Metamorphosis

METAMOR PHOSIS

JAKE ZYR

Bear witness to the story of a young man who brought immense pride to his country through his voice and love for music that knows no bounds. Jake Zyrus, formerly known under the mononym Charice, was brought to life on May 10, 1992 in Cabuyao, Philippines. His early childhood was fraught with horrifying experiences of violence within his home that no child deserved to endure. When he was three years old, he watched his abusive father point a gun on his mother’s head. The ceaseless abuse drove Jake, his mother, and younger brother Carl to abandon the life of

maltreatment inflicted by their father The desire to seek a better life directed Jake into the path to prominence. However, amid the praises and smiles, the singer recounted that he also suffered at the hands of his mother as he was fiercely beaten. At this time as well, he was already becoming aware of his gender identity The more acclaimed perspective of the anecdote at this period was that of discovering Jake’s potential as a singer. At the age of four, his mother would notice an unparalleled talent within her child as Jake lovingly sang a special rendition of Happy Birthday and the famous Celine Dion song, “My Heart Will Go On”. At seven years of age, he began to join local singing contests to aid in the financial struggles of his family. With his talent, he won countless competitions.

Years later, by 2005, his 12 year old self took part in the popular television program and vocal competition for children called “Little Big Star” His attempt to breakthrough was met with initial defeat as he was unable to win the grand prize, but it was impossible to overlook his soulful voice when he sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. A fan uploaded the iconic performance online and garnered millions of views Eventually, he was catapulted into the limelight.

In 2007, the 15 year old Jake was invited to sing in a Korean variety show, “StarKing” The world was in awe of the child’s voice. One stage led to another as many doors opened for him. This time, he made history by captivating audiences, seasoned singers and entertainers alike from the West In the same year, his American debut happened in The Ellen Degeneres Show. Fame was only starting for Jake. In the following year, May 2008, the famed Oprah Winfrey invited him to perform earning a standing ovation. Oprah was absolutely charmed by the singer’s brilliance Hence, she contacted the esteemed David Foster who contentedly supervised the rising star. David Foster clearly recognized his genius in the field. In the span of two years, Jake consistently broke records and ascended to unimaginable heights By the end of 2008, Jake personally met Michael Buble and Josh Groban. He was even able to share unforgettable stages with David Foster and Andrea Bocelli in Tuscan, Italy. His remarkable skills at 16 years old astonished Celine Dion, whom he duetted with, and the gathered crowd of 18,000 in Madison Square Garden In 2009, he encountered the very singer of the music that propelled him to stardom, Whitney Houston. Jake’s glory was unstoppable. In 2010, he became the first Asian artist to rank among the Top 10 albums on the Billboard charts. 2010 marked his guest appearance in the popular TV series Glee, going toe to toe with the main protagonist portrayed by Lea Michele. These seemingly succeeding events of unprecedented success concealed the tragedy occurring backstage.

In 2011, the news of his abusive father’s death got to him, all the while he and his mother’s relationship was coming across rifts and turbulence. Aside from familial matters, Jake was reaching his limit as he grappled with confessing the truth regarding his gender and sexuality. He was drowning in the noises of fear and expectations surrounding a young musician making a name for himself. In consequence, he attempted to take his life three times threatening to succumb to societal pressure.

It was in 2012 when Zyrus started to take his hairstyle and fashion into a much more boyish style, shifting into a blonde bob cut and tomboy appearance which raised multiple suspicions about whether or not he was gay As a response, Zyrus indicated that this was not a rebellion, but rather an evolutionary phase of his life. The year after, Zyrus came out as a lesbian in an interview with Boy Abunda. During the said interview, it was revealed that he had past relationships with women in the industry

In 2014, Zyrus appeared on an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s Where Are They Now. At the time, he had shorter hair and more tattoos, leaving a statement for the world to see what/who Charice had become. Zyrus claimed that “my soul is male,” revealing that he was already attracted to girls at a very young age. This sparked rumors of a gender transition but Zyrus immediately shut them down as he had no plans to undergo surgery at the moment 2017 marked the year Zyrus came out as trans. This announcement immediately followed after his breakup with ex girlfriend Alyssa Quijano, whom he had a live in relationship with. Part of his public confession included having undergone breast removal surgery and started shots of testosterone, making way for the birth of Jake Zyrus.

Since being called on Winfrey’s show in 2014, Jake Zyrus has laid low up until now People were hooked on Charice, so when Jake Zyrus came to be, many fans stopped listening. That was the consequence of taking the transition. Zyrus had to sacrifice his past persona, including the voice which garnered fans from all over the world, in order to achieve his desired identity. Nevertheless, Zyrus is once again attempting to find his sound, now in a much more confident tenor.

Jake Zyrus’ narrative allows individuals to connect with him at a profound level of understanding

VERACITY

Jake Zyrus concealed himself inside a husk that shielded him from the outrageous flames of judgment. In the eyes of the public, he was Charice Pempengco who lived and breathed music basking in love and recognition were given by the world His voice reached millions of people, even catching the attention of veterans in the industry, from Oprah to David Foster to Celine Dion. Charice Pempengco was a living legend. However, beneath genuine gratitude and smiles, an indelible feeling of betrayal disturbed his mind. In the shadows of Charice, Jake Zyrus existed and lurked, wanting to be seen, but afraid to step into the light lest he will burn.

Authenticity revolves around truth and honesty with the self and others (Yacobi, 2012) In spite of this definition, philosophers are unable to draw a distinct line between authenticity and inauthenticity. On the one hand, Rousseau (1712 78) explained that inauthenticity is rooted in external influences Yacobi (2012) expounds on this subject as an origin of dissonance. Initially, Jake was unable to genuinely express himself due to societal pressure. In the Philippines, students who identify themselves in the LGBTQ+ spectrum, experience bullying and discrimination (Human Rights Watch, 2017). Presently, heated debates continue on topics concerning same sex marriage and the SOGIE bill. A study conducted by the Williams Institute (2020) found that homosexuals are more likely to suffer from violence than non LGBTQ+ individuals. In this perspective, where everything is seemingly at stake, Jake’s inauthenticity is understood. On the other hand, to conclude that Charice Pempengco was absolutely inauthentic is flawed and not ideal. Authenticity is often connected to existentialism. Yacobi (2012) enlightened his readers that this is a journey of attaining freedom ” architect of one’s own life ” Naturally, this will lead to the truth and a feeling of contentment in life. Heidegger (1889 1976) and Sartre (1905 1980) highlighted the significance of free will humans have the liberty to choose the life they want to live Both philosophers also echoed the indivisible concepts of authenticity and inauthenticity as there are external factors beyond one’s control. Consequently, Jake showed fragments of his authentic self through Charice by virtue of creating music. Even so, how long can a person endure suppressing the truth about themselves?

In the process of deceiving himself, Jake came face to face with what Camus (1913 60) elucidated as “one truly serious philosophical problem,” suicide. The forces that pushed him into such a dark abyss emerged from constant internal battles between voices of fear, disappointments, and expectations To escape from a place shrouded with pain, Jake had to reveal himself in his truest essence as a man who never perceived himself as a woman. In 2017, he officially came out as a trans man.

