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Original poster

Why are there so few high profile lesbian couples?

36 replies

VeronicaSawyer89 · 17/12/2023 18:21

I've just been watching a MsMojo youtube video - Top 20 celebrity couple splits of 2023. And it struck me that there were a good mix of straight and gay (male) couples in the chart. Obviously good that no lesbian couples split up, but why are there so few celebrity lesbian couples compared to celebrity gay male couples?

I can only think of 3 - Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, Jodie Foster and Alexandra Hedison, and Kristen Stewart and Dylan Meyer. Is this just old-fashioned sexism here? Where men are prioritised over women? