Just before performing at a music festival in Morocco, Ricky Martin found out that homosexuality is a criminal offense in the devoutly Muslim country. Men and women who engage in gay acts can be sent to prison. Well, Martin, who came out as gay in 2010, decided to use his performance as a platform for a subtle protest. He changed the lyrics to one of his most popular songs.
During the performance at the Mawazine music festival in Raba, Morocco last Friday, the singer performed the hit ‘She’s All I Ever Had’.
However, halfway through the song the openly gay singer began to flip the lyrics to ‘he’, singing: “It’s the way he makes me feel/It’s the only thing that’s real It’s the way he understands/He’s my lover, he’s my friend/When I look into his eyes it’s the way I feel inside /Like the man I want to be/He’s all I ever need.”
Watch
here:
Martin no doubt knew this tiny gesture of defiance would get noticed. According to Think Progress, the festival is run by King Mohammed VI's personal secretary.