After years of avoiding discussing his sexual orientation, pop singer Ricky Martin finally declared publicly what many had long assumed: He is gay.
“I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man,” the “Livin’ la Vida Loca” singer wrote on his official Website. “I am very blessed to be who I am.” He added “To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids were born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment.”
A decade ago, ABC’s Barbara Walters tried to coerce Martin into addressing the sexuality rumors, but he deftly avoided acknowledging the discussion, saying “I just don’t feel like it.” But now 10 years and 2 children later, Martin wrote, “these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.”
Good for him. Not a surprise but maybe now he can live his life freely.