But Adam was never interested in ‘winning’ Idol in the first place. His goal, he tells Rolling Stone, was to “stay on the platform as long as [he] could.” His strategy for success was to “ignore the pageantry of the whole thing,” sing what he wanted, how he wanted, and to hell with the weekly theme. He did all this without compromising who he was, although he admits that he was worried that questions would arise about his sexuality since before stardom, he lived an openly gay lifestyle. But now that there are no more votes to tally, Lambert feels liberated about freely discussing his sexuality although he warns that he believes discussing one’s sex life with the media is a personal choice. Here are his thoughts:

The recently signed artist admits that he constantly struggles with his recently bestowed status as a gay icon and whether that means he has a responsibility to lend his support to the gay rights movement in such a politically important moment for them – with gay marriage on the table in several states. On the other hand, he warns that he does not aspire to be a civil rights leader. He does admit the civil rights movement of the 60’s has always been near and dear to his heart and was the motivation behind his choice to perform Sam Cooke’s “ A Change Is Gonna Come,” during the Idol competition.

You’re Not Truly Sexy Until . . .

On being gay, Adam has strong opinions about the lifestyle and how it has evolved, particularly in the Los Angeles area. He says most gay men are desperately trying to look and act “hetero,” and as a self-described neo-hippie, Adam would just prefer people be who they are going to be and not get hassled for it. He says, you’re not truly sexy until you stop obsessing about masculinity versus femininity.  He may be on to something there, since Adam’s rise has consisted of a well-documented male and female fan base. Indeed, both men and women find him attractive. And while many may mistakenly define Lambert on the basis of the two or three photos floating around the Internet of him dressed in drag, Lambert tells Rolling Stone that those photos could not be further from the truth, explaining “…that is not me.”

A gay man in the public eye is easily susceptible to intense criticism and even hatred by some, but Lambert’s talent is so extraordinary that it is hard for even the gay community’s harshest critics to deny his legitimacy as an artist. And for those without such hang-ups, Adam is the canvas on which our collective imagination is projected onto. We want to hear him sing all kinds of songs, see him dressed in all types of characters, and we want him to reflect a full range of emotions that we so often have difficulty experiencing on our own. So whether we watch him because we think he is a train wreck or because we are just fascinated by his artistry and talent, we are watching. And that’s what counts.