Ricky Martin came out publicly in 2008, just as he was about to become a father to twin sons.
But he was a showbiz success all the way back to his Menudo days in the ’80s, and now he’s speaking out about what it was like to be in the public eye and closeted for all those years.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin reveals that he “hid” lover after lover, fearing what could happen to his career if the world knew he was gay.
Related: Ricky Martin opens up about open relationships
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Tying his experience to his American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace role, he said:
“[Versace] was being brave enough to come out of the closet and to introduce his partner in public. I tell you this and my heart sped up because I went through the same thing as a closeted gay man.
Do you know how many lovers I had that I hid from the public that I did not allow anyone to see because I was afraid?”
Later, he said: “Gianni Versace went through the same thing as well and for me, that was a lesson. You have to be strong, you have to be brave, you have to be yourself and you have to be proud of who you are and not be afraid.”
“Unfortunately,” he added, “nowadays, we still deal with homophobia and I think it’s not how [Versace] died, it’s why we allowed it to happen.”
Related: PHOTOS: A secret glimpse inside a gay bathhouse in Iran
Earlier this week, he had this to say about his own family and coming out:
“I wish I could come out again because it just felt amazing. And then after that, people coming to me and saying thank you so much for coming out. Because of you, I understand my father better. I understand my sister better. So it’s an important thing to do.
I don’t know, my kids are too young, but I wish they were gay. It is a very special thing. The sensitivity, the way I see now, that I don’t have to hide in any way shape or form. I see colors. And then you see the rainbow. I understand why the symbol is the rainbow. It’s just real. Everything is tangible. It makes me a stronger person.”
Kangol
I’m a fan of Ricky Martin’s but this just repeats what we already know, for the nth time. So may it’s not on him but is a result of this site’s struggle to find other LGBTQ people above the age of 25-30, esp. Latinxs, to write about. There are a lot of stories out there, Queerty. You can do it!
BCbreeze
This is Queerty, keep the expectations LOW.
jpcolter
You do realize that you have the option of not reading stories about him don’t you?
BCbreeze
What happened to the big bad blue hair wolf, is she still removing everyone’s comment that differs from her own?
Kangol
I think there were 2 comments above mine, and both are now gone. I tried to keep it positive so as not to get erased.
saje56
as Annie replied I didn’t even know that any one able to earn $8091 in four weeks on the
computer . why not check here…
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Paulie P
Years ago I worked on a video with Ricky….at the fitting his “body guard” stood in the hallway..with the door open he would dress and look in the mirror then turn and in what he thought was an unnoticeable glance look at the body guard… if the body guard raised an eyebrow the outfit was ok’ed……. so much for “hiding”….. 🙂
Black Pegasus
Ricky Martin needs a new hit single like Queerty needs to find something to write about.
QueerTruth
Why not GET REAL with your click bait stories.
This has nothing to do with with his “past secret lovers”.
And this article was already written before with a different title.
Nice journalism.
darkanser
Coming out as a fashion designer and coming out as a Latin heart throb singer is not quite equivalent hurdles in our world. He should have compared his struggle with coming out as a Hollywood matinee idol.