In a candid and emotional interview, Nic Chien, the son of international theater star Lea Salonga, opened up about his journey as a transgender man and the struggles he faced while learning to embrace his true identity.

Speaking with Korina Sanchez on Rated Korina, Nic said living honestly was deeply important to him.

“This is who I really am. I am not a different person. I am still Nicole, but I’m not called Nicole anymore because I am not a ‘Nicole’. But I’m still the same person,” he said.

He explained that while some aspects of his life have changed, he has learned to accept them.

“Some social things might change because I’m a guy, which is fine,” he added.

Nic also spoke openly about the pain of gender dysphoria and the insecurity that came with feeling unseen.

“I am insecure in a sense that I knew when someone look at me, they wouldn’t see what I wanted to be,” he said.

“They wouldn’t see a man. They would see a girl. I think that idea [was] so tragic in my mind.”