Cher Looks Back on Son Chaz Bono's Transition 11 Years Later

Cher is candidly discussing her son Chaz Bono‘s transition.

During a new interview with CNN, the 74-year-old music icon opened up about Chaz‘s, 54, transition from female to male back in 2009, and admitted “it wasn’t easy” for her at first.

“It was very unlike me to, in the beginning, have a problem with Chaz being gay, and it disappeared like that,” Cher recalled of her initial struggle with Chaz‘s transition.

“Then we talked about [whether Chaz was] transgender for many years and [he] would say, ‘No, I don’t want to [transition],’” Cher said. “And then he went and said, ‘OK, I want to do this.’”

Cher admitted: “But it wasn’t easy. I remember calling, and the old [voicemail] message was on the phone, and that was very difficult.”

“But you don’t really lose them [your child],” Cher continued. “They just are in a different shape.”

Chaz, born Chastity to Cher and the late Sonny Bono, underwent gender transition between 2008 and 2010.

She also mentioned that Chaz is now “unbelievably happy” and is in a relationship with former child star, Shara Blue Mathes.