In the first part of her candid new memoir, Cher opens up about the challenges and blessings after her son Chaz Bono underwent gender transition back in 2008.
- November 19, 2024
AceShowbiz - Singer and icon Cher shares her journey writing about her transgender son, Chaz Bono, in her new memoir, "Cher: The Memoir, Part One". In a note at the beginning of the book, she explains that she refers to Chaz by his former name, Chastity, for the years covered in the first volume, with his permission.
"Chaz has granted his blessing for this usage," Cher writes. "In the next volume, at the appropriate point, I will refer to my son as Chaz."
Chaz, whom Cher shared with her late ex-husband Sonny Bono, began his transition in 2008. Cher acknowledges that it was an adjustment for her. "It wasn't easy," she told CNN in 2020. "I remember calling, and the old [voicemail] message ... was on the phone, and that was very difficult."
However, Cher, a longtime advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, ultimately embraced her son's identity. "You don't really lose them. They just are in a different shape," she explained. Chaz, now 55, is "so unbelievably happy" with his transition.
The first part of Cher's memoir traces her childhood, marriage to Sonny, and early music career. The second volume, expected in 2025, will cover the period following Chaz's transition.
