Ricky Martin says he bullied gay people as a kid

Ricky Martin has admitted that he used to bully gay people while growing up.

The 41-year-old Grammy-winner struggled for years to accept his sexuality.

The singer said that growing up with Roman Catholic beliefs filled him with shame and he was very angry and rebellious, News.com.au reported.

Martin said that he acted against his own impulses and used to feel ashamed looking at gay men, while thinking that he wasn't like them and didn't want to even become like them.

He admitted that he had internalised homophobia and wanted to get away from confrontation.

Martin made his committed relationship with stock broker Carlos Gonzalez Abella public in 2010.