Jake’s journey is difficult, one that teaches humans that personal authenticity is bridled by countless outward influences of an individual. However, his story also conveys and reflects the common themes of authenticity an unremitting and dynamic process. It is erroneous to define Jake Zyrus as his past; he is no longer Charice Pempengco. His transitioning challenges many philosophical questions For instance, the persistence question seeks to ask, what does it take for a person to persist or survive through time? (Olson, 2009) Similar to other philosophical queries, there is no clear cut answer to this Although, Jake’s transitioning adds another layer of depth to such a profound question. He no longer associates himself with Charice, with his body modifications and sincere self acknowledgment. Regardless of his decision to lay the past to rest, his legacy and love for music remain.

O N T O G E N Y INTEGRAL OFA C H A N T E U S E

Sunken, acclivitous, jubilation These three words describe the arduous life of Jake Zyrus, formerly known by the stage name Charice Pempengco. This psychological synopsis will revolve around Jake Zyrus’ ontogeny throughout his life, granting readers a further understanding of his existence.

It has been known that Raquel Pempengco, the mother of Charice Pempengco, is a single mother and raised her. In Charice Pempengco’s book “I Am Jake” which was released in 2018, she mentioned that, “When Mommy left Lola’s home, their similarities started to manifest: the bad temper, the need to win every argument, and eventually, the tendency to hurt their kids.” And that is when she realized that her mother and grandmother, Lola Tess, are alike in anger management, and she surmised that it was perhaps passed on genetically. Granted that Charice was raised by her mother, the bond between them has always been close, but it cannot be guaranteed to be all positive. Since all children are expected to form a specific attachment to their caregivers, her mother played a significant role in her development, especially since her mother is not close to any other family members due to her anger issues. Only her mother, Raquel, was able to provide her with most types of attachment that ranged from pre attachment, which is the very moment she was born, until she reached 10+ months, wherein she is supposed to be having bonds with other caregivers. However, it is essential to know that during her infancy, her father was still around, and Charice even had a younger brother, Carl, but her father was mostly absent at home and was “abusive,” which is why Raquel left him. It can be surmised that Charice had a dysfunctional family, and if we are to consider this factor, her development of “hope,” which is a virtue developed by infancy up to 18 months old according to Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development, might somehow be affected and can reflect later on in her life.

Given this fact, it was portrayed in his MMK story that her mother allows her to see his father seldomly, mainly because her mother thinks that her father pampers and encourages her to like “boyish” things such as jumpers, car toys, and the like which her mother did not like. With this fact, we can surmise that the origin of her personal agency is associated with social construction as her father offers her explicit guidance in her earlier phase of identity acquisition or formation through various ways, which includes her father buying her a jumper On the other hand, Charice’s mother, who is also a former singer, worked at a garment factory and created gowns for her to wear in singing competitions which can be recognized as a form of manipulation to satisfy her own mother’s ideals when it comes to having a heterosexual daughter, making her daughter conform to her standards. Since Charice knew that she liked things that are tagged to be used primarily by men rather than women, she hid her identity, which was evident in her MMK life story where she wears a cap at school but removes it whenever her mother fetches her to school which can be surmised as inflicted action causality to personal causality She was not ready to show her mother her true interests because she knew that her mother was against the concept of her being a lesbian. From this adverse circumstance where she conforms to her mother’s standards, the positive side is that Charice fostered recognition of herself by expressing herself through objects; in this case, it is the cap With this, it can be further evaluated that she saw a differentiation of herself from others at a pre teen age, especially at school. As her mother works in the garment factory, her mother is also raising her brother, Carl, which makes it hard to earn and save, resulting in a tremendous financial struggle, especially since Raquel is a single mother

According to TheFamousPeople, Charice’s singing talents were discovered when she was four, but she started singing in local competitions by the age of seven, which immensely helped them to strive from the financial struggles they were facing. Her family’s financial struggles lasted a few more years; they were even homeless for a while. However, the money she gained in singing competitions finally let them move into an apartment with her room.

From the initial story of Charice, there is a salience to the causative function of actions as to what drove Charice into becoming conflicted about her sexuality. It was mentioned a while ago that Raquel Pempengco had a bad temper and if we add the fact from News5Everywhere (2013), where Raquel said to the press that, “Hindi nanligaw, ako yung tomboy…may lahi kaming tomboy sa side ng tatay ko pero hindi dumating yung time na tinalikuran ko yung pamilya ko kasi sinunod ko yung nanay ko kahit sinasaktan niya pa ako noon at pinipilit na magpakababae ako.” And with this evidence, it can be surmised that genetics of the masculine trait may have been passed on to the family, or perhaps the dysfunctional family practices wherein her parents did not get along well that affected Charice into leading her to the formed sexuality, a lesbian. These circumstances led their mother daughter relationship to turn from secure to anxious preoccupied attachment, where there was a lack of nurturing regarding Charice’s chosen sexuality that caused turbulence in their relationship. Another factor to consider is peer relations of Charice during her pre teen phase, which was evident in her MMK story that her peer was also gay, but even if this is the case, her gay friend is accepted by his father, Charice was the envy of since her mother does not recognize or encourage her chosen gender. Socioeconomic life conditions can also be blamed for her needing to conceal her true identity since her family is facing significant financial problems. She needed to sing constantly to earn and provide for her family because her mother’s earnings from the garment factory were not enough to raise her and Carl and satisfy their basic needs. Charice has always wanted to come out to her family, especially her mother, but she felt the need to hide the fact that she is a lesbian to keep her career

When it comes to matters involving morality, it can be surmised that there is a relationship between judgments and moral standards as Charice recognized herself as a lesbian at such a young age, where she formed her moral standards and kept them hidden just be deemed acceptable by the environment and society that surrounded her since it was not easy back then to be accepted as something other than heterosexual which includes the concept of LGBTQIA+ that made their gender as something “socially consequential” as it becomes a great matter of “controversy” or “issue” to those who do not recognize these people as equal to the heterosexuals even though they are counted as humans too that deserves the same respect and treatment as heterosexuals. In the Philippines, these concepts are very evident, especially before, since there the exercise of agency in cultural context can be deemed as bilateral contrast and single collectivist culture are opposed to single individualistic culture, meaning stereotypes are formed just like the Philippines being known as a “Christian country” where having a gender other than heterosexual is considered a “sin,” thus resulting to a belief for many that a boy is for a girl and vice versa. There is nothing more other than that. However, suppose we are to consider the contemporary stand of most people when it comes to the genetization of human behavior. In that case, it can be surmised that there is a rapid transformative societal change due to the influence of other cultures and the digital age; being in a gender other than heterosexual has been deemed accepted much more nowadays with a strong sense of collective efficacy than before where non heterosexuals were ostracized

As her career continued to thrive, she sacrificed her self interest and submitted to the prolonged maltreatment of her mother rather than regard it as unjust or immoral. In her MMK story, she cited, “My mom’s smile is my weakness." This resulted in her conforming to her mother’s beliefs that she is a girl and they need money, so she cannot stop anytime soon for the sake of her family’s living She faced difficulties and adversity just to be in an outcome favorable to most of her fans, the public, and of course, her mother. Bandura (2006) mentioned that perpetrators do not hold themselves accountable for the harm they cause, and this applies to Raquel Pempengco, her mother, when she made a statement for the media saying that the scenarios showcased in the 2018 episode of MMK about Charice Pempengco’s life are not precise. Despite the very controversial MMK episode, in the phase of coming out, David Foster, the person who brought Charice Pempengco into ultimate stardom, cited that “I really felt bad for her that she was struggling with an issue that shouldn’t be an issue… We’ve seen it with the likes of Caitlyn Jenner coming out,” which shows that there were actual incidents during Charice’s Hollywood journey that made her face difficulty from her very own mother.

