Chaz Bono Granted Name and Gender Change

By PopEater Staff Posted May 6th 2010 02:51PM

It's official: Following gender-reassignment surgery last year, Chaz Bono is legally a man. A Santa Monica judge on Thursday granted Bono's request to change his name from Chastity to Chaz and to switch his gender identification to male.

Bono was represented in court by attorney Kristina Wertz of the Transgender Law Center, who said her client "couldn't be happier."

"This is an important step in his transition and will allow him to change a variety of his identity documents to show who he truly is," Wertz said in a statement following the court visit.

The 41-year-old writer-activist, born Chastity Sun Bono to Sonny and Cher, told PEOPLE back in December that the gender-change process had been exhilarating.

"It's hard for me to articulate how this feels -- when you've lived your whole life in a body and having everybody relate to you as something you don't feel," Bono said. "When that finally gets righted, it's just amazing. I finally get to live my life the way I've always wanted to."

Bono has a long-time girlfriend, Jennifer Elia, and even appeared on 'Celebrity Fit Club' in 2006.

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Chaz Bono Shots

Chaz Bono is taped by documentary film makers as he arrives to the Santa Monica Courthouse to formally ask a judge to change his name and gender following his 2009 sex change. More Photos >>

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Chaz Bono Snapshots

FILE - In this April 7, 1998 file photo, Chastity Bono is shown in Palm Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Susan Sterner, file)

Chaz Bono Snapshots

SANTA MONICA, CA - MAY 6: Chaz Bono arrives to the Santa Monica Courthouse to formally ask a judge to change his name and gender following his 2009 sex change surgery, on May 6, 2010 in Santa Monica, California. Chaz, born to Sonny and Cher Bono in 1969, and named Chastity Sun Bono, wants to be known as Chaz Salvatore. The name Chastity came from the title of the 1969 film Cher made with her first husband Sonny, who died in a skiing accident in 1998. Chaz revealed his gender reassignment surgery last June. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Chaz Bono Snapshots

SANTA MONICA, CA - MAY 6: Chaz Bono is taped by documentary film makers as he arrives to the Santa Monica Courthouse to formally ask a judge to change his name and gender following his 2009 sex change surgery, on May 6, 2010 in Santa Monica, California. Chaz, born to Sonny and Cher Bono in 1969, and named Chastity Sun Bono, wants to be known as Chaz Salvatore. The name Chastity came from the title of the 1969 film Cher made with her first husband Sonny, who died in a skiing accident in 1998. Chaz revealed his gender reassignment surgery last June. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Chaz Bono Snapshots

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Comments

(155)

Thursday 06 May

By pdowell

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Now he/she needs to get some exercise, lose some weight. He looks just to heavy. Sad. Hmmm, wonder what his mother thinks.

By cheercurlz

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I'm happy that Chaz is happy. Ghandi said that we should all live our lives the way we WISH everyone else lived their's. It's so true. Still, I remember what an adorable little girl she was when she appeared on her mom & dad's show. Oh well ... live and let live ... and to each his/her own.

By guinevere

very happy for Chaz..he's been quite outspoken about this for yrs..may he and his have a very long and happy life

By Paula

Does anyone really care?

By Jen

SORRY, SHE CAN CHANGE HER NAME BUT PHYSICALLY WILL 'ALWAYS' BE A WOMAN.

By Sharri

I am all for someone finding true happiness in their lives, so way to go chaz. I wonder though, now that he has crossed this milestone, when he is going to tackle the weight issue. With weight loss surgery so available in the United States, why not try it? It can dramatically transform one's health and improve the quality of life in so many ways. In any event...I wish him much peace and contentment.

Friday 07 May

By April

Chaz I am very happy for you, everyone deserves happiness.

By jinky

As I said in the other post that may not appear (?) CHAZ IS GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT. He said he wants weight loss surgery and male hormones will help that too.

By jcheev1

I don't believe there are many straight men in mourning right now and saying,"damn I wish that gal wasn't a lesbian so I could get me some of that". And not many gay men getting in line to get hold of that new hunk of a "man".

By nancy

Oh goody goody! He/shes happy at last. As a mother of 4 girls, I cant imajine what Cher must of felt. After raising a beautifull bubbly blond little girl. Im sure she's happy that her child is happy, but.... I'm not so sure that I could handle something this drastic. I've allways liked Cher and thought her to be a very strong woman. She must be to handle this.

By CiCi

Must be odd to wake up one day and go from wearing a huge bra to just letting the manboobs hang out.

'his' girlfriend will stick around as long as Chaz is in Cher's will.

By Karine

If a humans body is Gods temple - his/her temple is a real mess. How unhealthy to be so fat. Sorry but Fugly is Fugly - there is no other word for it. I wish he/she would take better care of her/his temple.

By Bobby

Somebody help me with this. Does she/he now have a penis? How does this work?

By Mark

of course it's fat, it's got unbelievably serious psychological problems. I actually pity it, but if it seems to find satisfaction changing it's genitals, whatever.

By Wes

Even as a homosexual male, I still find this utterly repulsive. Whether or not you people will agree with me being a homosexual doesn't matter to me. I'll stand before God one day alone without any of you and will deal with it then. But, this is taking things to a whole other level. I agree with all of you that once you are born a certain way, you remain that way for life. So, Chaz is still Chasity no matter how much she tries to get away from herself. What this country should do for people like this is offer some type of counseling besides the pre-surgery counseling they get now that will help them figure out what they're running from. My fear for these people is that they may think it's what they want until it's too late and it's already done. How sad it must be to know that you've made such a huge mistake. However, I have no problem with Chasity being a Lesbian obviously. Like I said, once you're born a certain way, you remain that way.

By Lynn

Has anyone thought he may be taking medication that makes him appear heavy? I have to take prednisone from time to time and I usually gain 25 lbs in two weeks. Once I'm off the meds, my weight goes back down again. I have no idea what kind of meds he may be taking, but there is always the possibility that he could be "medically" heavy.

I'm just glad he's happy. Everyone should have the right to be happy.

By Robert Green

''IT'' BONO...............

By khbrook

I have been a Cher fan for many years. I have never known her to say or do an unkind thing to anyone in public nor has anyone ever reported her doing so in private. So, as one mother to another as mother's day approaches, I hope that this personal and legal transformation brings the respect, peace and happiness to Cher and her family that they so deserve.

By dodah001

Chaz (Chastity) looks like he/she could go on the show "Biggest Losers"...Maybe it's easier being a fat man than a fat woman! Cher must be thrilled! LOL

By J Lea

Oh well. Good luck I guess.

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