Aaron Carter Issues Heartfelt Statement On His Sexuality

Aaron Carter has had an incredibly trying year. In May, he lost his 65-year-old father, Bob, and in June, the "I Want Candy" singer wound up in the ER after claiming he had been "bullied and body-shamed by the world." A few weeks ago, Carter was arrested in Georgia, where he was charged with an alleged DUI and possession of marijuana. Shortly after, he admitted he has been struggling with an eating disorder during an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight.

Thankfully, Carter has a strong fan network that has consistently proven that they care for him without judgment. Because of their support, the 29-year-old artist felt comfortable enough to go online and open up about something he's kept a secret for the better part of 16 years: his sexuality.

"To start off, I would like to say that I love each and EVERY ONE of my fans," he wrote in a tweeted statement. "There's something I'd like to say that I feel is important for myself and my identity that has been weighing on my chest for nearly half of my life. This doesn't bring me shame, just a weight and burden I have held onto for a long time that I would like to be lifted off of me. I grew up in this entertainment industry at a very young age and when I was around 13-years-old I started to find boys and girls attractive."

Carter, who has previously been linked to Madison Parker, on-and-off girlfriend Lee Karis, Hillary Duff, and Lindsay Lohan, continued to say that although he sometimes thought about his attraction to men, it wasn't until he was 17 that he actually "had an experience with a male."

"To me music has always been my temple," he wrote. "Music will ALWAYS be what transcends all of us and myself. The studio has always been my safe haven. But the ultimate goal for me is to be satisfied. I never want to be a figure of disappointment."

We're happy that Carter is finding the strength to allow himself to be who he really is, and we hope that he continues to find happiness along his journey.