A transgender woman working at a Tokyo nightclub has revealed online that she used to be a secondary school baseball player, stunning many and winning widespread applause for her true-to-life attitude.
Miyon, 22, is not only a hostess but also an influencer with 8,600 followers on social media.
Most of her posts show her as an average, fashionable young woman around town in the Japanese capital.
However, in some posts since last year, she revealed her past as a secondary school baseball player in the Western city of Beppu, Oita Prefecture.
Two such “before and after” posts amassed 2.4 million views each.
Many people expressed admiration for her transformation and courage to be true to her inner voice.
“I admire that you can enjoy both the youthful life of a secondary school baseball player and a glorious life as a beautiful hostess,” one person said.
“I thought the woman was the baseball player’s girlfriend. I am stunned,” said another.
“I gained courage from your posts. As a current secondary school baseball player, I know I can be as cute as you, too,” said a third person.
Miyon’s story was reported after the recent 107th Japanese High School Baseball Championship concluded at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture.
It is one of Japan’s most time-honoured and popular secondary school events.
Nearly 3,700 secondary schools nationwide signed up for the event.
In Japan, secondary school baseball is often seen as synonymous with youth.
Miyon did not explain why she became a baseball player, but said the seed of becoming a cute woman had been planted in her mind since she was old enough to understand.
She said that as a young boy, she loved the shojo, or girl, animation Pretty Cure and would secretly wear her mother’s skirts.
She eventually confessed her true identity in secondary school, adding that when she first wore make-up, she was called “gross” by junior students.
But fortunately, her family and friends were supportive. They praised her style and called her Miyon.
She said that to become a woman, she went to beauty school to learn how to apply make-up and studied her female friends.
Miyon also had surgery to get plump lips and wider eyes.
She said her only regret was not having come out as her true self sooner.
“I should have said it sooner. I have enjoyed life more and made many new connections after I spoke up,” Miyon said. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
