You seem like a completely positive person. Do you think of yourself as a role model?

I
wouldn’t necessarily put myself in the role model category. I’m just
doing what I do and if people want to look at me in whatever way, then
that’s fine because I am now living a much better life than I had in
the past. I’ve overcome a lot of things and I am in a better place, so
if they want to respect my triumphs over tribulations, then that’s
great.
 
You did an Advocate “Big Gay Following” interview a few years ago, and years back, in 1997, you were a cover
model for XY, a magazine for gay teens. Not everyone in a boy band
would be so involved with gay press, and these have followed you for
years, for better or worse. If you did something like XY now and you
were the same age and at the same stage in your career, do you think it
would be such a big deal?

I don’t think it would be as much of a big
deal. I really don’t. Honestly, I have so many gay friends, family
members who are gay… it’s not a big deal to me. It may have been a big
deal back in the day when I was young, but, you know, whatever. It’s
part of our culture now and that’s what’s great about it. People accept
it now. I love it.