By the teenage and young adult phases of Charice, she engaged in activities that functionally related to specific outcomes. She wanted to reveal that she was a lesbian to the public and did that through intentionality She became a guest in many interviews that tackled her sexuality, but the most significant one happened on June 2, 2013, at the segment The Buzz with Boy Abunda. Charice took her time answering Abunda’s question regarding if the rumors about her sexual orientation were accurate. Then, with a smile, she said, “Opo, tomboy po ako,” which translates as “Yes, I am a lesbian.” Freed but distraught she burst into tears during the interview the 21 year old worldwide celebrity continued, “Now I’m free. I can leave the home without being concerned about treading on anyone’s toes ” (Takeda, 2017) Besides her interview with Buzz, she was able to express herself on television through the show MMK hosted by Charo Santos, where she shared her story of pain, abuse, and exploitation that she experienced beginning with her childhood. For a long time, Charice hid her true identity because she saw it as an act of commitment to social obligations that would result in “righteous causes” as she considered moral implications She knew her career might be lost if she did not stay as the popstar girl she was known for, especially in Hollywood. Charice admits that she is not perfect and also had hard times where she got easily convinced of the futility and its effect in the face of adversity as she tried to kill herself through multiple suicide attempts. However, the counterpart of this circumstance is that over time she was able to face the difficulties and remained resilient from the negative life situations she experienced.

In her MMK story, there was a scenario where one of her assistants during her Hollywood phase approached her and told her that she was also a lesbian, but she expressed herself as a woman since she liked glamour and things like such As they get closer, Charice knows at a later date about the concept of sex change as her assistant explains its possibility to her for other people to technically “change their sex” through surgical operations and other processes Her social encounters with her assistance created a unique confluence of influence that altered the course of his life as he learned about sex change. The idea of sex change enlightened Charice, and this scenario of her life showcases the social influence inflicted by her assistant operating in the selected environment, which is Hollywood at that time that continued to promote specific competencies, values, and lifestyle because her newly gained knowledge from her assistant’s social guidance earned her hope and new perspective when it comes to genuinely becoming herself

“My soul is male,” Charice uttered these words in an interview with Oprah Winfrey last 2013 when she was 21 years old as she opened up about her considering sex change which showcases that thinking of a person causes personality, she wanted to be herself indeed, and she is making her way through achieving it (GMA News Online, 2017). Bandura (2006) cited, “Chance favors only the prepared mind ” And with this, we can apply Charice’s embracement toward opportunities for a sex change, and due to the presence of a proxy agency or socially mediated agency around her since she was already in Hollywood, she used the connections, knowledge, and resources she was able to navigate and gain to secure the outcomes she anticipates for herself which is to apply the concept of sex change to herself. This can be seen as a proactive activity as there is a proportional relationship between behaviors and opportunities of engagement as she makes her way to sex change. In this phase, she had a biopsychosocial understanding of human development, adaptation, and change as she acted upon the concept of sex change as her assistant’s guidance and intention ignited with her intentions and plans.

Charice converts her idea of gender transition through the innovative process of sex change that fosters the adaption of changes through functional adaptations, making her dream of finally becoming a “man” come to reality. In 2017, when she was 25 years old, she saw sex change as an advantageous adaptation as she saw the necessity of changeability, a shift of mindset when it comes to sex change because it was also the same year when he had his male chest reconstruction surgery and when he began testosterone treatment. “Finally, I feel complete ” these are the words he uttered after the surgery and treatment he had undergone, and he mentioned that self enhancing or the idea of sex change motivates her as it operates through its impact on the cognitive, motivational, and decisional processes. Her journey to gender transition enlists the motivation and perseverance needed to maintain the changes she achieved as she grabs the chance to cultivate her interest, enabling beliefs, and competencies by re establishing himself when he changes his stage name and undergoes a sex change. In an interview with Nelson Canlas on 24 Oras news segment last 2017, he stated that he is a transgender guy and revealed his new stage name, Jake Zyrus, although he has no intentions to alter his name at this time officially. “[Jake Zyrus] is my screen name... I’m not going to alter Relucio,” he said Zyrus said that the expectations of becoming a female pop star, such as donning skirts and shoes and playing Charice’s high pitched belting, made him feel trapped. Jake, on the other hand, expressed gratitude for his old identity. "Lagi ko sinasabi na grateful ako sa kanya isa sa mga pinaka importanteng role na ginampanan ko sa buong buhay ko," he said.

As chance favors, the inquisitive and venturesome Jake Zyrus did not live with his mother and did not have much engagement with her after he revealed that he is a lesbian in public, most especially when he undergoes gender transition. Nevertheless, the most important determinants of life occur through the most trivial circumstances, which is evident as Jake Zyrus begins his new trajectory to being transgender. Bandura (2016) cited, “Every person in certain aspects like other people, like some other people, like no other person ” This can be applied to Jake Zyrus as he implies that he feels a sense of belongingness after his gender transition, and he feels like he took a big step for the LGBTQIA+ community to being an inspiration to them as he finds excellent commonalities with them based on the journey he went through. Efficacy beliefs contribute significantly to a specific level of motivation, emotional well being, and performance, evident in Jake Zyrus’ life as he navigated his way through authentic happiness and satisfaction along with his beliefs that made him even more satisfied with the life he is currently living (Bandura, 2006). It can be surmised that not all people accepted him for who he is now, but, significantly, he knew how to follow his heart and value himself despite the adverse situations he experienced throughout his journey and is happier now, living with a sense of freedom and authenticity.

RECLAMATION

It started with an overly glorified stage. It was on this very platform that he received his first lesson on the lyrics of hate, the tone of ignorance, the rhythm of abuse, and the dynamics of pretense, all of which make up a great theatrical performance lauded with immense exultation. As Erving Goffman (1959) analogizes in his dramaturgical model of social interaction, we are endowed with masks as we trudge varied stages in our lives both masks and stages represent a distinct role we are impelled to live out as a crucial aspect of our engagement with others

Correspondingly, as Jake Zyrus performed as Charice Pempengco in front of the public eye, he was compelled to conform to social customs and erroneous standards of normalcy because he was aware and more so apprehensive of social regulation. And while better circumstances are to be expected from the backstage, a bleaker scene transpires behind the curtain. Ultimately, Jake was doomed to face grave dissimulation.

FRONT STAGE: CHILD PRODIGY , RISING CAREER , AND INTERNATIONAL STARDOM

Inspired by the singing background that runs in the family, Charice took it upon herself to fulfill her mother’s short lived dreams of becoming an acclaimed singer. And through such a close knitted mother daughter relationship, she was able to mount the obstacles of having a broken family and rise to international stardom after dominating national singing competitions. This was the exceptional narrative that people admired, the truth and piece of knowledge that Charice assimilated into her career as a star studded singer

Society, which which in this case acts as the knowledge producer, promulgates reigning ideals that play a primal role in Jake’s subjectification. Here, subjectification takes place without physical coercion but rather with disciplinary coercion that permeates through ideas that entailed docility (Foucault, 1977). This becomes clearer when the word subject is seen in its two characterizations: subject to external control and subject to one’s own conscience and self knowledge as dictated by previously extrinsic aspects (Foucault, 1980).

