Why Ricky Martin Coming Out Now Matters

By PopEater Staff Posted Mar 30th 2010 11:29AM

In a special guest post, Jarrett Barrios, the President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, writes about why Ricky Martin outing himself is important. Below, Barrios discusses Martin's decision and how it's a "game changer."

A high school friend messaged me on Facebook last night. She'd been so angry back in 1984 when Menudo replaced Ricky Melendez -- who had grown too old -- with that too-young looking Ricky Martin. But she stayed loyal and became a fan of the new Ricky. She even tracked me down in the 1990s to catch up after years -- just to tell me Ricky had been cast in 'General Hospital.' And why not? Ricky had become part of the family and we have to keep up with our family, after all.

Ricky Martin coming out is, for many people, like having a friend or family member come out. "Gay" isn't an abstract to them anymore, but the kid you knew when you were 14. The power of Ricky's celebrity status makes fans understand gay people differently, too.

Two weeks ago, iconic Mexican singer Paquita la del Barrio, who has sold millions of albums worldwide and whose songs are staples in jukeboxes in Mexico, announced that she would rather a child starve to death than be raised by a gay couple in response to marriages of same-sex couples in Mexico City. Two weeks ago, there was no word, image or story to contradict Senora la del Barrio in Spanish-language media -- just abstract stereotypes about being "gay."

Today, our friend Ricky Martin, who we Latinos have known since he was 12, is that face – a gay man who is the father of two sons. He is the face of all those people Senora la del Barrio was attacking. Her job isn't so easy anymore.

Ricky coming out is a game changer for many gay and transgender Latino children, who for too long have not had many out gay people to look up to. It's also a game changer for their mothers, aunts and grandmothers, who were once teenage girls screaming at Menudo concerts. They now have a face to the word "gay" and know a father of two who just happens to also be gay. As more and more people get to know gay and transgender friends, neighbors, family members and celebrities, they come to know that our community wants the same things all people do: to be accepted, valued for our contributions and equal chance to raise our families and take care of our loved ones.

It's true that Ricky is far more popular in Spanish than in English, and that his coming out will reverberate through Latin America. But it is no less meaningful here in America; a singer who has sold millions worldwide in English and in Spanish, one of People's Most Beautiful People in the World, a father of two, a proud Puerto Rican man who just happens to be gay. For all the boys and girls struggling to find the language to tell their coming out story for the first time, it just became that much easier. Thank you, Ricky!

Jarrett Barrios is the President of the GLAAD. He was the first Latino and first openly gay state Senator in Massachusetts and is the proud father of two teenage sons.

Watch the Girls on Pop Talk About Ricky

Tags: glaad, ricky martin

Comments

(47)

Tuesday 30 March

By leesa

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

i totally agree, Ricky Martin is still a great entertainer. Who the hell cares what his sexual preference is

By Joey

@ dj: Newsflash- He's been gay all his life, not just since he was in Menudo.

By Andy

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Well, I know this site is either run by gays or flaming liberals because some posts have been deleted and others never even made it on the site. Agendas are being pushed by A....O.....L....

By Liz

I wonder why homosexuals hate people who have accepted Jesus (Born Again )and have left the evil lifestyle. Thats a fact.......God does change people.

By Maricuca

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sounds like YOU need the help of GOD, you need alot of help!!

I'm not a homosexual and I do not hate born again people, they are my favorite family. peace!

By llednez

And who told you gay people hate those who have accepted Jesus. First of all, being gay isn't a choice. Second, I'm wondering why you weren't born right the first time around. You sound unhinged, Liz. Get some professional help.

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Liz, you poor dear. Is Church Lady your hero?

You're probably a decent person underneath that "hateful" wall of words.

I'd rather see kids with two mommies or two daddies than a house of hedros that don't give a damn about their kids.

Like that Mexican singer who said last week that she'd rather see a kid die from starvation then with a same-sex couple. What an awful thing to say! That woman should go to hell for saying something she obviously feels. She certainley not going for the "Mother of the Year" award.

Liz, you sound like that woman. I hope to God, if you have kids, you're not.

Andy you are right.... We straight people are being dissed .

By wompwomp

Liz, so let me get this straight (pardon the pun) but you feel dissed because you're being censored from spreading hate? Don't you have something better to do? Like getting married, having children and all those other little inalienable rights you take for granted as a (presumably) heterosexual woman?

It's insane that your brand of Christianity includes putting down those less fortunate than you.

On a related note, you just sound obese.

Liz is obese with hate.

By Helga

hey Lizard, stop making up words...and doing it incorrectly! Christianity wrote the book on hatred and persecution.

By Pizzt

lol
owned

By Enough Already

Why is this news?

By Aurelia

Does Ricky know Samy and Walter Mercado?

By Debbie

Who cares who is gay. Really are there not more important things in your life?????????????????
if not then..................how sad!
Leave these people alone!
Be more concerned about oh,how u treat people?

By Mike

there's a saying out there that I think fits this story.
SHUT UP AND SING who cares if you're gay

By Joe

Cowards - you sling hate and judgement, then try to hide behind God. And you wonder why nobody wants to join your churches anymore. Why don't you fix the molestation and money-grabbing in your own house before you start judging everyone else's moral values! Just keep driving past the poor and the homeless on the way to your million dollar churches.

By chef625

he has always been gay, nothing new

Thursday 01 April

By Megan

Great article.

By Areanna26

Ricky Martin has always given the impression of being an extremely nice person. So now we know for sure, he's an extremely nice person who just happens to be gay. Doesn't change my opinion of him at all. I always thought he was gay.

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