When social media excitedly shared information about her gender reassignment journey, Chau Thanh Thanh Ha (birth name Chau Nguyen Tung Son, born 2003, from Nghe An) could not hide her emotions.

Having won the 1st Runner-up title in the "Elegant Student 2024" contest, making a splash with a handsome appearance and elegant style, Thanh Ha suddenly appeared with a beautiful and feminine look after a period of silence, causing curiousity among the public.

Thanh Ha said her current appearance is the result of a long journey of struggle, overcoming social prejudice to live as her true self.

Thanh Ha is the eldest child in a family with two sons. From a young age, she realized she was different, preferring pink clothes and playing with dolls.

Her childhood was spent forcing herself to live in the body she carried, playing vigorous games like other boys, enduring stigma and teasing because of her small and somewhat feminine appearance. The treatment haunted her.

At secondary school, as her feminine traits became more apparent, she was constantly subjected to school violence.

“My books were drawn on by boys, writing stigmatizing words. Once after school, when I took my bike to go home, I saw the seat full of mud, with a piece of paper stuck to the frame saying 'Son be de' (Son is gay). My way home that day was full of tears,” Ha recalled.

Ha carried those wounds into high school. She decided that if she could not hide her desire to be a girl, she had to be strong and face it. She brushed aside all feelings of inferiority, lived more positively, and put all her effort into studying so that her talent and achievements would become a shield to protect her.

“In high school, I was a provincial-level excellent student in Literature and History, achieving the 'Student of 3 Good Traits' title of Nghe An province. After that, I passed the entrance exam for the Vietnamese Literature Education major at the Hanoi University of Education,” Ha said.

In university, Ha also asserted herself with a series of impressive achievements in both studies and extracurricular activities. She graduated with a high-honor degree and always kept the dream of pursuing a career in education.

During her years in the lecture hall, Ha still shone in the appearance of a young man. She never grew long hair, wore dresses or followed a non-binary fashion style, even in secret. Ha believed that only on the day she fulfilled her wish to transition into a female would she live like a real girl.

“Unlike many people who take a long time to understand themselves, I have always known what I want. Since childhood, I knew that inside I am a girl and I have cherished the dream of transitioning. That desire was so intense that I was not afraid of pain or anything else,” Ha shared.

Happiness

On the journey toward her dream, the biggest barrier for Thanh Ha was her family. In her parents’ eyes, Ha was a well-behaved, hardworking child who always made them proud. She feared that revealing her truth would devastate them.

After a long period of hesitation, she finally gathered the courage to tell them. Her parents were not shocked. They simply told her: “We gave birth to you, so we understand you better than anyone. Now that you have shared your feelings, we respect and support you.”

That support strengthened Ha’s confidence in her choice. After graduating from university, she decided to undergo gender-affirming surgery to make her dream of becoming a girl come true.

“When I shared my decision to transition with my parents, I received an unexpectedly encouraging response: ‘Living as yourself, being happy and useful, that is what makes us most proud of you,’” Ha said.

In October 2025, Ha underwent gender-affirming surgery using savings accumulated over four years of working part-time as a student and actively participating in artistic activities. She went through two major surgeries and one minor procedure, enduring intense pain to fulfill her dream of becoming a girl.

“The day I looked at myself in the mirror with the complete appearance of a girl, I cried with happiness,” Ha said with emotion.

She carefully did her makeup, wore a beautiful dress, and made a video call to show them her feminine appearance. Through the phone screen, she could clearly feel their joy and emotion at seeing that she had fulfilled her wish.

Ha Nguyen