BEIJING, July 27
(Xinhuanet) -- U.S. Lance Bass, former band member of ‘N
Sync, has announced he is gay and
is in a "very stable"
relationship with "Amazing Race" reality TV star Reichen
Lehmkuhl.
Bass, who formed ‘N Sync with Justin Timberlake, JC
Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, tells People
magazine Wednesday that he didn‘t earlier disclose his
sexuality because he didn‘t want to affect the group‘s
popularity.
"I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four
other guys‘ careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever
acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would
overpower everything," he tells the magazine.
"I didn‘t know. Could that be the end of ‘N Sync? So I
had that weight on me of like. Wow, if I ever let anyone
know, it‘s bad. So I just never did."
He adds, "The thing is, I‘m not ashamed -- that‘s the
one thing I want to say. I don‘t think it‘s wrong, I‘m
not devastated going through this. I‘m more liberated and
happy than I‘ve been my whole life. I‘m just happy."
"The main reason I wanted to speak my mind was that
(the rumors)
really were starting to affect my daily life.
Now it feels like it‘s on my terms. I‘m at peace with my
family, my friends, myself and God so there‘s really
nothing else that I worry about," he told the magazine.
The singer, 27-year-old, says he‘s in a "very stable"
relationship with 32-year-old actor Reichen Lehmkuhl,
winner of season four of CBS‘ "Amazing Race." Enditem.