Male teen star undergoes sex change, joins gay beauty contest

A finalist of Amazing Philippine Beauties 2011 is creating ripples after it was learned that she was a former male teen star who co-hosted “Master Showman.”

The former singer-actor-host used the screen name Akiro Verano prior to changing it to Zyrene Mae Verano after undergoing a sex change operation in Thailand in 2008.

“Inis na inis po ako no’n sa sarili ko no’n. Ngayon, ayaw ko nang magkunwari,” said he in an interview with abscbnnews.com.

Verano admits to taking hormonal pills to enhance her femininity even further. “Para maging babaing-babae ang boses ko, at ang lambot ng katawan ko,” she said, adding “Umiinom din po ako ng glutathione para pumuti ako. Babaing-babae na rin po ang hugis ng aking katawan.”

 Verano admits he had a hard time coming out of the closet for fear of being disowned by her family -- more, that she might not be able to fulfill her dream of becoming an actor.

"Bata pa po ako, alam ko na, na bading ako. Kaya lang, natakot ako noon na baka hindi ako tanggapin ng magulang ko, kamag-anak, kaibigan, at bagong mga kakilala na bakla ako. Kaya naman itinago ko yun hanggang 16 years old ako,” said she in a separate interview with PEP.

"Tsaka kasi noon, gusto ko talaga mag-artista. Inisip ko na kapag inamin ko na bading ako, baka walang kumuha sa akin kahit na marami ang nagsasabi na pwede akong maging artista."

But the decision proved right in the end.

“No’ng una kong ipagtapat ang tunay kong pagkatao sa Daddy ko, akala ko, susuntukin niya ako. Pero, niyakap pa niya ako. Naiyak ako,” she recalled.

Verano says she enjoys life more now as a transgender.

"Mas gusto ko po ang buhay ko ngayon,” she said.

Verano said she is currently married. "Pareho kaming 21 at nagpu-pulis siya."

Just recently, Verano won as Miss Gay Philippines-World 2011.

By NEIL RAMOS
Manila Bulletin

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