There have been a lot of changes going on in Chaz Bono’s life lately. After getting kicked off ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” last season and breaking up with fiancé Jennifer Ella, Chaz—born Chastity—is finally ready to complete his gender reassignment.
Although Bono, 42, has long undergone testosterone injections and had his breasts surgically removed two years ago, he has never pursued a full sex change. However, in a candid interview with Rolling Stone, the only child of Sonny and Cher—who has always been partial to “keeping my privates private”— is opening up about the facts of bottom surgery, size, and how he intends to have it done as soon as he has enough money in the bank.
Comparing the surgery to picking out features on a car, Bono revealed that he was leaning towards a procedure called metoidioplasty. “It’s a process that uses what you already have down there, which has grown larger from the testosterone.” He explains, “You end up with a smaller phallus than with the phalloplasty [another type of surgery], but it’s fully functional – it gets erect, and the sensation is all there.”
Bono intends to have the surgery done in Belgrade, Serbia, where it is less expensive. However, according to the child star, the procedure will still set him back anywhere from $25,000 to $45,000 depending on the features he selects. On the topic of if his famous mom is going to help pay for the surgery, he says a resounding “no”.
Bono’s change of heart towards the surgery may be due to his resent split with Jennifer Ella, or may even have been the catalyst of the split. Ella, who identified as a lesbian, has expressed mixed feelings about his transition in the past. Bono told Rolling stone, “I think Jen wished I wouldn’t get the bottom done, but she understood my need to. You have to understand, though, for me the life transformation has already happened.”
You can read Chaz Bono’s full interview with Rolling Stone Magazine on January 12th .