Thus, when examined through the lens of the Foucaultian historical perspective, gender categories become an example of knowledge disseminated by experts through theoretical and academic texts that become helms of power (Chauncey, 1994; Valocchi, 1999). Consequently, these classifications are internalized and integrated in social intelligibility and personal identity (Butler, 1993). It is in this context that Butler describes these categories, which are merely social constructions, as a basis of stratification and social control since they promote heteronormative standards and pathologize the subordinate classifications that deviate from the said normalized category Likewise, Wilchins (2004) stated that these categories transform the infinite human potentiality into fixed polar opposites like “homosexuality and heterosexuality, woman and man ”

Ironically, despite the negative discourse on social classifications and their being avenues of power and subjectification, it was through Jake’s realization of a clear cut label as a transman that he was able to go against the institutionalized knowledge and continue his pursuit of self discovery

BACK STAGE: REHEARSED DIALOGUES , STAGE COSTUMES , AND FILIAL ABUSE

Behind the facade of fame and greatness, social pressures and control come into even sharper relief. As Elias (1934) almost all stigmas are hidden in modern societies “they lurk in the background waiting to metaphorically infect us.” It is with power and social relations that members of the LGBTQ+ community either contest or embody their stigma to come to terms with it. And for Jake who was taking on the identity of Charice, negotiating with social stigma meant constant struggle.

He had to be clad in dresses and gowns during singing competitions to appease his mother. He had to accept degrading words and names used by his family to address the part of him that to them needed to be “straightened out.” His feelings were reduced to a “phase” that he would eventually grow out from He was pushed to the point that he experienced three failed suicide attempts. All these were ramifications of social interactions that create stigma without one ever realizing it (Scheff, 2014).

Still and all, this arduous process of dealing with social stigma was followed by another. But this time, Jake knew that he had enough of struggling with societal pressure And even when doing so came with criticisms and belittling from previous supporters, he indomitably embodied his self identity

And when people thought that Jake’s gender transition meant his departure from the limelight, they failed to realize that it indicates his journey of finding his place again on the stage. As he fully lives out his identity that has been repressed throughout the years, he unlearns the lyrics of hate, the tone of ignorance, the rhythm of abuse, and the dynamics of pretense. After all, this is not a story about his ruination This is about him reclaiming his voice, dreams, and life. This is about his reclamation.

THROUGH

THE LOOKINGGLASS

Growing up, Jake Zyrus faced challenges in making himself genuine and free. The concept of self is the set or collection of ideas, images, beliefs, or schemas a person has about the self. It is multidimensional and multifaceted (Markus & Wurf, 1987). The determining factors of the self were altered according to what was seen right by society; his roles (Burr, 2020), social identity (Turner & Onorato, 1999), social comparison (Festinger, 1954), and other people's perceptions of who he is and the culture that surrounds him (Cooley, 1902; Matsumo & Juan, 2004)

Jake evaluated himself based on how others saw him, especially how his mother saw him The term "Looking Glass Self," by Charles H Cooley, depicts precisely this. Jake endured all the pain he felt to make his mother proud. However, given how judgemental and closed minded our Philippine culture is towards the LGBTQ+ community, we cannot deny that culture, too, defines one's self. Our sense of self, also known as our self construal, is influenced by our cultural surroundings (Matsumoto & Juang, 2004)

Many western civilizations believe people are separate. However, in non western societies like the Philippines, we believe we are one with our people. We believe in human connection, rejecting the idea of something "different." The interdependent self sees the self in connection to others as the focus of the experience Kapwa, the essential concept of Filipino interpersonal relations, stresses the self as fundamentally tied to others. Kapwa is the harmony between oneself and others. We, as Filipinos, have our concept of self embedded in a group. As a result, we are eager and driven by the approval of others. We seek validation from the people around us because when we make a mistake or something regarded as nakakahiya, the people closest to us are affected too. Likewise, Jake's experience of constantly fighting for acceptance from his mother put their relationship in distress. Jake's mother is embarrassed by his identity, which saddens him. It is unfortunate to think, but it is prevalent that, as Filipinos, it is ingrained in our minds that being a bakla or tomboy is a bad thing, but really, it is not.

Nevertheless, despite being rejected by his mom, Jake still believes that one day his mother will accept him because he is still her child. In collectivist cultures like the Philippines, the family is the center of society (Triandis, 1994) Strong emotional relationships and shared goals bind the family, and at that time, the only thing keeping Jake and his mother together was his career. We have witnessed how powerful social pressure can be, even without explicit demands Jake complies with his family's expectations even when they hurt him, and the need to deviate from his genuine self is on the line. He became selfless All Jake did was give and give but got nothing in return He is patient and understanding, yet his mother thinks of him as immoral and evil.

Obedience is the modification of behavior in response to the demands of authority. In addition to being submissive, reciprocating is regarded as the optimal method to interact with others and is one of the cultural assumptions Filipinos make about social behavior, and this is called "Utang na Loob." Another is, Filial Piety is a traditional concept that dictates how children should treat their parents and elders. For the remainder of their lives, children are supposed to treat their parents with utmost reverence, be submissive, and seek their advice and direction However, because of this, abuse of power is often an opportunity for controlling parents. Jake was not permitted any freedom He fulfilled all of his mother's requests. Worse still, his mother continues to threaten and despise him despite being an obedient child His mother would lock him in the house and forbid him from leaving without her presence. He lived like a prisoner.

The only reason the mother stayed was that she was gaining something from Jake, money. Jake's role in the family was to support and provide for family. He was a tagasalo. As a tagasalo, he is responsible for the happiness and emotions of others Tagasalo is a responsible, compassionate, dependable family member (Udarbe, 2001). He is the family's mediator and enforcer to preserve unity The sad truth is that even when Jake was working and providing for the family's needs, he was abused physically, mentally, and emotionally by the people he was providing for.

The anthropological perspective focuses on human nature and nurture. It aims to explore the factors that lead to the construction of the self such as gender, age, religion, and so on. Family membership, in particular, is the most important factor that determines one’s social identity For such a long time, people knew Charice as a genuine star, a strong and young girl who was able to reach great heights and step on foreign lands with hard work and perseverance. The truth is that her talent in singing was, in part, due to her mother’s strictness, who fabricated Jake’s social identity as Charice. Little did people know that behind all the curtains, cameras and media, she was not a she

People may have a definite sex at birth, but identity is not inborn and will only develop along the way. “A name is an important device to individualize a person and to have There are times when blood prevent the development of a cons spite of Jake's fame and fortune, it p his foremost critique was his mothe decision to change his name to Jake big leap forward in his gender jo helped him be accepted by societ really was.

