It takes alot to shake things up in the world of Daytime Television. In a landscape where Soap Operas once thrived, now there remains only four on the major networks. That’s why it has become even more important for soaps to step up their game and display truly unique storylines. The Bold and the Beautiful lead that charge last year by revealing that a major character was transgender. That decision opened up a world of conversation on tolerance and acceptance. Never once has this storyline been played as one-sided or overly dramatic. Every character’s reaction to Maya Forrestor’s past was true to who they are, and more importantly, true to how many different people feel about the transgender community in real life. Not everyone was accepting, not everyone was nice, but everyone was honest.
In the end Maya got her happy ending. Happily married to the man she loved, with her dream career to boot, Maya just wanted one more thing-a child. She would have been fine with adoption, but the deepest parts of Maya wanted a biological connection to her child. The only way that was possible was if her sister Nicole agreed to be her surrogate, which she did. Here again, the story was honest. Nicole was a young girl in her first real relationship with a man she loved, and she decided to take the time to be a surrogate for her sister. This storyline played out realistically without bowing to the temptations of dramatic intrigue or scandal. Opinions ranged from touched to outraged. After all, why would Nicole, a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her, sacrifice her body, her energy, her freedom, and her first-born child, for her sister? The answer was simple-love; a pure, authentic love of family. Nicole never once wavered in her belief that she was doing the right thing. Her decision ultimately cost her her relationship with Zende Forrester, but still, she never wavered.
Today on B&B, Nicole gave birth to a healthy baby girl with her sister Maya, brother-in-law Rick, and her mother by her side. As “These Are the Moments” played in the background, sung by Nicole’s portrayer Reign Edwards, there was this inexplicably strong connection between Rick and Maya, Maya and Nicole, Nicole and her mother, and all of them to the newest Forrester. It was an amazing sight to see. Everyone had their A-game on throughout this entire storyline, none more so than Edwards. She was fearless in her portrayal of the ultimate kind of love there is, family.
Tune into The Bold and the Beautiful everyday on CBS.
