Lea Salonga (L) and son Nic Chien for People. (Photo via Solonga’s Instagram)
Broadway staple and Disney Legend Lea Salonga and her 18-year-old transgender son Nic Chien recently discussed their relationship and his gender identity in an interview with People.
The only child of Salonga and entrepreneur husband Robert Chien, he came out as transmasculine when he was 14 and started taking testosterone in January of this year.
“I am still figuring it out,” says Chien about his transition journey. “It took a while. A lot of crying! A lot of, ‘You gotta tell me how you feel’ and a lot of, ‘I don’t know what I’m feeling.’”
When Chien first came out to his mother, her reaction was to question if he was actually nonbinary rather than transmasculine, which he mused was “an okay reaction.” His family has been very accepting of his identity and journey.
Even with a parent like Salonga, who is understanding and has advocated for LGBTQ+ rights throughout her career, Chien’s transition experience has still been an emotional one. Salonga shared that her child’s gender identity does not change how she parents him.
“Homework needs to get done… I’m glad that this kid can cook and do his laundry and doesn’t forget to feed the cat!” she shared. She also noted that “the one thing that I’ve learned is that you have to raise your child the way your child needs to be raised.”
Salonga sees a parent’s job as helping their kid feel safe, strong and ready to conquer the world on their own terms. For Chien, that means performing on stage like his mother “and playing boy characters.”
The entertainer will play Jack in an “Into the Woods” production in the Philippines this summer alongside Salonga, who will play the Witch.
Chien shares a piece of advice to parents of queer children saying, “Just love your kid. And if you don’t, why did you have kids in the first place?” He also remains hopeful about potential tough times ahead.
“Sometimes I feel alone, but I’m not,” he says. “It does really help to have people in your corner.”
Salonga also shared how proud she was of her son via Instagram. Read more below:
