The Men We Loved in 2012

Photo by: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Frank Ocean: Because he's not afraid to break the mold. In July, a 24-year-old rising R&B star blogged about his first love."I was 19 years old. He was too." The admission was a first for a mainstream hip-hop star, but Ocean hadn't been hiding much. The lyrics in several of his songs already referenced a male romantic interest. His description of his early summer romance on his blog is no less lyrical. "And ... more 

Photo by: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Frank Ocean: Because he's not afraid to break the mold. In July, a 24-year-old rising R&B star blogged about his first love."I was 19 years old. He was too." The admission was a first for a mainstream hip-hop star, but Ocean hadn't been hiding much. The lyrics in several of his songs already referenced a male romantic interest. His description of his early summer romance on his blog is no less lyrical. "And on the days we were together, time would glide," he writes. "Most of the day I'd see him, and his smile...By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant." Ocean didn't just change the culture of a music genre, he redefined the media's concept of "coming out" as something more personal, fragile and reflective than previously portrayed. less