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'It was the best decision I've ever made', he says
Chaz Bono
Eight months into transition, Chaz Bono feels 'great'
Eight months into transition, Chaz Bono, the son of singer Cher, has appeared on US television to discuss his feelings about his gender reassignment, and said he felt "great".
Interviewed on Good Morning America, he said: "The first hurdle was that I wasn't going to be able to do this privately, like most people can. Then it came down to realising that I have to live my life for myself and that life is short and life is precious. This is who I am. I need to finally be who I am.
"I feel so much more comfortable than I've ever been. I've felt male as far back as I can remember." He added that if his public transformation helps others in the same position, then "I'm happy to do that."
Bono said the entire process of transitioning from female to male will take about four to five years, and that so far he's had his breasts removed and received hormone treatments that have deepened his voice, and to his delight, made it necessary to start shaving his face. Asked whether he was frightened about the next few years of the process, he said: "At this point, nothing scares me. I'm living the life I've always wanted to live and it's amazing.
"This was a very difficult decision to make, but it was the best decision I've ever made. I feel great," he said, adding: "It would almost be easy to say, 'Why did I wait so long to do this?'"
Forty-year-old Bono is the only child of 60s pop duo Sonny and Cher, and is a civil rights activist as well as a journalist, author and musician. In June, Cher made her first statement regarding Bono's decision to become a man.
"Chaz is embarking on a difficult journey, but one that I will support," she told PEOPLE. "I respect 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. The one thing that will never change is my abiding love for my child."
