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

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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

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©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 Belladonna

Vote down Vote up Report this

ooh, your so funny! I doubt anyone could call me fat. I guess you need a life since you spend hours on here commenting on everyone! I hope you can pull yourself away from Chaz's photo long enough to get one.

Thursday 29 October

By snapperhead

is this Charlie Weis' daughter/son?

But, seriously, she is not a he. Never will be. That's determined before birth, not by some collection of whacko people and, even worse, the doctors who pander to them so as to make a buck.

Her inability to lose weight where it isn't endangering her health is indication of further mental instability.

The decline of our civilization is well under way.

Now, you can all return to Jon and Kate Plus Eight, or The Kardashians, or whatever rots your brains.

By kc

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

when it comes down to it s/he can be called whataever they want BUT the DNA will still be that of a female SO no matter what s/he does it is still female

By AJ

Wow! Glad to see the world is still full of hatred and bigotry. Thanks everyone for doing your part to stifle the advancement of love, peace, acceptance, and compassion.

If Chaz wants to be called he, then that's his right. He has done nothing to you so why are you so offended? I love this sense of entitlement that straight people have. The world does not belong to you and you alone. As for gay representations on television/film, in the history of cinema/tv gay people have been grossly misrepresented so a few positive characters does not the end of the world make.

Get over yourselves and learn to live and let live.

By Kitty

God doesn't make mistakes. She was, and always will be a woman with womans' emotions and thoughts. I feel sorry for the embarrassment this move has cast on a wonderful performer. Kuddo's to Cher for supporting her daughter. We can only raise our children and give them love and encouragement. When they reach maturity, we must be there when they fall and support them to get back up. So sad this beautiful woman who made us smile on television when she joined her parents (as a child) on stage at the end of most every show has chosen the path less traveled. She will face her maker one day and answer his question ... 'Why?'

For the love of whomever you worship, learn to spell your hateful comments correctly before you make them.
Perhaps you should worry less about Chaz and more about your illiteracy.

By cb0826

I wish Chaz and his family well through the difficult journey they face. It is not an easy path to finding out who you are as a person.

For those of you that think sexual reassignment is gross, horrible and wrong....DON'T HAVE THE SURGERY! Do you make a fuss of people that have breast augmentation? Facelifts? Gastric Bypass. They are ALL doing something that makes them feel better as a person, just like Chaz has done and I applaud him for having the guts to do it. My close friend had her boobs done and I gave my support 100% because that's what made her happy regardless of whether or not I thought she needed to.

For those of you dogging his being overweight.... eat a side of beef and a friggin box of cookies, man! Who want's to look like an emaciated toothpick (or for you people toothprick).

Religion should never be used as a weapon against someone who is just trying to be themselves. Be happy in who you are and let others do the same whether they are straight, gay, male female, white, brown, or pink and purple polka-dotted for that matter.

Oh, but my bad, I forget that our "freedoms" we have as a country are only reserved for "The Beautiful People" who are so effin' "perfect" in their right wing fundamentalist "Christian" beliefs that they have permanently grown blinders on each side of their face and blame others for their own messed up lives.

I happen to be a gay man and am very happy with who I am as a person and couldn't give a rats ass what the hell you people think of me. I am loved by the most important people in the world to me and THAT my friends is all I need to make me feel content in my life.
Oh and did I also mention I'm Wiccan? So put that in your Bible Belt totin' pipe and smoke it.

By ROLLANDO

Well ... for his/her health sake, I hope once this transition period ends and once he/she is a male, that he work on losing that weight and inches. Looking at photos of his/her parents, they never were as heavy as he/she is now. Going through the transgender process must be very taxing on the human body. Add weight problems to complicate things on top of that. He/she be lucky to make it till he/she is 60 years old.

By Steve

Dude looks like a lady.....or is that the other way around?

By Ruth

I refuse to call "she a he". Did your hear her voice? It sounds just like her dads. Creeepy. I also don't want to know about her puberty. Yuck!

By Dale

Yet, here you are, reading all about it, aren't you?

By Indyhotrod

She says her body finally matches her insides...so is she fat on the inside???

By parrothead

"Chaz" Is on the way to becoming "it". Destroying a woman's body by trying to force male characteristics on it. What the hell is wrong with a person that would go to such trouble just to pretend to be a man? What the hell is wrong with a society that has lost complete touch with decency by accepting this, and other repulsive behavior, as normal! God did not make a mistake by putting a man in a woman's body--the FREAK is between Chaz's ears!

I see! But's perfectly okay with you if some woman gets breast implants because she want's to pretend to have bigger t*ts. Or if a burn victim gets a facial reconstruction because they're scared to death of having people like you make very uneducated comments about the way look so they can pretend to be normal people again. Or if a guy with no legs gets fake ones attached so he can pretend walk again? Too bad there's no operation to give you a brain so you can pretend to be intelligent.

By patrick

I think Sonny hit that damn tree on purpose, the Authorities need to re-open the care right away I am sure it was a suicide, if this was my it I would blow my brains out. GROSS!!!

By dave

bizarre , God save us

By Jackie Butler

Is Elijah Blue ever going to comment on this? He is gay also and I am wondering if he will be undergoing this surgery now? Bet Cher is wondering, too. The whole thing is sad; your daughter wants to be your son, your son wanted to be your daughter and Cher wants to be forever 25!

By richardschickel

That indicates something was wrong in the household. I bet when this girl and Elijah blue writes a "tell all" book, they will both claim to have been physically and sexually abused.

By DreamerGiggles

Since you feel the need to bring God into this, you might want to read what is said about judging others.
May I direct to you Matthew 7:1-7:5?
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

By kc hebert

WHY IS IT, THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBJSECT MATTER IS, SOMEBODY ALWAYS HAS TO BRING OUT THE QUOTES FROM THE BIGGEST STORY BOOK ON EARTH?? HAS IT OCCURED TO ANY OF YOU BIBLE THUMPERS THAT NOT ALL OF US WISH TO LISTEN TO YOU SPOUT OFF WHAT COMES OUT OF THE BOOK OF FAIRY TALES? I PERSONALLY DON'T CARE WHAT CHAZ DOES OR DOESN'T DO, BUT I DO OBJECT TO HAVING THE BIBLE SHOVED IN MY FACE CONTINUALLY. RELIGION IS A CHOICE, SO QUIT TRYING TO MAKE UP EVERYBODIES MIND FOR THEM! PLEASE!

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