After years of dodging the question, singer Ricky Martin has announced that he is gay.

Writing on his website Martin, 38, said that the birth of his two son, and the fact that he was writing his memoirs, jointly led to his decision.

Martin said:
"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'.

"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."

Martin has sold over 60m albums worldwide. For his work against human trafficking, the U.S. State Department named Martin one of its "Heroes in Ending Modern-Day Slavery" in 2005.

For more information view:
www.rickymartin.com