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Former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken- photographed in 2007 while in New York- no longer has to worry about keeping it in the closet. (picture courtesy of Associated Press/Richard Drew)

OK- so maybe it’s a tad of an exaggeration to say Clay Aiken’s- ahem- revelation is a stunner. Long the subject of speculation regarding his sexuality, the American Idol runner-up and new father has finally stepped out of the closet.

Online gossiper Perez Hilton today posted the People magazine cover (more information will be posted at www.people.com Wednesday), in which Aiken- pictured with his newborn son Parker Foster- proclaims, “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things.” (Aiken and his friend and record producer Jaymes Foster had their child via artificial insemination.)

No word on how Claymates are handling this development- ever devoted to Aiken, they believed it when he told Rolling Stone in 2003 that he wasn’t gay, and probably applauded when he later told the Associated Press that he didn’t have to answer to anyone other than himself, the people he loves and God.

That is true, and even though he’s admitting to what most people already figured out long ago, I give him kudos for the acknowledgment and confirmation. With no possible American Idol victory to worry about, or a loss of huge sales (his latest album has shifted just 151,000 since its spring release, Aiken made the decision to come out when it really mattered most- to himself.

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