It's hard to imagine today, but twenty years ago, very few celebrities were openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

In 1997, comedian Ellen DeGeneres made history by coming out as gay on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

DeGeneres received hate mail and advertisers pulled support for her self-titled comedy show, which was eventually canceled.

Barbara Walters Interrogated Singer Ricky Martin On His Sexuality

Back in 2000, singer Ricky Martin sat down for an interview with Barbara Walters, in which the host repeatedly questioned Martin's sexuality. In the interview, Walters said she "felt it important to address the rumors that were swirling around his sexuality." Though she didn't specify why it was important, nor for who it was important for. Walters bluntly asked the Grammy winning artist if he wanted to come out as gay on camera.

Walters asked: "The rumors that talk about your sexual orientation, you must be aware of these? Do they hurt? How do you handle them?" she pressed. Responding to Walters' question about whether the rumors "hurt" Martin said, "homosexuality should not be a problem for anybody. I think that sexuality is something everybody should deal with in their own way."

Walters continued to press: "Well, you know you could stop these rumors. You could say, as many artists have, 'yes I am gay' or you could say 'no I’m not' or you could leave it, as you are, ambiguous. I don’t want to put you on the spot and it’s in your power to do it. I'm bringing it up with you Ricky because you know that this is being said and you’re even being named." A visibly uncomfortable Martin replied, "I just don't feel like it."

Barbara Walters Later Confessed It Was A Mistake To Push Ricky Martin To 'Come Out'

The Latin star later revealed that he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of being put on the spot in such a public forum. In a later episode of The View, Walters admitted she had made a mistake by pushing Martin to talk out on the matter. "Was that a mistake? Looking back now, it feels like one," the interviewer stated.

In a PEOPLE cover story, Martin explained that the interview with Walter was conducted a year into the massive success of his 1999 song "Livin' la Vida Loca." He revealed that the questioning left him with "a little PTSD" and made him feel "violated."

Ricky Martin Revealed He Was Gay In 2010

Ten years after the Barbara Walters interview, Martin came out on his own terms in 2010. In a statement on his website he explained that LGBTQ mentorship might have helped him to do so sooner. "There are many, many kids out there that don't have someone to look up to. All they have around them is people telling them, 'What you're feeling is evil,’" Martin said. "But, you can't force someone to come out...if you have an egg and you open it from the outside, only death comes out. But if the egg opens up from the inside, life comes out."

Ricky Martin now married to Syrian artist Jwan Yosef, 37, and the couple share four children together - twins Valentino and Matteo, 12, and Lucia and Renn, both two.

Related: What Is Ricky Martin Up To These Days, And How Much Is He Worth?

Meanwhile, the Barbara Walters/Ricky Martin interview has been heavily criticized online after the clips resurfaced online. Many blasted Walters for her "inappropriate" questioning.

"Unless someone is openly gay and happy to talk about it, it's nobody's business - including mine," one person wrote online.

"Barbara didn’t care about anyone’s feelings," a second added.

Related: Ricky Martin Got His First-Ever TV Role In The Most Classic Way

"Don’t understand why is anyone their business to push celebs to come out they will come out when they choose to," a third commented.

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"He’s aged well. My thing is no one should feel the need to “come out” unless they absolutely thought it is useful for them. If I had a gay child they wouldn’t need to sit me down for a talk. Just choose who you love and bring them to dinner," a fourth chimed in.

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