6 celebrity-lesbians who were once married to men

Being a celebrity-lesbian used to be the stuff for blind items and scandal sheets.

But the days of outing female celebrities who were secretly lesbian or were in a relationship with a woman– and sometimes despite being married to a man!– is over.

These days, it’s normal for a female celebrity to date another woman.

With that mind, here are some celebrity-lesbians who were once married to men.

1. Portia De Rossi
When we think of Portia De Rossi, two things come to mind: her hilarious role in Arrested Development and being the other half of the power couple with Ellen DeGeneres. It doesn’t cross our minds anymore that she was once straight and was married to Met Melcalfe for three years.

2. Wanda Sykes
Comedian Wanda Sykes was never associated with the LGBT community and she was married to Dave Hall from 1991 to 1998. It took her 10 years before coming out in 2009 with her partner Alex Sykes.

3. Julie Cypher
Julie Cypher came into limelight as the partner of the award-winning singer, Melissa Etheridge. She was previously married to actor Lou Diamond Philips. When she came out, she created a family life with Etheridge for ten solid years. With David Crosby as the father, she gave birth to her and Etheridge’s two sons.

The two soon parted ways and Cypher is now married to Matthew Hale.

4. Meredith Baxter
For some time, Meredith Baxter of the Family Ties fame didn’t know what she was looking for. Since 1967, she had been married three times to three different men. She finally settled into a relationship with Nancy Locke in a revelation on the Today show in 2009. Baxter and Locke soon got married in 2013.

5. Alice Walker
Who says only actresses are bait for tabloids? Alice Walker, author of the seminal novel, The Color Purple (which was one of the most influential novels for lesbians), was married to civil rights lawyer Melvyn Roseman Leventhal from 1967 to 1976.

Later on, she became involved in a secret relationship with Tracy Chapman.

6. Billie Jean King
A legend on the tennis court and also a feminist, Billie Jean King had been married to Larry King– who founded the World Team Tennis– for 20 years. She once again became a legend in 1983– at least with lesbians– when she became the first female athlete to come out, after revealing her relationship with her secretary.

That’s why for lesbians who have ex-husbands, look at the list and don’t worry too much. You’re in good company.