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Big Brother fans have praised a transgender contestant for opening up about his transition.
Despite entering the iconic house just three days ago, 25-year-old personal trainer Zelah has already managed to capture the hearts of British audiences.
After surviving a first-night shock elimination, which saw Conservative influencer Emily Hewertson voted out, Zelah has made an effort to ‘re-centre’ the narrative that is often perpetuated in the media about trans people.
In his introductory VT, he joked that he is ‘living proof that being transgender is not a choice’ because ‘why would I choose to go from the luxury that is the women’s toilets, to the horror that is the men’s?’
During Tuesday’s episode, when a number of the housemates enjoyed a dip in the hot tub, Zelah also opened up about feeling ‘self-conscious’ because of the visible scars on his chest in the Diary Room.
However, last night the 25-year-old took a step further by discussing his transition with Sam.
Sitting on a bed together, Zelah began by saying he had chest surgery two years ago.
He then added: ‘My girlfriend and I were in a lesbian relationship for a while and that was her first ever relationship… I was a lesbian for eight years.
‘I went from a lesbian to a man, like, downgrade.’
Asked by Sam whether he always knew he was a man deep down, Zelah continued: ‘When I was six years old, if you looked at me then and look at me now, then you’d think I went from A to B.
‘I looked like a little version of me now. I had the skin fade and everything.’
After revealing that he was bullied in school, he said: ‘When I realised I was queer around 16 things started to get a bit better because I started to be a bit more masculine, went through my toxic masculinity phase.
‘Got a motorbike and my tattoos. Time went on, I just started to realise I don’t see myself getting old in this body no matter how masculine I am as a woman. I was never going to be that satisified.’
Asked what he thought about trans rights today, Zelah added: ‘It’s scary, it feels like progress is just back rolling.
‘The biggest issues with bathrooms were before I transitioned and I was a masculine woman. I once got dragged downstairs by two bouncers in a club and they said “do you think you’re funny?”
‘I had to lift up my shirt and show them my sports bra and be like “I’m a woman”.’
He finished off by saying: ‘It’s crazy how people living their lives bothers people so much because trans people and queer people are always painted by the media as the aggressor when the majority are just trying to get by.’
Commenting on the video, which was posted on Instagram by Big Brother, praised the housemate for being so open.
@maemione said: ‘I’m utterly fuming Zelah was given the evil eye, I just love these two so much, there already my winners.’
@icet21_ added: ‘This is amazing,’ while @adamoliver___ echoed: ‘I adore them both so much x’
@carolinemather__ also wrote: ‘Watching from Australia over here 🇦🇺 this is the most beautiful thing about watching Big Brother; so many people get to learn and see these kinds of conversations that they would never usually hear.’
Meanwhile, sophie__likes__books argued: ‘If you’re not LGBTQIA+, you will never understand how important seeing conversations like this on national television are. Visibility like this saves lives 🏳️⚧️🩷🏳️🌈.’
Watch Big Brother Sunday-Friday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.