bill sex change operations are covered is that right?

By rob

I hope not

By Fred

Why? Were you looking to get one?

By Ashley

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

It's so funny, because I get so annoyed that every headline seams to be about straight people . . .

Who told you this had anything to do with being gay????

Monday 02 November

By Drew

What an ignorant statement.I am quite sure Chas is not a "gay".In some parts of California,gender reassignment procedures are covered.

By debra7up

MY GOD!!!! what the hell next.. God Bless you Cher, I love you to death, and hope you stay together with all your daughter has decided to do, you are such a wonderful person, I have seen you 4-5 times, and you will always be the QUEEN of ROCK/POP.. and hate you have to go thru this embarrasement publically!!!!

By Judith

I'm with you Deb. How awful for cher.

By Pedro

Isn't her son gay too? "Chaz" is certainly a mess. Looks like the pillsbury do boy.

By Unbelievable

Oh, that's a nice comment to someone you 'love', what an 'embarrasement' ?? I know your types, your kids are perfect in every way, just can't understand how other children can be like this, right?? Did you read the article? Don't you believe people can be born like this, and didn't choose to be this way just to piss people off, like you!! Man, if your kid came out and said he/she was gay, you'd be the type to disown them because they aren't perfect in every way !! All the disgusting comments on here just proves what a sick world we live in , and sickos aren't the one's having the sex change, it's people like YOU !! Think about that for a while, all of you pompous ass , nose in the air, I am perfect, I believe in GOD, I don't sin, PEOPLE !!

By Mary

Why should Cher be embarrassed? Her daughter is changing her sex. Many people have gone through sex changes, but it so happens that Chaz's mother is famous so it is in the news. I bet Cher is not embarrassed by this at all.

By Anna

Every knee shall bow, God made us all and God gave us choice, and we are all washed in the blood. Chaz will kneel as a child of God, who made his choice, and fulfilled Gods task of him. Could you do it?

And I'm SURE that Cher would LOVE to meet you someday! She must be so proud to have people like you as her fans!!

Wednesday 04 November

By Mr

Learn to respect, as you would want respect-why is it such a foreign concept to live and let live? Chaz's gender ID in no way affects any of you-so why do you feel the need to show your ignorance? Knowledge is power & there's enough stupid people in the world-do you really want to be one of them?

"I have a dream......"

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