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| Ricky Martin |
Latin superstar Ricky Martin is the proud father of twin boys via a surrogate mother, his representatives announced on Wednesday. The babies were reportedly born several weeks ago to a gestational surrogate contracted by the 36 year-old singer. Martin will spend the remaining part of the year spending time with the twins out of the public spotlight.
In a statement to the press released on Wednesday, representatives for singer Ricky Martin officially announced the Latin superstar is now the proud father of twin boys. “Ricky is elated to begin this new chapter in his life as a parent and will be spending the remainder of the year out of the public spotlight in order to spend time with his children,” the statement read, according to OK Magazine.
“The children, delivered via gestational surrogacy, are healthy and already under Ricky’s full-time care,” Martin’s representatives stated. No further details have been released about the children’s birth and the surrogate mother has not been identified.
Enrique Martin Morales, better known by his stage name Ricky Martin, has long been rumored to be gay. Martin, however, told Plus 7 Days magazine in in 2000 that he was "a normal man. I love women and sex. I am a real hot-blooded Puerto Rican, but have never been attracted by sex with a man."
Martin said in 2003 that he been dating Mexican TV host Rebeca de Alba on and off for over 14 years and was thinking about starting a family. However, the two later parted ways. He has also been linked romantically to Daisy Fuentes, actress Lilly Melger and tennis star Gabriela Sabatini, among others.
Though Martin has blown off rumors about his sexual orientation and been consistently linked to romantic relationships with women, rumors he is gay or bisexual continue to follow him regardless.
When asked by Barbara Walters in 2005 about his sexual orientation, the Puerto Rico-born singer replied that “sexuality is something that each individual should deal with in their own way. And that’s all I have to say about that.”
In addition to his career as a multi-platinum selling artist, Martin is also known for his charitable activism, including his contributions to the fight against the sexual exploitation of children.
After a sabbatical to get acquainted with his new children, Martin will reportedly return to the studio sometime next year.
