How Joy Huerta, Pablo Alboran & More Latin Artists Publicly Came Out

Fifteen years ago, RBD’s group member Christian Chávez came out as gay via an open letter he wrote on the group’s official website. Though he expressed that he “was not prepared to speak of in fear of rejection, of criticism, but especially for my family and its consequences,” the Mexican artist knew that it was “time to grow up, not only as a human being but also as an artist.” In the lengthy letter, he asked his fans to not judge him for his honesty, and to feel proud of who they are. Chávez’s act of bravery marked him as the first high-profile artist in Latin show business to publicly come out.

Three years later, in 2010, Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin also used his website as his platform to say that “I am very proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man.” As one of the first mainstream Latin music stars to come out, artists of the LGBTQ community who had long kept their sexual identities a secret had a new beacon of hope. 

Meanwhile, both Kany Garcia and Joy Huerta used their social media platforms to open up about their sexual preferences. The former came out in 2016 and the latter in 2019, both artists expressing they were in love with another woman. 

“I think I have never gained so much credibility in my career,” Garcia previously said to Billboard about coming out. “That kind of credibility doesn’t come from songs or lines of thought, but rather from real authenticity.”

Other artists such as Pablo Alborán, Raymix, and Jhonny Caz came out via video messages in 2020. In honor of National Coming Out Day (observed on Oct. 11), see how some Latin artists have publicly come out below: