Out singer Ricky Martin says in a new
interview that he regrets not coming out gay during an interview with
Barbara Walters in 2000.
In January, Martin, who came out gay in
2010, revealed
he's married to Jwan Yosef, a conceptual artist. The couple is
raising two children.
During an uncomfortable interview,
Walters pressed Martin to address rumors about his sexuality, saying
that he had the power to put the rumors to rest.
Instead, Martin gave an ambiguous
answer, telling Walters that “sexuality is something that each
individual should deal with in their own way.”
Martin's career, which was soaring
prior to the interview's broadcast, began to wane.
In an Attitude cover story,
Martin revealed that he regrets not taking the opportunity to come
out.
“I remember the first time I was
asked in front of a camera, 'Are you gay?' I didn't say yes. I
didn't say no,” Martin said. “But you don't understand how many
times I think, 'I wish I'd said yes.'”
“I didn't lie; I tried to dodge the
question. But why the fuck didn't I say yes?”
On coming out, Martin said that he did
not realize “how easy it was to come out.”
“The amount of love that I received
was incredible,” he
said. “I felt protected. I felt loved. No one was judging
me.”