Chastity Bono, the daughter of Sonny and Cher, is in the middle of a sex change, TMZ is reporting.

The site says that the author and musician began a gender reassignment process earlier this year, after his 40th birthday.

"Yes, it's true -- Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity," Bono's publicist, Howard Bragman, confirmed.

"He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones," Bragman said. "It is Chaz's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his 'coming out' did nearly 20 years ago. We ask that the media respect Chaz's privacy during this long process as he will not be doing any interviews at this time."

[Photo: Getty Images]