Identity was understood as a disposition of basic personality features acquired mostly during childhood and, once integrated, more or less fixed (Sökefeld, 1999) Multiple identities were contradictory and inconsistency of persona was considered a disturbance. The olden times have made it customary that a person’s identity during childhood is fixed once integrated. In other words, a male will become a male while a female will become a female and nothing more. Many people, other than Jake’s mother, ridiculed him for coming out because they have been used to fixed identities from birth and something such as transitioning is deemed immoral and wrong because “that is not the path you were born in,” as they would say. His mother even told him that having a relationship with the same sex will destroy his career Nevertheless, Jake stood strong and did not let people’s opinions affect him. He was even happier with his decision of coming out to the world since he kept his feelings to himself for so long and it is only now that he had shown his true identity

Jake lived in the shadow of her mom, following her every command as a form of “utang na loob'' for raising him into a star. His mother used their relationship as a getaway card to inflict violence and treat him badly “Kailan ka ba magtatanda?” is what she would say during the times when she caught Jake doing something boyish. It was a sign that she viewed her child’s identity crisis as an immature decision she would eventually grow out of. This constant exposure to a plurality of conflicting perspectives had stressed Jake to the point where he wanted to end his life It shows how big of an impact human nurture has to one’s human nature. The life of Jake Zyrus before and after the transition can be viewed from a sociocentric to egocentric standpoint wherein he started as someone dependent on, or even controlled by his mother but eventually took hold of the reins to attain an independent life of happiness with no more motherly boundaries. Jake Zyrus is a good e staying

EDIFICATION

While Filipino culture is ripe with both Western and Eastern influences, there remains the largely Eastern culture of collectivism in the country that is in marked contrast to the individualism of the West. Family and community are important, and one of the core Filipino values is pakikipagkapwa which devolves from self reliant individualism and instead focuses on a shared self beyond the individual (Enriquez, 1977). In such a family centered society, the loss of social harmony can be a particularly challenging and painful occurrence, as in the case of Jake Zyrus’s estrangement from his mother.

As a Filipino, Jake Zyrus had grown up in a predominantly Catholic and patriarchal country. He was raised in the Iglesia ni Cristo faith before later being baptized as a Roman Catholic, similar to his mother (Lo, 2018) Influenced by her conservative religious beliefs, her mother disapproved of Jake’s decisions and went as far as posting hate online and telling his then first girlfriend to not involve her child in her evil ways Despite the trauma he experienced, he has mentioned that he does not forget that they are still family (Serato, 2018)

In the concept of kapwa, one experiences a sense of belongingness as part of a community, and its loss can lead to a sense of isolation. Queer Filipinos often have to struggle to feel and be accepted by their Catholic family and community whose conservative religious beliefs are tied to their concept of “Filipinoness” (Mamuyac, 2020). Jake has shared that he feels much more at home in the United States, owing to feeling more accepted than simply tolerated (Ang, 2022). Despite this estrangement from his family and criticism from society, Jake has found solace in his fans and loved ones who see him and accept him as who he is Jake Zyrus (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2018).

ACT

“God blessed me by making me transsexual for the same reason God made wheat but not bread and fruit but not wine so that humanity might share in the act of creation” (Lavery, 2020). Humans are born with a predetermined set of genes governing the likelihood of one’s physicality. From this angle, one can say that biology dictates the physical attractiveness of individuals. Weeden and Sabini (2005) stated that physical attractiveness may point us toward life companions that fit the following criteria: healthy, age appropriate, and ability to reproduce. Emphasizing their last point the ability to reproduce how does this criterion affect homosexuals? One can certainly argue that there is more than meets the eye.

The physical self touches on the aspects of the body, described as the medium for environmental and human interactions; it is the concrete and tactile part easily examined and observed (Singh, n d ) However, many experts like Carl Jung and Carl Rogers focused on the psyche, barely expounding on the topic of the physical self. Nonetheless, many well versed psychologists recognized the importance of the body. James (as cited in Singh, n.d.) expressed that the body is “an element of spiritual hygiene of supreme significance” (p. 103). In this notion, similar approaches have been identified Wilhelm Reich (189 1957) claimed that there is a correlation between the body and mind, in which physical processes are a constituent of psychological processes, and vice versa. Both Buddhist and Indian traditions revere the body in connection with power, spiritual growth, and self realization. These sagacious ideas denote the physical self as a principal aspect of humans, inseparable from other aspects of the self From this standpoint, social forces also play a role; there is a continuous interaction between social forces, psychological processes, and the physical self (Erikson, as cited in Singh, n.d.).

Body image is defined as the amalgamation of feelings and thoughts about one’s body, whether positive and/or negative (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, n d ) In addition, this encompasses other factors such as culture, social media, communities, psychological features, and so on. In contrast to unattractive people, an attractive person is presumed to live a more fulfilling life (Griffin and Langlois, 2006) This discussion sheds light on conventional standards of beauty. When Jake Zyrus transitioned, he faced backlash and received innumerable insults and rejection. Some comments went as far as deadnaming him. Society is much harsher toward trans people In an article by Dayal (2022), Esterle narrated his experience as a trans man attempting to conform to the eurocentric ideals of beauty for the sake of acceptance amid meager representation in the media. Conformity is crucial, so as not to suffer from harassment

his body In interviews, he to deal with when he was o submit to feminine beauty e occasions When he was Hence, he found it liberating to forego the clothes that sical self reflect one’s inner attain a positive body image, y in 2017, he confessed the This optimistic view of his through the confidence he up shots, displaying a warm my ugly body.” These words s path (in terms of society’s e process) met with tons of cing his true self especially

That everything is political is an important concept as politics concerns the interests of people, permeating all aspects of their lives. The concept of an "other" and "otherness" in politics is associated with the marginalization of groups on the basis of differences in identities as a group, whether centered around race, age, religion, and other dimensions (Powell & Menendian, n d ), and is perpetuated by social institutions (Zevallos, 2011). This extends to the idea of identity largely based on sexual orientation and gender identity, where the definition of man, woman, male, and female are constructed by society, and heterosexuality is considered the norm while those who do not conform are considered "others" (Rothmann & Simmonds, 2015). Such is the case in largely conservative countries like the Philippines, where the LGBTQIA+ community continues to struggle and fight for the recognition of their rights.

When Jake Zyrus posted a shirtless photo following his top surgery the removal of breasts and contouring of the chest as a gender affirming surgery stating that he finally felt confident enough to do so after years of being conscious about what other people would think and say. While some comments were appreciative and supportive of his choice as a transgender man, negative transphobic comments were still abound (Padilla, 2022), showing how many Filipinos still discriminate against those they consider "others" who are, in this case, transgender people, with Jake expressing feeling more comfortable in the United States and other countries where he feels accepted and not simply tolerated (Ang, 2022), as in the case of being able to go to the men’s bathroom without being stared at (Coconuts Manila, 2018).

The LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines face many legal challenges, and one prominent movement is the fight for the passing of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill, which seeks to penalize people who engage in gender based discrimination (Moya, 2022), protecting not just the LGBTQIA+ community but everyone regardless of sex and gender, for which it has also been termed the Anti Discrimination Bill (ADB).

Jake himself, however, has expressed opposition against the bill when asked his opinion as to whether transgender people should be allowed to use which restrooms align with their gender identity. Specifically, he said that he does not feel the need to use male restrooms despite being a transgender man and simply follows and respects the law because “biologically, [he is] a woman” (ABS CBN News, 2019)

This statement garnered mixed opinions, with some people similarly part of the LGBTQIA+ community expressing their disappointment in Jake and a similar statement from Ricky Reyes, an openly gay man, who said that transgender people should use restrooms that align with their biological sex (Coconuts Manila, 2019). Others pointed out the place of privilege in terms of social class and status from which they are coming from as rich celebrities, something that not all people especially regular non celebrities are afforded, as in the case of Gretchen Diez, a transgender woman who was arrested for asserting her right to use the women’s restroom (Talabong, 2019). Politics, identity, and otherness are concepts that encompass a variety of dimensions, and despite Jake’s shared identity and struggles with similar people in being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, differences in other aspects prevent complete understanding of each other and consequent othering.

