When he first announced that he was going to transition to a man, Chaz Bono said he would not be making any more public statements during the process. And while he’s generally kept mum, Chaz is still making public appearances here and there. This is great for the LGBT community because it shows Chaz out and about and living his life happily. However I’d think it could feel uncomfortable at times just knowing how closely people are scrutinizing his body. You know that certain kind of discomfort you feel when you know someone is looking at you extra closely? I imagine it could feel that way to Chaz too.
It seems like media outlets are getting better (though not perfect) at being respectful in their coverage of Chaz, and are also more aware of using the proper terminology. Last night he and his girlfriend Jennifer Elia walked the red carpet at Outfest, and seemed really happy together.
The famously private Chaz Bono – who recently shocked Hollywood by confirming she’s [sic] undergoing a sex change operation to become a man– walked proud as a peacock with girlfriend Jennifer Elia on the red carpet in Los Angeles Thursday night at Outfest, the country’s largest festival of gay/lesbian/transgender-themed films.
The son of Cher and the late Sonny Bono, who lives in West Hollywood with the beautiful brunette Elia, was dressed dapper in a black button-up shirt and blue jeans.
Chaz, a political and social activist, began undergoing a sex change shortly after her [sic] 40th birthday on March 4. It’s not known how long the process will take for Chaz to officially become a man.
“I am excited for Chaz that he will now be able to live life the way he wants to and in a body that is more comfortable for him,” Kristen Schaffer, Outfest’s executive director, told RadarOnline.com last month. “Chaz’s ‘coming out’ as transgender is wonderful for the LGBT community as it not only increases transgender visibility, but also shows that we should never compromise our own identity.”
Outfest runs until July 19 in Los Angeles.
[From Radar]
I can’t explain why but I always get such a good vibe from this pair. Chaz has always been private, especially for having such public parents. He’s been active in gay causes since he publicly came out of the closet, but has still managed to live his life as a regular person. He strikes me as someone you could strike up a conversation with on the way home from work just like anyone else. He’ll certainly be getting some extra attention over the next few years, but if anyone knows how to handle it gracefully, it’s him.
Here are Chaz and Jennifer with Outfest Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer at the gala yesterday and earlier that same day. Images thanks to WENN.com and Fame Pictures .
I think being a man suits him much better.
Congratulations to Chaz for his courage for being true to himself.
Can we stop refering to Chaz as “he” until she “officially becomes a man?”
And at what point did “dapper” come to mean slob?
Nothing personal against Chaz, but let’s stop pretending.
What a lovely couple!
No we cannot stop. He wants to be referred to that way. And if he wants to dress like a slob he can.
Sonny must be rolling in his grave!
Maybe I’m not good at reading body language, but Chaz’ girlfriend seems to be pulling away. She better treat Chaz right!
Right on MichaelD!
ok, reality check people.
It’s not because he’s decided to take the next step in becoming a man that he’s suddenly all dapper and whatnot and that his gf is cute or whatever. And that they look lovely together. Come on!
Enough with the PC crap already.
He wants to be treated like anyone else so have at it, darn it!
She looks normal and he looks like freaking Jabba the Hut!He looks sooooo unhealthy! His weight is so f’ing unhealthy it makes Oprah look anorexic.
Every time I see a picture of him I’m like “Yuck! Dude grow a beard already so I don’t have to see that Jabba the hut gulet anymore!”
Geez!
And if he was so private and so on, he wouldnt be making public announcements regularly about it and showing up at red carpets all over town.
Pffff!
Well, you don’t “dress dapper” anyhow. You are dapper. Which, in this picture, Chaz is not. (I wouldn’t say it’s slobby, but it’s not dapper.)
My understanding is that it is appropriate (as well as considerate and right) to refer to transgenders in the gender which they prefer/are becoming.
Thank you JayBird for referring to Chaz correctly in the masculine! (And for the “sic” in the quote!)
@ BonBiz – thank you. It IS appropriate and considerate to refer to transgenders as they wish.
There are probably just some people that get a little uncomfortable with this stuff, it makes them think outside their little box of how things are “supposed to be.” That said, why can’t we all just be happy for him? I’m the same age as Chaz and watched him grow up on his parents’ show. I for one am happy as hell for him that he is being his true self and enjoying his life! (And his GF is kinda hot, go Chaz!)
In most of the past photos I’ve seen, Chaz appeared to have a weight issue. So what! It happens to the best of us and for various reasons. Not everyone has a complete handle on it. It’s a constant struggle.
I’m sure the medications involved in his transition are now adding to his existing weight problem. He will continue to bulk-up even more. Can you imaging the chemical changes going on in his body right now? Not to mention the emotional aspect of it all? I’m so glad that he has his girlfriend there for support. “I hope” that after the transition process has progressed, AND as Chaz’s body begins to feel better accustomed to the treatment; he will consider trying to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. I want him to be with us for as long as possible!
I think happiness “in life” has so much to do with personal motivation. Different personalities have different ways of dealing with pain or sadness.
