Metro Weekly

Singing “Idol” Clay Aiken impresses HRC crowd with speech on gay rights

”Some of you thought, when you saw my name on the billing tonight, ‘It’s about damn time.’ … The decision to talk openly about your sexuality is a really difficult and confusing one. And I know that, sometimes I think, more than anybody. But I also know the power and truth of living honestly is very liberating. So, what the hell took me so long? I was waiting — like so many folks are waiting for change. For attitudes to change, for laws to change. And I realized that the time for waiting is has passed.”

Clay Aiken, a former contestant on the TV show “American Idol,” who went through a long coming out process under public scrutiny. He finally did say he was gay in September of 2008 by appearing on the cover of People magazine with his infant son. It’s reported that Aiken was appearing at a fundraiser for the Human Rights Campaign in North Carolina. (HRC via YouTube)

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