Cher admits son Chaz’s transition ‘was difficult for me’

Chaz came out as transgender in 2009

Cher has admitted her son Chaz Bono’s transition “was difficult for me” as a mother in a new interview.

The “Take Me Home” singer, 77, reflected on her “difficult, challenging, exciting, interesting” moments as a parent, adding that raising her children “wasn’t easy with either husband” but that Sonny Bono was a “better father”.

Cher married her singing partner, and one-half of their folk duo Sonny & Cher, in 1969 – the same year they welcomed their only child together, Chaz.

When asked to describe her experience of parenthood, as someone who has navigated “things...not all parents navigate”, the musician told The LA Times: “When Chaz went through the transition, that was difficult for me.

“It shouldn’t have been because, you know, I’ve had gay friends forever. I just met some beautiful trans chicks and we have an affinity. Now I’m totally fine,” she continued.

Cher, who has a loyal LGBTQ+ fan base, explained the “hard thing for me” wasn’t the transition itself but rather “waiting to see who the person would be”.

She added: “...It’s hard to lose one child to get a new one, especially so late. I think that was the hard thing for me. I don’t think it was the transition. It was waiting to see who the person would be, and would they be so much different than the person that was before them...”

Chaz, 54, came out as transgender in 2009, with Cher previously acknowledging she didn’t “handle [it] all that well in the beginning”.

Cher with husband Sonny Bono in 1965 (Getty Images)

During an interview with SheKnows in 2020, Cher said: “Look, I didn’t handle [Chaz’s coming out] all that well in the beginning.

“It took me a minute. Because you’ve been with a child for 40 years, and then all of a sudden … but you know what? Chaz was so happy!”

A writer, musician, and activist, Chaz became the first transgender contestant to appear on the hit ABC series Dancing With The Stars in 2011.

Elsewhere in the new interview, Cher revealed what age she would like to live until, adding that she’s “already past my sell-by date”.

When asked whether she would to live to the same age as her mother, who was 96 when she died last December, Cher replied: “No, I’m thinking about 80. I mean, I’m already past my sell-by date.”

The Oscar-winning actor added: “My mom was great at 80 – I did a special with my mom at 80. But I’m not so much for over 80. I don’t want to not be me.”

After her split from Bono, Cher married the late Gregg Allman in 1975 and their son Elijah Blue Allman was born the following year. Cher and Allman divorced in 1979.

Cher (right) and boyfriend Alexander Edwards were front row at the Balmain spring/summer 2024 show (Vianney Le Caer/AP) (AP)

Last month, the younger Allman’s estranged wife Marie Angela King sensationally accused Cher of hiring four men to kidnap Elijah, 47, in a bid to stop them from reconciling.

According to divorce papers filed by King, the British singer, 36, claimed she and Elijah had moved into a New York City hotel in November 2022 after Cher asked them to leave their family home.

“After spending these 12 days together in NY… four people came to our hotel room and removed [Allman] from our room,” King alleged, adding that she was “told by one of the four men who took him that they were hired by [Allman’s] mother.”

Earlier this month, Cher denied the allegations in a brief statement to People magazine, adding that the “rumour is not true”.

Cher is currently dating American music executive, Alexander Edwards, 36, with the Grammy-winner confirming their romance in a post on X/Twitter last November.