On December 6, for their 20th birthday, Cocona from the global pop group XG shared that they are AFAB transmasculine nonbinary on Instagram. “Earlier this year, I had top surgery,” they wrote. “I was born and perceived as female, but that label never represented who I truly am. I live in a way that feels more masculine and true to who I am.” (Teen Vogue confirmed Cocona is now using both “they/them” and “he/him” pronouns.)
He continued, “The hardest thing I’ve ever faced was accepting and embracing myself. But as I slowly began to do that, I was able to open a new door. That moment changed the way I see and understand the world, and it gave me the courage and strength to grow.”
Alongside the heartfelt caption, Cocona shared clips from an intimate, personal photoshoot taken by fellow XG member Jurin. With makeup by another group member Chisa, Cocona wore their signature buzz cut. And the styling similarly held much significance. Wearing matching velvet trousers with a glittering belt, Cocona donned an open blazer, revealing the scars from the top surgery. They posed with a red flower.
XG and Cocona’s message marks a major milestone, especially for the Japanese trans community. Luna Oliver, a model and actress based in Japan, tells Teen Vogue, “Cocona is a current member of a big group who is the hottest thing in Japan right now, I think. And in a way still building their career. So for them to come out so actively, vocally… I think it’s something that has not been done in Japan as much.”
Online, fans are already expressing their solidarity with Cocona, especially regarding his choice to bare his scars. On TikTok, one user named Tamaki (@kyuubra), celebrated Cocona and reminisced on wearing their own scars out while seeing XG at Coachella last year. “That means so much,” Tamaki said in a video.
In conversation with Teen Vogue, Tamaki detailed the unseen struggles of gender-affirming surgery, from costs to recovery, emphasizing what one’s scars represent. “For Cocona to do that and to show it off proudly, it just showed that they have the same sentiment, that we’re proud,” Tami says. “We’re proud that we did this. It’s something we want everyone to know about. And so it just felt so wild to see someone have the same experience as me, but also to show it to millions of people.”