Mariah Carey, whose new album is titled the Emancipation Of Mimi, says she didn’t have much freedom during her marriage to record mogul Tommy Mottola. In an interview with Houston-based gay magazine OutSmart, Mariah says, “There was a time when all I was allowed to do was go to gay clubs, because my quote-unquote husband was so afraid of me being around straight people.”

Mariah says she has always had many gay friends and a legion of gay fans. She adds that her mother, who was an opera singer, raised her to be open-minded and accepting of others. She says, “It was a loving type of vibe I got. I basically was raised by two gay men, Ernie and Mort, who were best friends. When we didn’t have a place to stay, we stayed with them. So I feel like God recognizes us all as human beings and loves us as we are.”

Credit: Launch