Backstreet Boys' A.J. McLean Talks Gay Band Members, Beg A 'Fag Hag' | HuffPost Voic

Contents:

• BACKSTREET BOYS' A.J. MCLEAN TALKS GAY BAND MEMBERS, BEG A 'FAG HAG'
• MY GAY INTERVIEW WH A BACKSTREET BOY: ‘I’M THE FAG HAG’
• 20 YEARS AGO, THE BACKSTREET BOYS USHERED MY GAYNSJT WHEN I WAS STARTG TO FORM MY FIRST SAME-SEX CSH ON MY CLASSMATE JOSé, THEIR MSAGE WAS EXACTLY I NEED TO HEAR: LOVE IS ALL THAT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY XORJE OLIVARAUGT 14, 2017/3:46 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BRENDA CHASE/STRGERBACKSTREET BOYSBY XORJE OLIVARAUGT 14, 2017 / 3:46 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"20 YEARS AGO, THE BACKSTREET BOYS USHERED MY GAYNS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-08-14T19:46:36.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-08-14T19:46:36.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"XORJE OLIVAR","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LEANG EVER-SO SUALLY AGAST WHAT APPEARS TO BE A WHE-PATED WALL (ALTHOUGH LEAD SGER AND MY FIRST IMAGARY HBAND, BRIAN LTRELL, RTS AGAST A BRICK WALL), THE BACKSTREET BOYS ME TO MY LIFE 20 YEARS AGO, ON AUGT 12, 1997, BY WAY OF THEIR SELF-TLED BUT ALBUM. THE ALBUM VER FEATURED THE MOST ATTRACTIVE MEN THAT I HAD EVER SEEN ALL MY NE YEARS OF LIFE. IN THIRD GRA I BARELY KNEW WHAT POP MIC WAS, LET ALONE SEXUAL SIRE, BUT THE IMAGE GAVE ME URG THAT FIED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I WAS SURE OF ONE THG: I HAD TO KEEP MY LOVE FOR KEV, HOWIE, BRIAN, A.J., AND NICK A SECRET. HOW WOULD I EXPLA TO MY CATHOLIC, MEXIN-AMERIN PARENTS THAT I WANTED MY OWN PY OF THE RERD THAT MY OLR SISTER PLAYED CSANTLY HER ANTI-SKIP PORTABLE CD PLAYER? THAT I WANTED TO GAWK AT THE Y PRETTY BOYS TRYG WAY TOO HARD TO LOOK TOUGH?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE BT PART ABOUT THAT ALBUM IS THAT WAS EVERYWHERE. DUE TO THE SIZE AND NVENIENCE OF CDS, I NEVER ULD PE THE PHOTO THAT SIGNALED MY EARLY SEXUAL ATTRACTN TO MEN. I SOON UNRSTOOD I SHARED THE SAME YEARNGS AS MY FEMALE IENDS, AND THOUGH THIS REALIZATN WAS UNSETTLG AT FIRST, MAND AN ANSWER: DID I LIKE BOYS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME” REMAS ONE OF MY FAVORE BACKSTREET BOY SONGS. IN THE MIC VIO, BETIFUL FEMALE MOLS PE AFTER THE BOYS DURG A PHOTOSHOOT, WHILE EACH SGER GIV A HEARTFELT SOLO BEFORE JOG TOGETHER FOR THEIR INIC FOLDG CHAIR DANCE. IT WAS UNNIABLY CHEY, GRA-A ’90S MP, BUT I WAS SOLD, AND MY HEART PULSED WHEN THE CHOS ME: I DON’T RE WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU’RE OM, WHAT YOU DID, AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME. JT WHEN I WAS STARTG TO FORM MY FIRST SAME-SEX CSH ON MY CLASSMATE JOSé, THIS WAS THE MSAGE I NEED TO HEAR: LOVE IS ALL THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT WAS LOVE THAT I FELT FOR JOSé, THE KID WHO SAT ACROSS THE ROOM OM ME MY THIRD-GRA CLASS? THE ONE WHOSE HAND I MA SURE TO HOLD DURG A ROUND OF RED ROVER ON THE PLAYGROUND, EVEN AS HE REACHED FOR A GIRL’S? JOSé GAVE ME THE SAME SORT OF BUTTERFLI THAT BRIAN LTRELL DID, BUT JOSé WAS A TANGIBLE PRENCE MY LIFE, SOMEONE I ULD ENGAGE WH THE FLH—AND NOT MERELY OVER SOUND WAV. WHEN I’D GO HOME AFTER A LONG DAY AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I PICTURED JOSé WHILE I LISTENED TO BRIAN AND PANY CROON A SENSIVE BALLAD, PECIALLY “QU PLAYG GAM (WH MY HEART)” BEE, ULTIMATELY, I REALIZED THAT SPE HIS EAGERNS TO HANG OUT WH ME, HE WAS STILL JT ANOTHER STRAIGHT BOY OBLIV TO MY SCHOOLYARD FLIRTATN. “YOU WANT TO E OVER AND PLAY?” I ASKED, UGH, BUT YOU’RE NOT GOG TO SPEND THE NIGHT?, I’D THK, YOU’RE KILLG ME!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOOKG BACK, I CLEARLY MISREAD JOSé’S PLATONIC FEELGS, LIKE MANY GAY KIDS DO WHEN THEY’RE TRYG TO GET A HANDLE OF NEW AND STRANGE SEXUAL SIR. I’D OFTEN S MY ROOM BLARG "I’LL NEVER BREAK YOUR HEART" OM MY SISTER’S CD PLAYER, WHICH I BORROWED CLANSTELY, HOPG THAT ONE DAY I’D FD THE ONE I ULD EVENTUALLY SG TO. AND AT NE YEARS OLD, WHO KNEW WHEN THAT’D {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I RECENTLY REVISED THE ALBUM AFTER 18 YEARS, AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY REMD OF S POP GENI. BACKSTREET BOYS WILL ALWAYS BE THE CD THAT ALLOWED ME TO REGNIZE MY SAME-SEX ATTRACTNS, AND HOWEVER MOR, ACT UPON THEM. 1997 WILL FOREVER-REMA A PERD WHEN YOUTHFUL CURSY AND SELF-DISVERY FLOURISHED, WHEN MIC AND FANTASY AND SELF NVERGED. MY GAY JOURNEY BEGAN 20 YEARS AGO, AND I N ONLY THANK THE BLEACHED HAIR AND RGO PANTS OF THE BACKSTREET BOYS FOR SHOWG ME S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND BRIAN, I’M STILL WAG FOR YOUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

