Beverly McClellan, one of the two
openly lesbian contestants from the first season of the NBC talent
contest The Voice, says she knew she was gay in kindergarten.
McClellan and Seattle native Vicci
Martinez made it to the show's final four but Javier Colon won the
show's $100,000 prize and a recording contract.
The women will be joined by a third
openly gay contestant, Nakia Reynoso, who made it to the final eight,
as The Voice heads out for its debut tour. Nakia, who goes by
his first name, was eliminated from the vocal contest after he belted
out a powerful and emotional rendition of Adam Lambert's Whataya
Want From Me?
In
an interview with TVLine.com's Michael Ausiello, McClellan said
America's attitudes towards LGBT people won't change unless people
are willing to be themselves.
“Listen dude,
we've got to be the change we want to see,” McClellan told
Ausiello. “I have to set that precedent for myself. I can lay
down at night and think, 'Wow. I did everything in a way that I can
live with myself.' And the children are our future: How can we show
them a different way if we don't continue it with every step we
take?”
McClellan added
that she's been out most of her life: “I've never ever ever not
lived out loud, and I've known my sexuality since a young age –
kindergarten, really.”