News Anchor CNN Reveals How To Accept The Reality Of Being A Same-Sex Lover

Anderson Cooper (Instagram @andersoncooper)

JAKARTA - News anchor CNN Anderson Cooper talks about the first time he was gay at the age of seven. He also revealed how long it took him to accept that fact.

The gay journalist and bona fide father opened up about his experiences on broadcast in response to viewers' questions during CNN's "Ask Anderson Almost Anything" segment on CNN's Full Circle.

Asked when he started accepting being gay, Cooper explained: "I was probably seven when I realized… I wasn't sure I knew the word gay at the time, but I realized something was going on, something different."

“So (I realized it) maybe at age six or seven, and I told some friends in high school. I think I totally accepted it, and ended up liking the fact that I was gay, right after graduating from college. "

Cooper explained that it took him years to grapple with societal constraints, adding: “I struggled a bit even in my youth and a little in college.

"The things I wanted to do back then, you can't be gay. I am interested in joining the military, but you cannot be gay and join the military.

Cooper feels there are many places restricting him from traveling for safety reasons. It was not what he imagined in his life.

Last year, Cooper welcomed the arrival of a baby boy, Wyatt and this proud dad previously talked about fulfilling his dream of parenthood.

"I was imagining a family and getting married, and all the impossible things at that time, so I needed time to fully accept it."