Ricky Martin: ‘I'm a fortunate homosexual man’

Amsterdam –  After years of very intense rumor and speculation the Latin Pop superstar and ‘lady killer’ Ricky Martin finally decided to announce his homosexuality on his own website last Monday, March 29. Martin said that when he began to write down his memoirs he realized his sexual orientation was, in his own words, “something worth celebrating”.  Encouraged by this new found conviction he (finally) decided to come out to the world. 

In the 1980’s Ricky Martin was already a superstar teenage singer in whole of Latin America as a member of the famous Puerto Rican boy band ‘Menudo’. In the late 90’s and early 00’s he became a worldwide acclaimed musical artist who regularly got on the top of the pop charts with hits as ‘Livin la Vida Loca’, ‘Maria’, and ‘She Bangs’. The Latino singer regularily performed with very beautiful female dancers around him. But his exuberant and sexy way of dancing always gave room to speculation about his real sexual orientation. Even his fathering of twin boys from a surrogate mother (born in 2008) was not enough to convince the world community that he was a heterosexual man.

Cooperation with Disney

The Disney corporation did not have any problems with – or did not know about - these allegations. Disney chose Martin do the voice for the main character in the Spanish version of its animated feature film ‘Hercules’, which was first brought out in 1997. Hercules is an archetypal and very masculine ancient Greek character. The Latin Pop singer  also sings the Spanish version of the title song ‘I can go the Distance’ (‘No importa La Distancia’) both in the credits and in the movie. Now, after years of hiding his true self, Ricky Martin now shows to the world that he really has the strength he so lyrically sings about in this ballad. Martin now writes: “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.” This way he is anticipating the questions about his reluctance in admitting to his homosexuality in the past. And these questions will surely be made. Especially the millions of female fans he still has will surely want to know why he has been so evasive.   

In the past Ricky Martin chose not to deal with this issue. In August of 1999 he had an interview for the Rolling Stone magazine. During that interview Ricky Martin would not give a straight answer when confronted with direct questions about his sexuality. The author, Nancy Collins, was bold enough to tell him: “..there’ve been some rumors flying around about your sexuality”. Instead of admitting to his (latent) homosexual feelings Rick Martin just said: “Well, this is show business. It’s a lot of fantasy. You can fantasize whatever you want to be. You can fantasize however you want to [laughs]. Go for it. Be free about it. I’m not too concerned with what people say about me. You can think whatever you want. I know what I am, my beliefs, what I like and don’t like. As I just said, I have the need someday to have a family. And that’s something I’m going to go for. The people I care about know me. I’m happy.”

On Monday, nearly 11 years since that famous interview, the ‘Bomba’ from Puerto Rico wrote: "Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment”. He continues:  “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.

What will happen from now on? It doesn't matter. I can only focus on what's happening to me in this moment. The word "happiness" takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.

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

The Sexy male singer also wrote another important reason for his late and long awaited ‘coming out’. Ricky says that while writing his memoirs he got “very close to my truth”, and that continuing to hide his true sexuality for a longer period would “indirectly diminish the glow that my kids here born with”. 

Ricky Martin finally coming out of the closet can also be considered as an indirect support to the global Gay community’s fight for equal rights and recognition.