Becoming Chaz Bono: Photos of the DWTS Contestant's Amazing Transformation [PHOTOS AND VIDEO]

Years before Chaz Bono was thrust into the public spotlight as the first transgender contestant on Dancing with the Stars, he was Chastity Bono, the self-possessed daughter of Cher and Sonny Bono. Some viewers might remember seeing Chastity as a toddler on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, while others might remember seeing heartbreaking images of Chastity at her father's funeral in 1998.

The announcement that Chaz Bono was joining the cast of DWTS season 13 has brought the show a generous amount of publicity, not all of it positive.

But Chaz himself has kept a brave face amid the public scrutiny, and while his dancing skills are still in question, he's looking forward to appearing on the 13th season of the popular reality competition show.

[I'm] so happy to finale confirm that I am doing DWTS this season and I couldn't be more excited about it, he tweeted earlier this week.

Bono successfully completed a two-year gender transition from female to male in May 2010. His documentary about the transition, Becoming Chaz, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and later aired on Oprah Winfrey's network, OWN.

In May 2011, Bono released his book, Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man.

It's probably the hardest I've worked on anything in my life . . . this journey wasn't just about transitioning; it was a journey of coming to understand myself, learning how to take care of myself, putting my fears away and putting my needs as a priority instead of concerning myself with what everyone else thought. It's, essentially, really about growing up, Bono told the L.A. Times.

Below is a video of the adorable Chastity Bono onstage with her parents as a toddler:

Click through the slideshow to see photos of Chastity and Chaz through the years....

Chastity Bono as a little girl
Chastity with her parents Cher and Sonny Bono in an undated file photo released after Sonny Bono's death from a skiing accident. Reuters
Cher and Chastity at Human Rights Campaign rally
Actress Cher hugs her daughter Chastity Bono (R) while chatting before speaking at a Human Rights Campaign rally in Washington, October 11. Bono, spokeperson for HRC, also spoke at the rally, which was organized to commemorate National Coming Out Day, a call to the lesbian and gay community to vote in the coming presidential elections Reuters
Chastity and Cher at Sonny Bonos Funeral
Cher (R) and daughter Chastity Bono grieve as the body of former Palm Springs' mayor and Congressman Sonny Bono is taken from Saint Theresa's Roman Catholic Church, January 9, 1998 in Palm Springs. Bono was killed in a New Year's Eve skiing accident in Lake Tahoe, California Reuters
Chastity on Larry King
Chastity Bono, daughter of the late United States Congressman [Sonny Bono] and actress Cher appears during a televised interview with Larry King for the CNN program "Larry King Live" March 19 in Los Angeles. It was Bono's first television interview since the death of her father in January 1998. Reuters
Chastity on a book tour
Chastity Bono talks about her gay lifestyle and her new book, "Family Outing," in Washington October 7, 1998 Reuters
Chaz at the GLAAD awards
Chaz Bono arrives at the GLAAD Media Awards in Century City, California April 17, 2010 Reuters
Chaz and Cher in Hollywood
Cher poses with her son Chaz Bono during a hand and footprint ceremony in the forecourt of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California November 18, 2010 Reuters
Chaz Bono and friends at Sundance
Chaz Bono (C) poses for a portrait with his girlfriend, Jennifer Elia (front), and directors Fenton Bailey (L) and Randy Barbato (R) while promoting the film "Becoming Chaz" during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 23, 2011 Reuters
Chaz Bono and Jennifer Elia
Chaz Bono and girlfriend Jennifer Elia arrive at the 22nd annual Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards in Los Angeles, California April 10, 2011 Reuters
Chaz Bono, Grand Marshal
Chaz Bono, one of the celebrity grand marshals, waves during the 41st Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride parade in San Francisco, June 26, 201 Reuters