Charice says no plans of transitioning to become male

MANILA, Philippines – Although she admits that her “soul is male,” singer Charice Pempengco said she has no plans of having operations to become male.

 

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey for the TV host's “Where Are They Now” program on her cable network OWN aired Sunday (Monday morning Manila time), Charice said: “Basically, like, my soul is male. But I'm not gonna go through that stage where I'm gonna change everything.”

 

She added: “Not my change my body. I would change like this—cut my hair, wear boy clothes and everything. But that's all.”

 

The 22-year-old reunited with Winfrey in the television series more than a year after she came out as a lesbian in 2013.

 

The “Pyramid” singer admits she knew she has been a lesbian when she was five years old. 

 

“I was in grade school and I saw this girl. And I knew I was different. I didn't know what it was but I just knew at that time, it felt special,” she said. “When I was 10, I was like, “That's it. I'm gay.' Like I found the word.”

 

Charice added she was “a mess” before coming out. “When I was this person, it felt like it was a character I was portraying for my mom, for my family to be happy,” she explained. 

 

She also admits suffering from depression after her father Ricky Pempengco was murdered in 2011. 

 

“When my father got murdered, that's when everything fell apart. I got more depressed,” she said. 

 

“Losing my dad, we didn't have closure. When I went to the funeral, I just saw him there and regretted everything... I took all those feelings and pain in me and that made me stronger to tell myself that it's time to stand up and get there,” Charice said.

 

Charice's mother Raquel Pempencgo raised the singer alone after she and Ricky separated. 

 

When asked if it was her father's death that liberated her, Charice said: “It's just terrible, the feeling after he died, the feeling of being alone, I was alone. Very few friends I just told and I know my mom felt it. I just felt that she didn't just want to admit it.”

 

Charice and Raquel had a public falling out after the singer's coming out. But Charice said that all is well between her and her mother.

 

“I can say now that we are really like best friends,” Charice said of her mother. “I can't ask for more, I am happy.”