BACKSTREET BOYS' A.J. MCLEAN TALKS GAY BAND MEMBERS, BEG A 'FAG HAG'

The Backstreet Boys were at a drag show when they first realized they had a gay followg. I was bi myself, and that was when we first knew that we had a big gay followg, " A.

MY GAY INTERVIEW WH A BACKSTREET BOY: ‘I’M THE FAG HAG’

' Thkg back on , I've been this bs sce I was 3 and I grew up mil theater, so I was raised and surround by gay men and gay women. As for any sort of gay mors surroundg him or the pop group, he don't re.

"Everyone always says, 'When you look at a boy band, one of them has to be gay. Instead of me beg gay, I'm the fag hag, " he said. He's this olr gentleman om Tampa and he's gay, and he's been followg durg this whole tour om Cha to Japan and now through the U.

I thk he really hop that Nick might have a ltle b of gay. " The 35-year-old McLean, who married 2011 and is the father of a ltle girl, long supported equal rights and the band's gay fan base.

20 YEARS AGO, THE BACKSTREET BOYS USHERED MY GAYNSJT WHEN I WAS STARTG TO FORM MY FIRST SAME-SEX CSH ON MY CLASSMATE JOSé, THEIR MSAGE WAS EXACTLY I NEED TO HEAR: LOVE IS ALL THAT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY XORJE OLIVARAUGT 14, 2017/3:46 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BRENDA CHASE/STRGERBACKSTREET BOYSBY XORJE OLIVARAUGT 14, 2017 / 3:46 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"20 YEARS AGO, THE BACKSTREET BOYS USHERED MY GAYNS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-08-14T19:46:36.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-08-14T19:46:36.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"XORJE OLIVAR","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LEANG EVER-SO SUALLY AGAST WHAT APPEARS TO BE A WHE-PATED WALL (ALTHOUGH LEAD SGER AND MY FIRST IMAGARY HBAND, BRIAN LTRELL, RTS AGAST A BRICK WALL), THE BACKSTREET BOYS ME TO MY LIFE 20 YEARS AGO, ON AUGT 12, 1997, BY WAY OF THEIR SELF-TLED BUT ALBUM. THE ALBUM VER FEATURED THE MOST ATTRACTIVE MEN THAT I HAD EVER SEEN ALL MY NE YEARS OF LIFE. IN THIRD GRA I BARELY KNEW WHAT POP MIC WAS, LET ALONE SEXUAL SIRE, BUT THE IMAGE GAVE ME URG THAT FIED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I WAS SURE OF ONE THG: I HAD TO KEEP MY LOVE FOR KEV, HOWIE, BRIAN, A.J., AND NICK A SECRET. HOW WOULD I EXPLA TO MY CATHOLIC, MEXIN-AMERIN PARENTS THAT I WANTED MY OWN PY OF THE RERD THAT MY OLR SISTER PLAYED CSANTLY HER ANTI-SKIP PORTABLE CD PLAYER? THAT I WANTED TO GAWK AT THE Y PRETTY BOYS TRYG WAY TOO HARD TO LOOK TOUGH?