Clay Aiken: How ‘American Idol’ Gave Him The Courage To Come Out

Access Hollywood - USA - Clay Aiken told the world, “Yes, I’m Gay,” on the cover of People magazine this week, in a portrait with his son, Parker Foster Aiken. But his coming out journey has been five years in the making.

In his first television interview since opening up about his sexuality, Clay sat down with Diane Sawyer on “Good Morning America” on Thursday, where he said being selected for “American Idol” helped him find the courage to open up about his personal life.

“I grew up never caring what people thought about me. I got picked on relentlessly for everything — not just the obvious — when I got on ‘Idol’ and people were actually cheering me on and being supportive…there you are in an environment that is more open and more accepting, you don’t feel like such an outcast,” Clay told Diane.