about the author
Chaz Bono
LGBT Rights Advocate and Author of Transition
The only child of famed entertainers Sonny and Cher, Chaz Bono is an LGBT rights advocate, author, and speaker. Chaz recently began gender transition in the public eye, where he continues to impact change and create awareness and visibility for this cause.
Although Chaz came out as a lesbian to his parents in 1987 at the age of 18, he did not publicly come out until April 1995 in an interview with The Advocate, the national gay and lesbian newsmagazine. Chaz’s decision to come out prompted his public work in support of LGBT rights and social justice. Chaz contributed as a writer at large to The Advocate, and shortly thereafter became the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, promoting National Coming Out Day. Chaz also served as Entertainment Media Director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), working behind the scenes with shows like Ellen and Will & Grace and on films including The Jackal.
An acclaimed author, Chaz has written two books: Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, and Their Families (Little, Brown, 1998), which is based on Chaz’s own stories and experiences, as well as the experiences of about a dozen other gay people and their family members; and The End of Innocence: A Memoir (Advocate Books, 2003). Chaz recently filmed a documentary with World of Wonder Productions and his third book, Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man, was released by Dutton in 2011.
In Transition, Chaz finally tells his story. Part One traces his decision to transition, beginning in his childhood—when he played on the boys’ teams and wore boys’ clothing whenever possible—and going through his painful, but ultimately joyful, coming out in his twenties, up to 2008, when, after the death of his father, drug addiction, and five years of sobriety, Chaz was finally ready to begin the process of changing his gender. In Part Two, he offers an unprecedented record, in words and photographs, of the actual transition: a real-time diary as he navigates uncharted waters. These chapters capture the day-to-day momentum of his life as his body changes. Throughout the book, Chaz touches on themes of identity, gender, and sexuality; parents and children; and how harboring secrets shatters the soul. It is an amazing contribution to our understanding of a much misunderstood community.
Chaz currently lives in Los Angeles with his partner, Jennifer Elia.
Learn more about this speakerPress Links
"Adam Levine, Chaz Bono, Zachary Quinto In 'It Gets Better' Special"
On Top Magazine
Chaz Bono Honored with Board of Directors Award at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center's 40th Anniversary Gala and Auction
On Top Magazine
Chaz Bono on Dancing with the Stars
ABC's Dancing with the Stars
"Chaz Bono Documentary
Discovery Press
"Chaz Bono to be Grand Marshal of Gay Pride Parade"
The San Francisco Chronicle
"Sunny and Sharing: Chaz Bono is a New Man"
Dallas Voice
10 Questions for Chaz Bono
TIME
"Becoming Chaz: A Bono of another name - and still advocating"
San Diego Gay & Lesbian News
"How Chaz Bono, Cher's son, became a man — and possibly a transgender icon?"
Los Angeles Times
"Man, Oh Man, Chaz"
The Huffington Post
Chaz Bono Interview
ABC's Nightline
"Becoming Chaz Bono"
The Oprah Winfrey Show
Chaz Bono Interview
Jimmy Kimmel Live
"Chaz Bono's Story"
Piers Morgan Tonight
Becoming Chaz Review
Los Angeles Times
Chaz Bono Interview
The Late Show with David Letterman
Chaz Bono Interview
Windy City Times
"Chaz Bono's 'Transition' Is Probably Not What You Think"
Imus in the Morning
"Diverse Group Selected as Pride Grand Marshals"
The Bay Area Reporter
"Becoming Chaz Airs May 10 on Oprah Winfrey Network"
The Miami Herald
"Chaz Bono's Documentary, Becoming Chaz"
CNN.com
"Out 100"
Out
Chaz Bono makes People's list of '25 Most Intriguing People of 2009'
Examiner.com
"Chaz Bono 'I'm a Happy Guy'"
People
"From Chastity to Chaz: An Unexpected Highlight at Sundance"
The New Zealand Herald
"Becoming Chaz"
People
Chaz Bono Entertainment Tonight Interview, Part 1
E's Entertainment Tonight
Chaz Bono Entertainment Tonight Interview, Part 2
E's Entertainment Tonight
Chaz Bono Anderson Cooper Interview, Part 1
CNN's Anderson Cooper: 360
Chaz Bono Anderson Cooper Interview, Part 2
CNN's Anderson Cooper: 360
Chaz Bono Anderson Cooper Interview, Part 3
CNN's Anderson Cooper: 360
Chaz Bono Good Morning America Interview
ABC's Good Morning America
Featured Book
Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man
“By putting a face to his particular need for transformation and then by showing the changes to the face that transformation brings, Chaz Bono has done something special in writing Transition, and something valuable and laudable as well. He has helped us to better understand Chaz Bono and others who question their sexual identities and their sexual selves—and in doing so, he has helped us to better understand ourselves.”
—Vinton Rafe McCabe, New York Journal of Books
Speaking Topics
- Transition
- Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, and Their Families
- The End of Innocence: A Memoir
Please contact us for booking requirements and availability.