Cocona said that his gender identity is AFAB Transmasculine Non-Binary.
When I was born, I was classified as female, but I myself never felt that I belonged to that gender identity. Being seen as a "woman" always makes me feel insecure and uncomfortable. Inside me is a more masculine presence, Cocona said.
Cocona also revealed that she had undergone a chest cutting surgery, and explained why publicly announcing her gender identity because her 20th birthday was a big turning point.
The 20-year-old rapper confided: "The most difficult thing in my life is to accept and admit myself. Now that I can accept myself even a little and move forward even 0.1 step, I feel like I have opened a new door.
And thanks to that door, the world in my eyes became wider. The way I look at things, the way I accept myself and life has also changed - bringing me a lot of maturity and courage".
Along with the post, Cocona shared photos revealing the scar on her chest after surgery.
Finally, Cocona would like to express our deep gratitude to the XG members, parents, and CEO Jakops (Simon June Park) for accompanying and supporting our journey to acceptance and maturity.
Cocona's real name is Akiyama Kokona, born in 2005, in Tokyo, Japan. In 2022, Cocona debuted as a member of XG - a group with Japanese idols but operating as a Kpop group, in hip-hop and R&B styles.
According to Billboard, since debuting under XGALX, the XG group has gained international recognition thanks to their professional performance style, multilingual lyrics and empowering message for women.
Cocona's release of the gender identity marks an important and outstanding moment for the representation of the LGBTQ+ community in the global pop music industry - especially in the Japanese and Korean entertainment industry.
