Perez Hilton forces 80s TV actress to come out
December 2nd, 2009
Meredith Baxter, star of 1980s sitcom ‘Family Ties’ today came out as a lesbian on American TV.
The 62-year-old actress, widely regarded as ‘the quintessential TV mom’, spoke to NBC’s Today show about her realisation that she was a lesbian seven years ago.
Yesterday celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton repeated a story from the National Enquirer about Baxter sailing on a lesbian cruise holiday.
Several hours later Perez Hilton published three photos of Baxter being affectionate with another woman, with the headline ‘Meredith Baxter spotted with girlfriend!’.
Baxter did not mention Perez Hilton by name, but mentioned a tabloid ‘threat’ to publicly out her which had forced her decision.
“The truth is I didn’t want a tabloid to take the story and make it up, I wanted it to be in my own words,” said Baxter, adding that she was already out to family and friends and in her day-to-day life in Los Angeles.
Baxter added, “I’m not a very political person, but it’s been brought to my attention that this is a political act - even though that’s not how it feels to me, it feels like personal exposure and that’s uncomfortable.
“But there’s research that shows that if anyone knows someone who’s gay or lesbian… they’re less likely to vote against them to take away their rights. I can be that lesbian you know now.”
Baxter has been married three times, and is the mother of five children.
Watch Meredith Baxter’s coming out interview here:
Get in! We need more people like Meredith to show it’s OK, even fabulous to let the awakening be recognised, accepted and celebrate the diversity of women’s experiences and the ‘wonderfulness’ of setting the stage for all the rest to see that it really is ok if you’re gay.
meagain ∼ December 3rd, 2009 12:06 amBrilliant reporting.
In fact I bet a bar of chocolate that she wishes it had awakened much sooner ; )Bless
meagain ∼ December 3rd, 2009 12:07 amReally pleased that she has come out but in all seriousness I think that Perez Hilton is vile! When and IF people come out is their decision and there decision alone and some vile little celebrity wannabe shouldn’t be forcing the issue!
Vivien ∼ December 3rd, 2009 11:43 pmheya Vivien, stop blaming Perez Hilton - who i don’t care for - she was out in public with a woman and not acting like she was with her sister. plus she goes on a lesbian cruise, again not acting like it was her sister. if people want their ‘private lives’ - such a stupid phrase - to be private, then they need to stay out of the public.
Jaisne ∼ December 7th, 2009 10:03 am