Beverly McClellan, the 41-year-old openly lesbian contestant on NBC's reality contest The Voice, says she would never deny her partner.

McClellan is among the three openly gay contestants vying to win NBC's challenger to Fox's 10-year-old hit American Idol. Also gay are Vicci Martinez and Nakia. A fourth out challenger, 20-year-old Tyler Robinson who came out to his father on the show's premiere, has been eliminated.

In an interview with lesbian entertainment website AfterEllen.com, McClellan said returning to the closet for the duration of the show was never an option for her.

When asked, “It was great seeing you react backstage with your partner and your best friend. Was it a conscious decision to be out on the show?” McClellan responded: “I don't think about it. She's my every day. I would never deny her. I don't live like that. She is my life. It was a no-brainer for me. I'm going to live who I am.”

In a previous interview, Martinez, 26, agreed: “I'm not going to hide it. … I've already gone through that hurdle, and I'm not going to go through it again.”

Martinez is being mentored on the show by Cee Lo, while McClellan is on Christina Aguilera's team.