Even today, the sexual self and gender are frequently interchanged, causing confusion and misunderstandings among individuals. It causes distress to individuals, mentally and emotionally Due to this dilemma, some enter a "questioning phase" concerning their identity. Individuals frequently experience an identity crisis because they can have feelings that deviate from the norm. It is prevalent in our community, and Jake Zyrus has his own story to share.

Having been brought into the limelight at an early age, Jake had taken on the identity of Charice Pempengco: a young female singer widely known for a soaring soprano voice that gave way to worldwide acclaim whom Oprah referred to as “the most talented girl in the world” (Yeong, 2010). As early as five years old, however, Jake already knew that something was not right he identified as a boy contrary to his biological

sex, albeit without the arbitrary labels society imposed: he simply knew that he was born in the wrong body as Charice. Conforming to feminine gender roles and having to hide his true identity led to gender dysphoria and extreme mental struggles from not being able to fully express himself, as he wrote in his autobiography: “I'm not a girl I'm a man, and pretending to be a woman every single day of my life in the public eye was slowly killing me” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2018).

When a person's assigned birth gender differs from the gender they identify with, suffering from gender dysphoria (HRC Foundation, n.d.), the discrepancy between their biological sex and their gender identity may cause a sense of unease or dissatisfaction that can be so extreme that it contributes to depression and anxiety and has detrimental effects on daily living (National Health Service, 2020) It urges individuals to free themselves and come out to society, but coming out to live openly isn't a one time, big time thing we constantly have to stand up for ourselves, and there will be many people that will question or even judge you for doing so While fame is something a lot of people covet, to Jake, it felt like a liability as the expectations of others weighed heavily on him. When deviating from what is considered the norm is almost certain to elicit social ostracism at best and flat out discrimination at worst, it comes as no surprise that being seen as a disappointment plagued his mind, enough to see coming out as the “end” and for him to consider taking his own life multiple times (Ang, 2022).

In the Philippines, the fight for the acceptance and recognition of the rights of LGBTQIA+ people is an ongoing process. Transgender is a catch all phrase for individuals whose gender identity and expression deviate from conventional norms based on their assigned sex at birth, but it does not imply any particular sexual orientation or one’s innate emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to other individuals (HRC Foundation, n.d.). The Filipino context, however, mainly focuses only on two main identities with no distinction between gender and sexual identities bakla or gay men as well as tomboy or lesbian women, both of which encompass and are synonymous with transgender women and transgender men, respectively (Ceperiano et al., 2016). For this reason, Jake came out as a lesbian in 2013, later admitting that he only did so because he felt that it is much simpler and what people would understand, which felt like a betrayal to himself (Siazon, 2021). This admission was amidst rumors regarding this sexual orientation brought about by his more masculine presentation in cutting his hair, getting tattoos, and wearing more masculine clothes as well as his then rumored girlfriend (Ching & Serato, 2013) He would later admit his discomfort in being made to present as a girl, recounting his experience of feeling free in his gender expression when he was allowed to wear pants and sneakers instead of a dress onstage by his mentor, David Foster (Siazon, 2021)

The thing about him was that he wanted it all In fact, it was with this insatiable hunger that he fervently joined contest after contest. As children his age made their way to different playing spots of their liking, he was tirelessly trained to sing by his mother. It would’ve been an odd sight to see an impassioned seven year old desperately practicing with hopes of bagging monetary prizes from singing competitions. But another thing about Jake Zyrus was that he didn’t mind. He was building his own wondrous path towards excellence and validation.

It was with the ardent thrust of his mother that a lifelong motivation sparked within him. “My mom’s smile is my weakness,” Jake mentions in his MMK story All he wanted was to see his mother proud let alone happy because of him. And, indeed, more than his passion in singing and dreams of making it big in the industry, bringing satisfaction to his family became his primary goal. It is in this sense that the theme of materialism can be seen throughout his portrayal of Charice Pempenco.

Materialism is generally considered to be a crucial life value (Kasser and Ryan 1993; Mick 1996; Richins and Dawson 1992) a centrally held and persistent conviction that leads behaviors and judgments beyond immediate goals to more ultimate end states of existence," according to Rokeach (1968).

But unbeknown to many, in the place of the relentless breadwinner that Jake is, once stood a miserable child; subdued by abuse and abhorrence from his family At a young, he experienced being physically punished every time he made a mistake in his singing trainings with his mother To him, winning singing competitions wasn’t only indicative of his singing prowess but also of his worth. Accordingly, he became the grand winner of the national singing competition, “Little Big Star” at the age of 12. This springboarded his career into the international vocal scene He starred in countless variety shows across the world, dominated headlines, and even worked with the biggest names in the industry Even so, at the peak of his career, he was at the lowest point in his life.

Belk (1984, 1985) characterized materialism with a negative correlation with both happiness and overall life satisfaction. However, on closer examination, the link between materialism and well being seem to somewhat conditional. For instance, Mick (1996) demonstrated that social desirability and self esteem are key drivers of material values. And for Jake who yearned for the approval of people, most especially his family, providing financial support appeared to be the best means possible. To him, acting as the provider of the family was the way to compensate for his sexuality which was very much frowned about by his social circles.

Meanwhile, when the process of appeasing his family through financial means seemed endless, he withdrew from his fixation on his career and instead wanted to pursue self determination. Just as Kasser and Ryan (1993) suggest, materialism is more fulfilling in terms of extrinsic goals rather than intrinsic goals that focus on an individual’s well being. Moreover, they found out that lower levels of self actualization are expected from people who have an increased yearning for financial success.

According to Burroughs and Rindfleisch (2002), motives underlying materialism more often than not contradict with motives underlying more self transcendent values. And in the case of Jake, while materialism was initially a way to attune his sexuality with the demands of his family, it eventually became a theme that is in constant conflict with his self characterization In accordance with the values conflict theory, he had to realign his value priorities so as to ease his discomfort The process of realignment entailed putting premium more on his identity and authenticity rather than the fulfillment of expectations that weigh on his shoulders

The thing about Jake was that he wanted it all but only because economic stature appeared to be his last ray of hope in being accepted by his family for who he truly is. And perhaps it wasn’t the fixation on fame or success that made him unappeasable. Instead, it was the hunger for love, validation, and acceptance that made him insatiable

“A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden beliefs and practices which unite in one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.” (Durkheim, 1995) Religions were formed on the premise that there is a higher sacred being such as God or Allah who is/are worthy of worship and praise. Thus, people were brought together to create a unified community which adhered to a certain set of beliefs and practices In terms of Catholic faith, this community is referred to as the Church and it is defined as the body of Christ consisting of all His faithful believers

Jake Zyrus is a Christian but his religious journey was not that straightforward Despite Jake’s mom being a Christian, he and his brother were raised as members of Iglesia ni Cristo to follow the religion of their father who had left them behind. Racquel always wanted to have her children baptized under the Catholic rite but according to her, they were a broken family that experienced financial problems in the past before Jake rose to fame. Upon reaching 18 years of age however, the siblings were baptized and confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church. Upon joining the Catholic Church, Jake was filled with glee. He grew under the care of his Catholic mother and being a Christian was something he yearned for since he was young. Although, he also says in an interview that the religion you belong to does not matter as long as you believe in God. To celebrate his baptism, confirmation, and birthday (since he just turned 18 at the time) all in one, he opted to conduct a soup kitchen and gift giving for 500 children instead of throwing a grand afterparty for all his famous guests. It shows how pure of heart Jake is when his personal happiness comes from the happiness of other people.

