Ricky Martin has admitted that he used to bully homosexuals - despite being one himself. Photo / AP
Ricky Martin has admitted that he used to bully homosexuals - despite being one himself. Photo / AP
Ricky Martin used to bully gay men when he was younger.
The 41-year-old singer - who announced he was homosexual in 2010 after struggling for years to accept his sexuality - admits he was homophobic in his teen years and early 20s because he didn't want to accept that hewas attracted to men as it went against his religious beliefs as a Roman Catholic.
Speaking to GQ Australia magazine, he said: "I was very angry, very rebellious. I used to look at gay men and think, 'I'm not like that, I don't want to be like that, that's not me.' I was ashamed.
"When you're told you're wrong by everyone, from society, from your faith - my self-esteem was crushed. I took my anger out on those around me. I look back now and realise I would bully people who I knew were gay."
Ricky kept his homosexuality a secret for many years, even when he achieved worldwide fame as a solo singer in the 90s after a stint in Puerto Rican boy band Menudo.
It wasn't until March 2010 - two years after his twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, were born via a surrogate - that Ricky admitted he was gay in an emotional post on his official website.
The Livin' la Vida Loca singer - who is now in a committed relationship with economist Carlos González Abella - knew he had to come out for the sake of his sons.
He explained: "I didn't want them growing up in a house of lies ... or thinking that there was something wrong with being gay."
