The transgender community is often misunderstood. And those who enter the spotlight more often than not run a big risk of a public backlash. But that hasn’t stopped Nuntita – and now the young starlet sits with Time Out at the Palace IFC Theatre after a showing of her first feature film It Gets Better (which was also the closing film for the Hong Kong Gay and Lesbian Film Festival) and tells us her story.

Nuntita Khampiranon, better known as Belle Nuntita, wowed audiences on March 13, last year, when she stood on the stage of the ever-popular Thailand’s Got Talent TV show. The 29-year old walked out – looking stunning and all-woman – and started singing like a trained songstress. Her voice was soothingly feminine and note-perfect. But then, halfway through the performance, came something which had barely ever been seen – or heard – before. Nuntita ‘switched voice’ completely and began to sing in a powerful and moving masculine tone, octaves lower. Jaws dropped – but the audience quickly developed smiles before their cheers rang out. They instantly realised that Nuntita was born a man – but is now a transgender woman. And no-one criticised. A star was born. Read more.