A theistic theory indicates that there are stages to the development of the spiritual self (Richards & Bergin, 1997) First is Pre Awareness, followed by Awakening, then Recognition, and lastly, Integration. New members of the Church poorly recognize spirituality and thus, require more spiritual experiences. They are ‘pre-aware,’ yet to understand what is this faith they believe in. They gradually gain an understanding of their spiritual identity in the stage of Awakening. They also learn of the benefits of relying on spiritual sources for strength Moving on to Recognition, members are already able to apply spiritual awareness to various situations and relationships, meaning their values are now becoming actions. Finally, Integration is when members are willing to submit to the Lord, taking the next step in intensifying the spiritual relationship with Him and transcend the self in the process.

g LGBTQIA+, religion becomes something they fear and worry about once they reach the point in their lives when they realize that they identify as a different gender. Each religion has a set of rules and principles to follow as a result of their belief, and the idea of being homosexual contradicts the rules stated in most beliefs. Racquel’s denial and negative attitude towards Jake’s decision was said to be deeply influenced by her faith Old Catholics view homosexuality as immoral but today, the LGBT community is much more accepted by society.

According to Dr. Kelly Baker, “belief doesn’t quite explain what religious people do or even why they do what they do. It cannot encapsulate the messy richness of religious practice.” Simply put, religious practice precedes belief You cannot speak the word of God and physically hurt your child at the same time. You cannot continuously call someone immoral while committing despicable deeds The irony speaks for itself when it comes to Jake’s mother and her constant child abuse. When you believe, you must also ‘do’ because that is essentially the application of the spiritual self into one’s daily life. Even though coming out as lesbian/trans was an ‘immoral’ thing to do, Jake did not do any harm unto others. In fact, he even used his fame and money to help his mother slash number 1 hater. Jake Zyrus is more spiritual than he is religious because even though he was focused on his work and engagements and had little time for religion (at least, based on what the Internet says), he relied more on his individual sense of peace and purpose and he never lost track amidst all the fame and commotion

The term “ apps that facilit sonal informatio also encourages the development of novel modes of individual expression, which can be further evaluated through their netiquettes, online habits, and individualistic actions.

There are circumstances where people may alter their behavior while using social media since there is no need for them to be physically present during a conversation This phenomenon is referred to as “disembodiment” when it occurs in the virtual world. In other words, this makes individuals warier in revealing their true “selves” to others, particularly total strangers, which is a concept that Jake Zyrus, formerly Charice Pempengco, had to do during her journey to ultimate stardom. Jake Zyrus was primarily known for her pop star style as a woman under the stage name Charice Pempengco and has always been showcased as a “bright and shiny” persona throughout her chanteuse journey. Little did everyone know that behind the sweet smiles and laughter of the Hollywood royalty is a negative relationship between her and her mother, that constantly manipulated her by forcing her to wear miniskirts, high heels, and clothing that made her look “more feminine” to please her fans, the public, and those people in showbiz and Hollywood (Starmometer, 2007).

During her earlier years of Charice in showbiz, she always followed everything her mother told her to do to retain her feminine image and conform to society’s standards of being the pop star everyone dreams of being The ideals she had to follow can be seen as a form of disembodiment as she morphs herself into something she is not for the sake of maintaining her career Her impeccable journey began when she placed third in the 2005 Philippine edition of the talent program Little Big Star. After two years, a fan named Dave Duenas posted a video of her performance to the popular YouTube channel FalseVoice, which quickly went viral and earned her a household name across the globe. In June of 2007, she received a call from a Swedish record label called Ten Songs Productions, which offered to record a demo for her. Seven songs, including her composition titled "Amazing," were recorded by her with the label. She made her debut on the South Korean version of the talent program "Star King" on October 13, 2007, representing her country as a guest performer. She sang a song from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, and the video of her performance went viral. Charice performed on Ellen DeGeneres's talk show after the latter saw one of her videos on YouTube and was suitably impressed. Charice made her first trip to the United States on December 19, 2007, accompanying her mother to the United States for the first time On December 28, 2007, she returned to 'Star King' as the show's 'Most Requested Foreign Act.' She will be on an upcoming edition of "The Paul O'Grady Show," therefore she will be traveling to London, England, in April of the following year (Who Is Charice Pempengco? Everything You Need to Know, n.d.).

In May of 2008, her first EP, titled "Charice," was published by Star Records This EP, which has six cover songs and six instrumental tracks, was certified Platinum in the Philippines. In the episode 'World's Smartest Kids' from May 2008, Oprah Winfrey asked her to appear on the show. The crowd was so taken with Charice's "I Have Nothing" performance by Whitney Houston that Oprah selected Grammy winning record producer and star-maker, David Foster, as Charice's mentor. The concert "Hitman: David Foster and Friends" took place on May 23 in Las Vegas and included performances by Foster and Charice Pempengco. Singer Andrea Bocelli, who was there that night, encouraged her to sing a duet with him on his birthday event, "The Cinema Tribute," in Italy on July 20 On September 9, 2008, she had her second appearance on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' this time in the episode titled "Dreams Come True," when she sang "My Heart Will Go On" by her musical hero Celine Dion. Afterward, Oprah surprised her with a satellite call from Celine Dion, who asked if she would want to sing a duet with her on the 'Taking Chances Tour.' On May 11, 2010, she debuted 'Charice,' her first worldwide studio album, on The Oprah Winfrey Show. When the record did well, she was offered the part of Sunshine Corazon in the second season of the TV show Glee, which is a musical drama. Her second worldwide studio album, titled "Infinity," premiered in Japan on October 5, 2011, but was not released in the United States until November 2, 2011, owing to discrepancies in the local recording industry She was a judge on the Philippine 'X Factor' in 2012 (Who Is Charice Pempengco? Everything You Need to Know, n d )

Charice Pempengco never revealed that she was a lesbian until 2013 when she was 21 Throughout her younger years in television, not just on social media, she had to maintain the “perfect child star” image that used to be her role identity. She completely shifted her sound after she became a lesbian in 2013, resulting in the release of her rock album Catharsis in October 2016. In the succeeding years of his career, he continued releasing songs and albums such as Jake Zyrus Although social media became harsh to him as he had a hard time gaining acceptance from the public or his fans from the past, he knew that coming out as a lesbian and having a gender transition surgery and treatment made him the best version of himself as a way to express who he is freely, not just online, but also in real life

Intrinsically, it can be surmised from Jake Zyrus’s showbiz slash Hollywood journey that once a person becomes a part of the artist life that is widely known, it will be hard to differentiate the digital self from the authentic self since to maintain a particular career state, one must conform to a specific standard that many deems to be acceptable. Jake faced many adverse circumstances in his lifetime, but he could

Change is o

e ease with which the s g g y , , t change is often ugly and uncomfortable, exposing one to a sense of vulnerability. Humans are similarly complex beings who constantly grow and change Jake Zyrus is undoubtedly no longer the same person he was once as Charice Pempengco, but his change was by no means graceful or sophisticated. Likening himself to a diamond in the rough, Jake has expressed the hardships and pressure he has gone through in order to be where and who he is today

He has constantly explored and redefined his identity, a feat that is by no means easy in a society that remains highly traditional and conservative His experiences have shaped the way he expresses himself, feeling the need to conform in order to be accepted and going through many challenges and painful experiences before being able to be true to himself Even as he faced and continues to face ridicule, something that not only he but many others in the LGBTQIA+ community continue to face, he has shown great strength and courage in being his authentic self and living out his truth as who he really is, serving as an inspiration to others who have to undergo the pain of hiding their true identity to fit in.

