Chaz Bono net worth is $800,000 dollars. He accumulated this amount from his career as a writer, actor, and musician. He is a well-known transgender rights activist who has talked a lot about his own gender change.
Chaz Bono is an American writer, actor, and musician who became well known as a child because of his appearances on their television show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Chaz Bono’s net worth has been a hot issue ever since he made the shift from being a female to a male.
Who Was Chaz Before His Transition
Bono was born Cheryl in Los Angeles, California, to Cher and Sonny Bono. His parents were members of the pop duo, Sonny & Cher, and had a television variety show where Bono was featured regularly when he was growing up. Bono attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art, and the Performing Arts in New York City.
Bono’s lesbian orientation came to light when he was 18 years old. Bono stated in Family Outing that he had always felt “awkward” about himself when he was younger. He added that he was perplexed by other girls’ obvious interest in the latest fashion trends, who the hottest boy in class was, and who resembled cover girl Christie Brinkley the most.
After thirteen years of trying to figure out what was wrong with him, he finally discovered that he was gay. The realization was the turning point in his life.
Bono was part of the band Ceremony which he and other members formed in 1988. However, the group only released one album, “Hang Out Your Poetry,” in 1993. Bono also performs on guitar and drums, besides singing.
He and his fellow bandmates Heidi Shink and Mark Hudson wrote most of the band’s songs. The ceremony finally called it quits after receiving only lackluster reviews for their album.
Bono joined the television show, “Celebrity Fit Club.” and was elevated to squad captain. He joined the 13th season of “Dancing with the Stars,” in 2011 and became partners with professional dancer Lacey Schwimmer, who was also a member of the band U2. That this was the first time an openly transgender man appeared on a major network television show for a cause other than his gender identity.
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LGBT Activism
Bono came out as a lesbian in a national gay and lesbian magazine interview, “The Advocate,” in April 1995. In 1998, he released “Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, and Their Families.” The book detailed his coming out experience while advising and encouraging those going through the same thing.
He also explained how at first, his mother, Cher, struggled to accept the revelation that he was a lesbian. However, she has learned to accept this fact.
Bono was also a writer for The Advocate. After becoming an advocate for the Human Rights Campaign, Bono encouraged the National Coming Out Day. He also campaigned for the re-election of Bill Clinton to the presidency and campaigned against the Defense of Marriage Act. He also acted as Media Director for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Bono began transitioning from a female to a male physique in the middle of 2008. His publicist stated in June 2009 that “Chaz hopes that his choice to transition would awaken the hearts and minds of the public regarding this subject, just as he’s coming out did.”
In response, GLAAD and the Empowering Spirits Foundation expressed their appreciation and support.
The California court granted Bono’s request for a gender and name change on May 6, 2010. This effectively completed his legal transition. Bono premiered his documentary Becoming Chaz at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The documentary was acquired by the Oprah Winfrey Network, which broadcast on May 10, 2011, as part of its regular programming.
Chaz Bono Relationships
Bono had a close relationship with his parents. However, this relationship with his father, Sonny, became strained because of their divergent political views. Sonny’s popularity increased once he was part of the Republican Congress of California. This further strained their relationship till they weren’t on speaking terms for over a year before Sonny died in a skiing accident in January 1998.
When Bono was in his twenties, he began a relationship with Joan Stephens. Stephens was his mother’s friend who was approximately 20 years his senior. Unfortunately, Stephen died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After other relationships, Bono began dating Shara Blues Mathes, a former child star, in the spring of 2019.
