Ricky Martin Comes Out Of The Closet

After years of speculation, singer Ricky Martin has publically announced that he’s gay. Via a letter on his Web site, Martin declared that his decision to come out was as much for his children as it was for himself.

"Many people told me: ‘Ricky it’s not important,’ ‘it’s not worth it,’ ‘all the years you’ve worked and everything you’ve built will collapse,’ ‘many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature.’ Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions."

"This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where 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. …

"I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."

Martin’s popularity peaked in the late ’90s and early 2000s with the release of hit singles such as "Livin’ La Vida Loca" and "Shake Your Bon-Bon," but has dimished in recent years as speculation about his sexuality grew.  –JOE GALBO