"I think the gay community is going to hop on my back because I'm not going to lead the parades and be this crazy activist," says Bass (with, from left, Reichen Lehmkuhl and pals Shannon Elizabeth and Jamie-Lynn Sigler). "I don't want to be a poster child." Photo by: INF
Lance Bass: 'I'm Gay'| Lance Bass, 'N Sync
How about your dad?
His biggest concern was safety. Diseases and that type of stuff. It's so funny because the misconceptions that Middle America has, because they only see that on television. The first thing he went to was, "Well, you know, it's much easier for gay people to get AIDS. Statistics show these relationships don't last. You know it's not going to last." I was like, "Dad, wow!"

Did your mom ask you if you would still go to church?
Yeah, definitely. And I still go to church. I'm still Christian. I was not raised in a Christian church to hate people. I was taught to love people and accept people. I know what I believe.

Tell us about your current relationship.
I'm dating this person, which is very new and I'm loving it. I'm very busy and doing my thing and this is a huge turning point in my life and also in his life too. So we're just taking it one day at a time, and slow, and very supportive.

We're talking about Reichen Lehmkuhl, right?
Yes. [Laughs.] No one's stupid.

How did you meet?
We were friends first. We've been dating a few months. Actually, it's funny, he was my real estate agent. We met through that.