This Masculine Gym Owner is Indeed a Woman

We usually hear of many stories about gender fluid people in other countries but rarely in Malaysia, which can be more on the conservative side. While you may have heard of El Lye, the superbly fit and buff owner of Muszle Warrior, a gym in Ipoh, you probably did not know that he was actually born a girl.

Formerly known as Elaine Lye, he preferred to be a man with his new name, El Lye, after he stated his desire to get fit and muscular. According to FMT, the transformation began when he allegedly started taking steroids to help build muscles, which eventually made him look more masculine but because of the dangerous effects, he reportedly only took it for a short period of time.

Nevertheless, when you first meet him, you would never have thought that El Lye used to be a woman, as the 36-year-old looks like a very fine specimen of the male species.

Apparently, when he first got on the intensive fitness craze, El Lye went from 42kg to 62kg to gain muscle for the body he had always wanted to achieve. Even though he looks like a man, it is reported that he is not a transgender and has not undergone surgery even though his appearance is fully masculine, complete with coarse facial hair and a deep voice.

As such, he also admitted to opting to use the male public restroom since his appearance often confuses others. That’s because whenever he enters a female restroom, people would usually be shocked to a point where they’d call security.

The mantra for the Muszle Warrior gym is “Go hard or go home”, which is also a motto he practices in real life as he puts all his effort into achieving something that he really wants. Muszle Warrior has been going strong since 2007 when it first opened and looking through El’s social media, you would be inspired by the posts he shares to get fit yourself. Stay healthy, people!