I pray that this transition will be the answer. Chaz will realize his amazing potential! He will be the person he has always been “in his heart.” He will be the wonderful young man that God meant for him to be. The wonderful husband and (maybe in the future) best daddy.
My love and support goes out to you Chaz.
Sincerely,
Bonny
Wow, he really is starting to resemble Sonny with age.
I don’t find Chaz attractive nor as a woman and neither as a guy but I wish her/him happiness with the sex change and I hope she/he don’t regret it later…
You know that certain kind of discomfort you feel when you know someone is looking at you extra closely? I imagine it could feel that way to Chaz too.
I’d imagine he’d feel like that with or without public appearances, you know? No reason to stay away from public events he would have been at prior to the announcement.
And geez, I don’t see what the problem is with referring to people by what they want to be called. At least news outlets have gotten his first name right, if not always the pronouns.
Wow.
Whatever floats their boats.
wow. At this point I don’t think it matters when he gets his penis but rather when he signs up for Jenny Craig. He needs to lose about 100lbs.
Alright womenfolk, seriously.
What the hell?!
Women are on about men all the time who are out of shape and don’t look a certain way. How the hell does a moderately attractive woman manage to find a woman who looks like a character out of the fucking sopranos attractive?
I might as well just come out and say it.
As a woman “she” looked rather matronly.
“Chaz” Bono now looks like a hefty bag full of hammered monkey shit.
I don’t get it.
Whenever I see Chaz’s face it brings me back to my childhood when my sisters and I watched the Sonny and Cher show. Such good memories. I get a little bummed for him when I read comments like some posted above but fortunately most people really wish him well.
This story makes me happy and sad. Sad that he had to go through much turmoil, but happy that he’s becoming the person he was meant to be.
I’m glad his mom, Cher, is giving her support. What is more important than a mother’s love?
Lovely couple? Huh? “Chaz” looks like she’s getting ready to explode at any minute. Take off the feed bag already. I love how Jessica Simpson is a lard ass and “Chaz” is lovely. Give ME A BREAK PEOPLE!!
And overeating is typically a sign of unhappiness.
Eek!
I just don’t understand it and i will have to educate myself more on the subject i guess, but being man/woman means you have all of the biological makeup doesn’t it? like females are born with ovaries etc… and men are born with testicles and so on, it’s just so confusing to me that people can wake up one day or over a span of years and say hey i’m going to call myself a woman or man, I don’t know, it just seems so confusing to me and i have nothing against the transgender community…what they do and what they want is their business, but it’s just really confusing for me, i will just have to educate myself on the subject …. and i have a stupid question, I’m assuming they were in a lesbian relationship prior to chaz changing genders…so does that make their relationship a heterosexual one now or is it still a lesbian one? And another question, when a person transitions from female to male are they actually able to use their penis like a natural one? i’m honestly curious
Chaz/ Chastity is not dressed dapper and has not reached dapper at all. The GF is a lovely female and obviously she loves Chaz for the inside that is true.. so she is a lovely lady in an out.
Chaz is not a he and is not a she either he is in gender limbo until transition is complete. I will refer to him as SHIM ( meaning SHE- HIM)
Wow Bono has gained so much weight. Hope she will be happy now.
The girlfriend looks like Amy Fisher.
The only thing I’n worry about is his overweight! He must start to take care about, not for the shape, for the health!
But they looks great together, I hope them all happiness!
OK, so this Jennifer chick was with Chasity when she was a woman, which means that Jennifer is likely a lesbian like Chastity. But now Chaz is going to be a man and have a penis, so will Jennifer still be attracted to him? Would that make them both straight?
Why does it always descend to stupid comments about the mechanics of sex change surgery? It’s called google, people!
Congrats to Chaz on moving forward with his life. As a lesbian I think he made a hotter big old teddy bear butch than he does now as just another man but that’s just my non-pc opinion. 🙂
Huh…
So a surgically altered lesbian unable to accept herself is called a man now?
Did I miss a meeting or something ?
Poor Chaz. He took after his father in looks and his father always was butt ugly.
I’m glad that he has gotten to a good place in his life and seems to have found true love. I wish them both the best.
WHO CARES, WHAT DOES BEING THE CHILD OF CELEBRITIES MATTER. IF IT WAS JUST A CHILD OF NOBODIES WHO WOULD CARE AT ALL
He is no more special or brave than any of the other transgender individuals out there. The fact that he is Cher’s offspring should have nothing to do with anything. So what, she has now chosen to be a he. If he were John Doe of Des Moines, Iowa, no one would care or say how brave the choice is.
i’m pretty liberal but this whole sex change thing just doesn’t make sense. seems like a lot of work and a lot of pain. esp being famous – everyone knows she is a woman. plus chaz will still be a female, not a male after all of that cosmetic surgery. i can understand getting the bosoms removed but not anything below the belt. it sounds like mutilation.
Black is very slimming……yes indeed