‘The Voice’ Blind Auditions Make History With First Trans Contestant

“The Voice” has a long history of LGBTQ inclusivity, even winning a GLAAD Media Award in 2012. Openly gay singers regularly compete on “The Voice,” and on last season’s finale, a Christian drag queen, Chris “Nedra Belle” Weaver, stole the show. But Monday, we had a “Voice USA” first: the series’ first transgender contestant, Angel Bonilla.

(International trivia alert: Jordan Gray was the first trans contestant to compete on “The Voice U.K.,” back in 2016; in 2014, trans man Tom Atias competed on “The Voice Israel,” but he didn’t come out until after his audition.)

“As early as 5 years old, I already knew that I am a girl trapped in a boy’s body,” Bonilla, who was born Carlos in the Philippines, told host Carson Daly. “Growing up in a very conservative family, it was very difficult for my father. When my dad saw me as a girl for the first time, he was puzzled. He’s not sure if I am his son, but he embraced me. I promised him that I will do great things. I wanted my father to be proud of me, and I’m doing this to honor him.”

As Papa Bonilla cheered on Angel’s performance of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down,” it was a special TV moment that could earn the “Voice” another GLAAD accolade. Maybe another Emmy. But will Angel, who joined Team Adam, win “The Voice”? That I do not know … BECAUSE HER PERFORMANCE WAS MONTAGED. What the heck?

Source: huffingtonpost