'I'm Gay': Ricky Martin

KOMPAS.com - Ricky Martin is no longer denying the rumours: He has confirmed that he is gay.

In a statement on his website, Martin says: "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."

The Livin' La Vida Loca singer's sexuality has been speculated about for years, but he's never directly addressed it and has often been seen with beautiful women.

But the 38-year-old singer says that writing his memoirs helped him realise that he had to be free with himself, and not keep any more secrets. His book hasn't been published yet.

The Puerto Rican wrote about the advice others gave him to hide his sexuality.

"Many people told me: 'Ricky it's not important', 'it's not worth it', 'all the years you've worked and everything you've built will collapse', 'many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature'.

"Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage.

"Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions."

The singer, born on December 24, 1971, has been in the public spotlight since the tender age of six, when he starred in commericals in Puerto Rico.

He spent five years singing with teen group Menudo from 1984, before moving to New York and releasing his first album in 1988.

A television acting gig with Alcanzar una Estrella (To Reach a Star) boosted his popularity and was followed by stints in US shows Getting By and General Hospital, and on Broadway in Les Miserables.

By the time he released his fourth album Vuelve in 1998, featuring the football World Cup song La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life), he had become a global music name and sex icon.

His next album, Sound Loaded, featured the hit song She Bangs. Further albums included La Historia and Almas del Silencio.

Martin said on his website that he felt this was the right moment for him to come out of the closet.

"If someone asked me today, 'Ricky, what are you afraid of?' I would answer 'the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war ... child slavery, terrorism ... the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith.'

"But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, It fills me with strength and courage.

"This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day.

"To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where born with.

"Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now.

"Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment."