"I figured that I’m bisexual. I’m okay with saying that out loud."
Ito ang naging deklarasyon ng nag-iisang anak ni Lea Salonga na si Nic Chien, o Nicole Beverly Chien, 19, matapos amining isa siyang bisexual.
Ibig sabihin, nakakaramdam si Nic ng romantic, emotional, at sexual attraction sa dalawang gender—lalaki at babae.
Read: 9 celebrity parents who embrace and support their LGBTQ+ children
Ito'y kahit pa nakapag-transition na siya bilang transgender man.
Nakapanayam si Nic ni Korina Sanchez sa programang Rated Korina noong February 2, 2026, kunsaan ibinahagi nitong grade school pa lamang siya ay alam na niya ang kanyang sexual orientation.
"I think, like, I was for two years or so, I was gender fluid for a while, but I figured that I am bisexual.
"I figured that out in Grade Five. I’m attracted to my friends who are girls, but I’m also attracted to guys.
"I figured it out pretty early."
Read: Lea Salonga posts heartfelt birthday message for trans son Nic
Noong una raw niyang maramdaman ito, agad niya itong ibinahagi sa kanyang mga magulang.
Pagbabalik-tanaw niya: "My parents at the time, well I don't blame them for this, they were like, 'Are you sure? You’re very young. You can change your mind. Don’t label yourself right away.'
"Which is completely valid. And I kind of agree—don’t pressure yourself with a label."
Sa paglipas ng panahon, mas lalong naging sigurado si Nic sa kanyang sexual orientation.
Kalaunan ay sinabi niya ito sa kanyang ina na si Lea.
At gaya ng kanyang inaasahan, tinanggap siya ng international singer nang walang pag-aalinlangan, bagay na labis daw niyang ikinatuwa at ipinagmamalaki.
Ani Nic: "I remember I told my mom in the car, I was eleven years old or so. I was, like, 'Mama, I think I’m bisexual.'
"And she was, like, 'Okay.' That's it."
Read: Lea Salonga, suportado ang transition ng anak na si Nic Chien
Nic opens up about his mental health journey and his transition as a trans man
Bukod sa kanyang sexual orientation, naging bukas din si Nic sa pagtalakay ng kanyang pag-transition bilang transgender man.
Noong November 2025, isinapubliko ni Nic ang kanyang pagta-transition.
Sa isang post sa Instagram, ibinahagi niya noong sumailalim siya sa top surgery o chest masculinization, ang procedure ng pagtatanggal ng breast tissues para mag-flat ang dibdib at magmukhang mas masculine.
Nag-undergo rin siya sa testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), isang medical treatment para madagdagan ang testosterone ng lalaki o ng isang nagta-transition.
Isang epekto nito ay pagkakaroon ng malalim na boses.
Read: Nic Chien describes how mom Lea Salonga supports his transition
Ani Nic, malaki ang naitulong ng kanyang physical transition sa kanyang mental health.
Bago raw kasi ito mangyari ay nakaranas siya ng body dysphoria o pagkakaroon ng matinding insecurity at anxiety.
Lahad niya: "I remember my mental health—it hit me around 14. I was diagnosed with depression and I take medication for it.
"I actually think a lot of it was also due to gender dysphoria.
"I was insecure in the sense that I knew that if someone looked at me, they wouldn’t see what I really wanted to be or they wouldn’t see a man, they would see a girl.
"And I think that idea was so, like, tragic in my mind. And like just seeing the littlest things, like not even that big, like certain curves in my face that weren’t sharp enough or my shoulders weren’t wide enough, or just small things.
"Really, like, it affected me and I hated that.
"I hated looking in the mirror and seeing that, you know, having people not see me as a guy."
Lahat ng mga iyan ay nawala lang daw nang simulan niyang baguhin ang kanyang anyo sa pamamagitan ng pagsailalim sa mga operasyon.
Saad niya: "Your body changes. Your bones, your bone density changes.
"Your muscles. The fat in your body moves to different parts of your body. Things change talaga.
"I remember when I saw my Adam’s apple [develop], I was like, 'Oh my God.'"
Bagamat nagbago ang kanyang pisikal na hitsura, nanindigan si Nic na hindi nagbago kung sino siya bilang anak, kaibigan, at tao.
Aniya: "I am not a different person. I am still Nicole, but I’m not called Nicole anymore because I’m not a Nicole, but I’m still the same person."
Read: Barbie Imperial denies being the reason for Richard-Sarah breakup
NIC ON HANDLING NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT HIS TRANSITION
Dahil sa kanyang pagbabagong anyo, batid ni Nic na marami ang hindi ito matatanggap.
Gayunpaman, tanggap na raw noon pa man ng binata na kahit kailan ay hindi lahat ng tao ay mauunawaan ang nagpapaligaya sa kanya.
Pahayag niya: "There are going to be bad comments. If you look at all of them all the time, then you’re only going to feel terrible.
"Be good comments. Try to focus on that instead.
"But no matter where you go, there are going to be people that don’t like you, and that’s okay.
"For me, I kind of figured it really doesn’t matter.
"And you know what, these people’s minds are never going to change."
Dagdag pa niya: "If they hate me, I don’t think they’re going to change their minds.
"Because they hate me for a reason that I can’t exactly control.
"I didn’t do anything to them. It’s like they just don’t like me, and that’s okay."
Read: Nic Chien describes how mom Lea Salonga supports his transition