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE BT PART ABOUT THAT ALBUM IS THAT WAS EVERYWHERE. DUE TO THE SIZE AND NVENIENCE OF CDS, I NEVER ULD PE THE PHOTO THAT SIGNALED MY EARLY SEXUAL ATTRACTN TO MEN. I SOON UNRSTOOD I SHARED THE SAME YEARNGS AS MY FEMALE IENDS, AND THOUGH THIS REALIZATN WAS UNSETTLG AT FIRST, MAND AN ANSWER: DID I LIKE BOYS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME” REMAS ONE OF MY FAVORE BACKSTREET BOY SONGS. IN THE MIC VIO, BETIFUL FEMALE MOLS PE AFTER THE BOYS DURG A PHOTOSHOOT, WHILE EACH SGER GIV A HEARTFELT SOLO BEFORE JOG TOGETHER FOR THEIR INIC FOLDG CHAIR DANCE. IT WAS UNNIABLY CHEY, GRA-A ’90S MP, BUT I WAS SOLD, AND MY HEART PULSED WHEN THE CHOS ME: I DON’T RE WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU’RE OM, WHAT YOU DID, AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME. JT WHEN I WAS STARTG TO FORM MY FIRST SAME-SEX CSH ON MY CLASSMATE JOSé, THIS WAS THE MSAGE I NEED TO HEAR: LOVE IS ALL THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:75%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT WAS LOVE THAT I FELT FOR JOSé, THE KID WHO SAT ACROSS THE ROOM OM ME MY THIRD-GRA CLASS? THE ONE WHOSE HAND I MA SURE TO HOLD DURG A ROUND OF RED ROVER ON THE PLAYGROUND, EVEN AS HE REACHED FOR A GIRL’S? JOSé GAVE ME THE SAME SORT OF BUTTERFLI THAT BRIAN LTRELL DID, BUT JOSé WAS A TANGIBLE PRENCE MY LIFE, SOMEONE I ULD ENGAGE WH THE FLH—AND NOT MERELY OVER SOUND WAV. WHEN I’D GO HOME AFTER A LONG DAY AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I PICTURED JOSé WHILE I LISTENED TO BRIAN AND PANY CROON A SENSIVE BALLAD, PECIALLY “QU PLAYG GAM (WH MY HEART)” BEE, ULTIMATELY, I REALIZED THAT SPE HIS EAGERNS TO HANG OUT WH ME, HE WAS STILL JT ANOTHER STRAIGHT BOY OBLIV TO MY SCHOOLYARD FLIRTATN. “YOU WANT TO E OVER AND PLAY?” I ASKED, UGH, BUT YOU’RE NOT GOG TO SPEND THE NIGHT?, I’D THK, YOU’RE KILLG ME!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOOKG BACK, I CLEARLY MISREAD JOSé’S PLATONIC FEELGS, LIKE MANY GAY KIDS DO WHEN THEY’RE TRYG TO GET A HANDLE OF NEW AND STRANGE SEXUAL SIR. I’D OFTEN S MY ROOM BLARG "I’LL NEVER BREAK YOUR HEART" OM MY SISTER’S CD PLAYER, WHICH I BORROWED CLANSTELY, HOPG THAT ONE DAY I’D FD THE ONE I ULD EVENTUALLY SG TO. AND AT NE YEARS OLD, WHO KNEW WHEN THAT’D {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I RECENTLY REVISED THE ALBUM AFTER 18 YEARS, AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY REMD OF S POP GENI. BACKSTREET BOYS WILL ALWAYS BE THE CD THAT ALLOWED ME TO REGNIZE MY SAME-SEX ATTRACTNS, AND HOWEVER MOR, ACT UPON THEM. 1997 WILL FOREVER-REMA A PERD WHEN YOUTHFUL CURSY AND SELF-DISVERY FLOURISHED, WHEN MIC AND FANTASY AND SELF NVERGED. MY GAY JOURNEY BEGAN 20 YEARS AGO, AND I N ONLY THANK THE BLEACHED HAIR AND RGO PANTS OF THE BACKSTREET BOYS FOR SHOWG ME S {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND BRIAN, I’M STILL WAG FOR YOUR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

"We have a huge gay followg -- 's awome, " he told Out magaze back 2010.

"I, personally, am tryg to get more and more volved wh the gay and lbian movement, very much so. I've got que a lot of gay iends back L.

And we make our mic for everyone, and whether you're gay, straight, black, whe, don't matter. For Gay Pri Month, Billboard asked numero pop culture lumari to wre "love letters" to the LGBTQ muny.