"Bakit Tinanggap Mo Ako?" Mom of Trans Queen Mela Habijan Delivers A Powerful Message of Acceptance

(SPOT.ph) In tears, Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan asked her mother why she accepted the boy who transitioned to live her gender identity as a trans woman. Despite initially questioning God, Irene Habijan shared how she found it in her heart to love her child.

At the Google Pride Conversations held on June 20, the beauty queen who hosted the event invited her ally, mom Irene, whom she said inspired her to achieve her dreams. Now, Irene witnesses how Mela works, holding a mic she dreamt of doing ever since she was a kid thanks to a mother who never wavered in her support despite what other people said about her trans kid.

"It's not easy for a parent to accept a child like me. Bakit tinanggap mo ako nang buong puso?" Mela asked.

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Mela Habijan's mom Irene shares how she accepted her daughter's transition 

When asked why she accepted Mela, Irene answered: "Kailangan kita tanggapin kasi sino pa ba ang unang tatanggap kundi ang magulang?"

During one interview, Irene said she was asked if she has accepted Mela's gender identity and expression.

"Ang sagot ko sa kanya, 101% I accepted my little boy who became a girl. Ang pangalan n'ya kasi boy kaya lang, nung pinagpe-pray over i'I' always use the pronoun 'he'. Sabi n'ya, 'Ma, I am not he, but I am she.'"

"Doon lang ako sobrang nagkakamali kasi minsan naaalala ko na ang guwapo mo, anak, tapos tuwing nakikita ko ang kanyang pictures nung siya ay boy, parang sinasabi ko sa Lord na bakit siya nabago but I don't have the right to question the Lord. Sabi ko lang, I am the luckiest mommy kasi nagkaroon ako ng anak na tulad ni Mela."

Irene first noticed the changes in her child when Mela started wearing heels and refused to cut her hair. While Mela's parents were in Hawaii, Irene was shocked to see her child wearing a gown while emceeing in Marikina.

"Na-shock na ako. Sabi ko 'Diyos ko, Lord, nag-iba na damit ng anak ko.' Sabi ng ama n'ya sa akin, tanggapin mo na. Huminga ako nang malalim, nagdasal ako, sabi ko 'Lord, your will be done'."

There were others who said that heaven has no room for the likes of Mela, to which she answered: "'Nakarating ka na ba sa hell? Pag sinasabi n'yo sa akin na Mela will go to hell, have you gone to hell? Nakita n'yo na po ba ang hell?' Di ako sinagot."

"As a human being, naniniwala ako God has given me the guarantee and assurance that lahat tayo, kayong lahat, makakarating sa langit. Dahil nakita ko na ang katulad ng anak ko, lahat kayo mahuhusay na anak ng Diyos. Meron kayong talent na kakaiba na wala sa normal na tao. Mahirap ang pinagdadaanan ninyo dahil di n'yo naiintindihan ang sarili ninyo pero once na tumingin kayo sa salamin, makikita ninyo ang ganda ng buhay ninyo," she said.

"Kaya anak, tanggap na tanggap kita."

Mela, in return, told Irene, "Siguro Ma, you have already given me the heavens. Nasa langit na ako kasi mahal n'yo ako and the way that you love me is I believe the way our God loves me. You already let me experience what heaven is like so even if they say I will go to hell, sorry, this is my heaven."

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