Bhea Miranda Hannah Otieco John Rick Perez

Francesca Quiambao Nathaniel Revilla

METAMORPHOSIS

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Lo, R (2018, November 30) Oprah invited to Jake’s wedding PhilStar https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2018/11/30/1872809/oprah invited jakes wedding Mamuyac, J (2020) Race, ethnicity, or kapwa: (Re)conceptualizing Filipinoness in a settler society [Master’s project/capstone]. The University of San Francisco.

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METAMORPHOSIS

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Coconuts Manila (2019, September 11) Celebrity hairdresser Ricky Reyes’ anti LGBTQ remarks get mixed reactions. Yahoo! News. https://ph.news.yahoo.com/celebrity hairdresser ricky reyes anti 040337386.html

Moya, J. (2022, June 24). SOGIE Equality Bill: Everything you need to know supporters, origins, and more. Tatler. https://www.tatlerasia.com/culture/arts/pride month 2021 sogie equality bill timeline

Padilla, C. R. (2022, February 22). [Opinion] Jake Zyrus, Vice Ganda, SOGIE bills, and the 2022 elections. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought leaders/opinion jake zyrus vice ganda sogie bills 2022 elections/ Powell, J. A. & Menendian, S. (n.d.). The problem of othering: Towards inclusiveness and belonging. Othering & Belonging. http://www.otheringandbelonging.org/the problem of othering/ Rothmann, J. & Simmonds, S. (2015). ‘Othering’ non normative sexualities through objectification of ‘the homosexual’: Discursive discrimination by pre service teachers Agenda, 29(1),116 126 https://doi.org/10.1080/10130950.2015.1010288

Talabong, R (2019, August 13) Trans woman Gretchen Diez: I didn’t think I’d be treated like a criminal. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/237701 trans woman gretchen diez did not think would be treated like criminal/ Zevallos, Z. (2011, October 14). What is otherness? Other Sociologist. https://othersociologist.com/otherness resources/#sexuality

METAMORPHOSIS

Ang, R. (2022, June 29). ‘Whether it’s Charice or Jake Zyrus, I’m a singer’. GQ. https://www gq com/story/jake zyrus profile

Ceperiano, A. M., Santos, E. C., Alonzo, D. C. P., & Ofreneo, M. A. P. (2016). “Girl, bi, bakla, tomboy”: The intersectionality of sexuality, gender, and class in urban poor contexts Philippine Journal of Psychology, 49(2), 5 34.

Ching, M A & Serato, A C (2013, June 02) Charice ends all speculation about her sexuality: "Opo, tomboy po ako." PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/38921/charice-ends-all-speculationabout her sexuality opo tomboy po ako

HRC Foundation. (n.d.) Sexual orientation and gender identity definitions. https://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual orientation and gender identity terminology and definitions

National Health Service (2020, May 28) Gender dysphoria https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender dysphoria/ Philippine Daily Inquirer (2018, September 23) The book of Jake Lifestyle INQ https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/307125/the book of jake/

Quieta, R (2021, May 21) Jake Zyrus reacts to fans who say they miss the old Charice GMA Entertainment. https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/celebritylife/news/77081/jake zyrus reacts to fans who say they miss the old charice/story

Siazon, R. (2021, July 05). Jake Zyrus says hiding his sexual orientation led to dark moments in his life. PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/local/159276/jake zyrus sexual orientation a716 20210705 lfrm

Social problems. (2016). Understanding sex and gender. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing https://open lib umn edu/socialproblems/chapter/4 1 understanding sex and gender/

Yeong, K Y (2010, October 30) The most talented girl in the world The UrbanWire https://theurbanwire.com/charicesingaporesunfest2010/ Kasser, Tim and Richard M. Ryan (1993), “A Dark Side of the American Dream: Correlates of Financial Success as a Central Life Aspiration,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65 (August), 410 422.

Belk, Russell W. (1984), “Three Scales to Measure Constructs Related to Materialism: Reliability, Validity, and Relationships to Measures of Happiness,” in Advances in Consumer Research, Vol 11, ed. Thomas Kinnear, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, 291 297.

Belk, Russell W and Richard W Pollay (1986), “Images of Ourselves: The Good Life in Twentieth Century Advertising,” Journal of Consumer Research, 11 (March), 887 897

Burroughs, James E and Aric Rindfleisch (1997), “Materialism as a Coping Mechanism: An Inquiry into Family Disruption,” in Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 24, ed. Debbie MacInnis and Merrie Brucks, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, 89 97.

METAMORPHOSIS

Burroughs, J. E., & Rindfleisch, A. (2002). Materialism and Well Being: A Conflicting Values Perspective. Journal of Consumer Research, 29(3), 348 370. doi:10.1086/344429

Kasser, Tim and Richard M. Ryan (1993), “A Dark Side of the American Dream: Correlates of Financial Success as a Central Life Aspiration,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65 (August), 410 422

Mick, David Glen (1996), “Are Studies of Dark Side Variables Confounded by Socially Desirable Responding? The Case of Materialism,” Journal of Consumer Research, 23 (September), 106 119

Starmometer. (2007, November 19). Charice Pempengco crowned one of Hollywood royalties by E! https://starmometer com/2007/11/19/charice pempengco crowned one of hollywood royalties by e/

Who is Charice Pempengco? Everything you need to know (n d ) https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/charice-pempengco-32855.php

Elwell, F. (n.d.). Durkheim on Religion. Principles of Structure and Change. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/users/f/felwell/www/Theorists/Essays/Durkheim2.htm Henrich, J. (2009, March 6). The evolution of costly displays, cooperation and religion: credibility enhancing displays and their implications for cultural evolution. Evolution and Human Behavior. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://henrich.fas.harvard.edu/files/henrich/files/henrich 2009.pdf

Smith, T , & Poll, J (2003) The Spiritual Self: Toward a Conceptualization of Spiritual Identity Development . BYU Scholars Archive. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3048&context=facpub

Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2010, February 14). Religiosity as identity: Toward an understanding of religion from a social identity perspective. Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20089847/

Alejo, A (2018, May) Loob as Relational Interiority: A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Research Gate. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Albert

Alejo/publication/325494605 Loob as Relational Interiority A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Human Person/links/61892e1ad7d1af224bc69d40/Loob as Relational Interiority A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Human Person pdf?origin=publication detail

Ang, R. (2022, June 29). 'Whether it's Charice or Jake Zyrus, I'm a Singer'. GQ. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www gq com/story/jake zyrus profile

Mizoguchi, K. (2017, June 22). Everything you need to know about singer Jake Zyrus, formerly Charice Pempengco. Peoplemag. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://people.com/music/jake zyrus name change/

Sökefeld, M. (1999, January 1). [PDF] debating self, identity, and culture in anthropology: Semantic scholar. Semantic Scholar. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://pdfs semanticscholar org/8dc1/490caf6c1a8108976706a935d72566d61560 pdf