Hindi raw inasahan ni Nic Chien, 17, na pag-uusapan ang tungkol sa kanyang gender identity at kanyang transition to transgender man.
Subalit masaya raw siya sa mainit na suporta na kanyang natatanggap bilang miyembro ng LGBTQIA community.
“It is incredible. I am so honored to have this opportunity, and to have this position in the community,” aniya sa ulat ng News5.
“I couldn’t imagine that I would have this impact, and I only hope that what I do, helps other kids and people like me, live the lives that they wanna live, and encourage other people who are more against it to see their children and see, ‘Oh, you know, this guy is doing all these things, and he seems fine. So, maybe it’s fine for my kid,’ or something like that.”
Si Nic—isinilang na Nicole Beverly Chien—ay anak ni Lea sa estranged husband nito na si Robert Chien.
At tulad ng inang Broadway star, pinasok din ni Nic ang pagiging theatre actor.
Read: Who is Robert Chien, Lea Salonga's estranged husband?
Noong November 2025, idinaan ni Nic sa isang Instagram post ang pagbubunyag niya ukol sa kanyang transition.
Ibinahagi niya noon na sumailalim siya sa top surgery o chest masculinization, ang procedure ng pagtatanggal ng breast tissues para mag-flat ang dibdib at magmukhang mas masculine.
Sumailalim din sa ganitong procedure si Jake Zyrus noong 2017 para sa kanyang transition upang maging trans man.
Si Nic ay nag-a-undergo rin sa testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), isang medical treatment para madagdagan ang testosterone ng lalaki o ng isang nagta-transition sa trans man.
Isang epekto nito ay pagkakaroon ng malalim na boses.
Read: Lea Salonga confirms separation from husband Robert Chien
NIC THANKFUL FOR MOM LEA SALONGA’S SUPPORT
May ginawang paghahambing si Nic tungkol sa sentimyento niya ukol sa transition niya na pinag-usapan.
Pakiramdam daw niya ay nagtanggal lang siya ng braces sa ngipin, pero naging big deal ito sa publiko.
Pero kabig niya, “However, I do understand the impact that it does have, and that is why I did it.
“Because I know that it’s more taboo and it’s not really a thing here for even trans men to come out, and to have top surgery, or even if they have testosterone. So, I’m trying to push for that kind of care.”
Ang sabi pa ni Nic, malaking bagay raw na suportado siya ng kanyang inang si Lea Salonga sa aspetong ito ng kanyang buhay.
Paglalarawan ni Nic: “She is all for it. My mom cares that I’m living happily and that I’m living who I really am, or who I believe I really am.
“And that is what is important for her and that is what is important for me. And she’d much rather have me be happy or something… discover life as we go on, and stuff, instead of me being depressed, not comfortable... and coz that’s the job of the parents.
“She wants the best for you, at the end of the day.”
Sa ngayon, ang hangad daw ni Nic ay mabigyan din ng option ang mga katulad niya, tulad ng pagkakataong naibigay sa kanya sa kanyang transition.
“So I’m trying to push for that kind of care,” aniya sa ulat ni ABS-CBN News reporter MJ Felipe.
“I couldn’t have imagine that I would have such an impact and I only hope that what I do, helps other kinds and people like me live the lives that they wanna live...”