UPDATE: Stevie Wonder apologized for his remarks in an email statement to HuffPost Gay Voices:
"I’m sorry that my words about anyone feeling confused about their love were misunderstood," Wonder said. "No one has been a greater advocate for the power of love in this world than I; both in my life and in my music. Clearly, love is love, between a man and a woman, a woman and a man, a woman and a woman and a man and a man. What I’m not confused about is the world needing much more love, no hate, no prejudice, no bigotry and more unity, peace and understanding. Period."
Stevie Wonder is the latest celebrity to sound off on Frank Ocean's recent coming out, but just how supportive the Motown legend's remarks are remains questionable.
After telling The Guardian's Paul Lester that he "liked" Ocean, the 62-year-old Wonder said, "I think honestly, some people who think they're gay, they're confused."
He went on to note, "People can misconstrue closeness for love. People can feel connected, they bond. I'm not saying all [gay people are confused]. Some people have a desire to be with the same sex. But that's them."
Ocean, an R&B singer who has also written songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend and Beyoncé, surprised fans last month when he revealed that his first love was a man.
"I was 19 years old. He was too," Ocean wrote on his blog. "We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost… Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping."
Among those to praise Ocean for his admission was Chuck Creekmur, founder of the leading website allhiphop.com. "Just a few years ago, if this had happened, it could have marked the end of his career," Creekmur told the Associated Press. "This could mark the beginning of his career."
The Guardian also noted that Ocean's acclaimed 2012 album, "Channel Orange," has been compared "with Wonder's music at its most expansive."
Before You Go
