American Idol star Clay Aiken has confessed his mother still struggles to come to terms with his sexuality.

The singer finally revealed he was homosexual in the new issue of America's People magazine, as part of a photospread featuring him and his new baby son Parker, who was born in August (08).

The baby's mother - Aiken's friend and record producer Jaymes Foster - conceived through artificial insemination and they plan to raise the child together.

And Aiken admits his sexuality has been difficult for his mother, Faye, to deal with.

He tells the magazine, "She still struggles with things quite a bit, but she's come a long way."

Aiken recalls the moment he told his mother the truth about his sexuality four years ago.

He says, "I started crying in the car. It was dark. I was sitting there, thinking to myself. I don't know why I started thinking about it... I just started bawling. She made me pull over the car and it just came out.

"She started crying. She was obviously somewhat stunned. But she was very supportive and very comforting."

And Aiken says son Parker will be raised in an environment that is "accepting and allowing him to be happy".

He adds, "I have no idea if he'll be gay or straight. It's not something I'll have anything to do with, or that he'll have anything to do with. It's already probably up inside the code there... No matter what the situation you're in, if you're raised in a loving environment, that's the most important thing." (c) WENN