Everyone was finally in their seats last night at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles ready for the opening night program of Outfest 2009 to begin. The lights went down and out walked Chaz Bono!

Chaz (pictured with girlfriend Jennifer Elia) was chosen to officially welcome everyone to the 27th annual gay and lesbian film festival which kicked off its 10-day run and it was Bono’s first public appearance since announcing last month that he is transitioning from the female Chastity Bono – the daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher – to the male Chaz Bono.

“Thank you to Outfest for having me here and having me do this, it’s a great honor,” Chaz told the audience which greeted her warmly. “I’ve been coming to Outfest for over a decade. When I worked at GLAAD I really started to understand tbe importance of films that represent our community both to the outside world and also to us and to form a foundation, identification, empowerment.”

Chaz shared that some of the films he watched during that decade had a profound impact on him: “I have to say a thank you to Outfest personally becasuse as I was going through my struggles over the past almost decade of whether or not I was going to find the courage to transition, I saw films here at Outfest that really helped me. Films lioke Southern Comfort, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and a little film that I don’t know if everybody saw called A Boy Named Sue. They assure me there’s going to be a lot of good trans stuff this year too.”

It was an inspired choice by Outfest to choose Chaz to start the program.