When *Nsync first came on the radio, I was like, “Who are these guys?” I wasn’t impressed. Then I decided to give them a listen and like so many other girls across the country, I became hooked. I admit it. I’m an *Nsync fan. I love Justin Timberlake. I have all of their CDs and I still listen to them, especially when I make a trip out to Boston to hang out with a close friend of mine. She and I went to their concerts together. Yes, I went to see *Nsync in concert. I’m not ashamed! I’m proud of my boy band and their titillating harmonies.

The truth of the matter is, despite the prepackaged manufacturing – the boys can sing. I’ve always been a fan of any group that has the ability to harmonize and sing a cappella. That’s what drew me to the group in the first place. Aside from appreciating their talent, I developed a small and innocent crush on Lance Bass. And although the group has since disbanded, I’ve always held a special place in my heart for him. So, you can imagine my surprise when I came across the headline on Yahoo that read, “Lance Bass of *Nsync reveals he’s gay.”

Was I the only one surprised by this?

Looking back, it all makes sense actually. I never did read about Lance linked to other females and if there were such rumors floating about, Lance always cleared them up with comments like, “So and so and I are just really good friends.” Apparently, he was telling the truth. He was also the “shy” and “sensitive” one of the group. That should have clued me in right away.

It also makes sense to me as to why Lance chose not to come out during the *Nsync era. Although I’m positive that the public would have embraced him, I think that the reaction from music industry heads would have been a negative one. *Nsync was a moneymaking machine when it came to gum chewing, cell phone toting teenage girls. (And lesbians if you count me.) The last thing that any company who had a vested, financial interest in *Nsync would want was for one of the band members to come out of the closet.

“I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys’ careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything,” he told People Magazine. He wondered that if he had come out, would it had meant the end of *Nsync?

I guess we’ll never know. But consider Ellen’s situation in which, after she came out, her television show tanked in the ratings. It’s understandable why Lance had those same fears in the first place. Now that he is out though, he has something to look forward to. Since Ellen announced to the world that she was gay, her popularity has skyrocketed.

Some people might think that Lance chose to come out because of the attention. But I disagree. There are plenty of other things that celebrities who have fallen out of the spotlight can do to recapture at least 15 minutes of fame. Realty shows anyone? I think that he came out for the same reason that Ellen, Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Swoops did – he just didn’t want to hide anymore.

Isn’t that the reason we all come out?

I am proud of Lance. He took a chance in coming out, as most of us do, and that says a great deal about his character. When I think about it, the thought of Lance and a possible *Nsync reunion excites me. If in 20 years from now, they decide to tour the country as middle-aged men who have lost their quick dancing feet and have gained receding hairlines, I’d still buy a ticket because I’m positive that their melodic harmonies will still be intact.

I’m admitting here and now, I’m coming out of the *Nsync closet! Just like Lance.