by Chaz Bono
First published 2011
Chaz Bono opens his life to readers in this candid memoir of gender transition. Born to entertainers Sonny and Cher, Bono appeared as Chastity on television as a child before later becoming an advocate for LGBT rights. The book divides into two distinct sections. Part One follows Bono's early recognition of his male identity through childhood preferences for boys' teams and clothing, his coming out as lesbian in his twenties, and the pivotal moment in 2008 when he decided to begin gender transition after his father's death and his own recovery from addiction. Part Two documents the physical and emotional reality of transitioning through diary entries and photographs. Bono records the daily experience of hormonal changes and surgical procedures while navigating family relationships and public scrutiny. He examines how keeping secrets damages personal relationships and explores the complex intersection of identity, family expectations, and authentic self-expression. The memoir provides intimate access to a misunderstood experience.
Genres: autobiography, memoir, biography-memoir, lgbt
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
245 pages · Hardcover · Dutton
Content warnings: mental-illness