, 0 0 0 ▁Man ia cs ; ▁the ▁two ▁started ▁a ▁friendship , ▁and ▁eventually ▁had ▁a ▁rom antic ▁relationship ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁albums ▁Out ▁of ▁Time ▁( 1 9 9 1 ) ▁and ▁Autom atic ▁for ▁the ▁People ▁( 1 9 9 2 ), ▁R . E . M . ▁became ▁main stream ▁music ▁stars . ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁rum ors ▁that ▁St ipe ▁had ▁contract ed ▁H IV ▁began ▁to ▁circul ate . ▁He ▁respond ed ▁with : ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁with ▁questions ▁remaining , ▁St ipe ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁" an ▁equal ▁opportunity ▁le ch ", ▁and ▁said ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁define ▁himself ▁as ▁gay , ▁straight , ▁or ▁bis ex ual , ▁but ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁attract ed ▁to , ▁and ▁had ▁relationships ▁with , ▁both ▁men ▁and ▁women . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁he ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁cover ▁of ▁Out ▁magazine . ▁St ipe ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁" que er ▁artist " ▁in ▁Time ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁revealed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁a ▁relationship ▁with ▁" an ▁amaz ing ▁man " ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁at ▁that ▁point . ▁St ipe ▁re iter ated ▁this ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁interview ▁with ▁But t ▁magazine . ▁When ▁asked ▁if ▁he ▁ever ▁decl ares ▁himself ▁as ▁gay , ▁St ipe ▁stated , ▁" I ▁don ' t . ▁I