Cocona of the group XG has gone public with their gender identity, revealing that they identify as transmasculine non-binary and have had top surgery. The announcement came on Dec. 6 via the group's official Instagram, paired with photos underscoring the message.
In the post, Cocona wrote that they are "AFAB transmasculine non-binary" and shared, "I had top surgery this year." AFAB refers to being assigned female at birth. They explained the timing by saying turning 20 marked a major crossroads and that they wanted to finally voice what had long been in their heart.
Transmasculine non-binary generally describes people who were born female but do not identify solely as women, instead locating their identity closer to masculinity or somewhere along that spectrum.
"The hardest thing in my life was accepting and acknowledging myself," they wrote. "Now that I've managed to move even 0.1 of a step forward, I've been able to open a new door."
In the photos released alongside the message, they wear nothing but a black jacket over bare skin. A noticeable detail is the scarring visible between the lapels, consistent with chest masculinization surgery.
XG, the group Cocona belongs to, is a seven-member girl group of Japanese members under XGALX, the label founded by Korean American producer JAKOPS.