Ricky Martin: 'I thought homosexuality was evil'

Puerto Rican singer reveals his struggle to come to terms with being gay ran deeper than a fear of commercial failure

guardian.co.uk, Dan Martin, Friday 6 May 2011

Ricky Martin ... 'I needed to make girls crazy and I couldn't say I was gay'.
Photograph: Thais Llorca/EPA

Ricky Martin has revealed he believed homosexuality was "evil" as he struggled to come to terms with being gay.

The Latino pop star came out in 2010 after years of speculation over his sexuality. Speaking on The Jay Leno Show, Martin opened up about the pressures of being a gay teen idol. "Being Ricky Martin back then and what I was feeling were not compatible," he said. "I was the sex symbol and I needed to dance and I needed to make girls crazy and I couldn't say that I was gay. It was a struggle."

The Puerto Rican singer said his insecurities ran deeper than the fear of commercial failure: "If you add to that whatever you call it, culture, religion, society, but what I was feeling, according to what I had in my mind, was evil," he said. "And I'm very lucky today that what I have in my mind is love and I'm very happy."

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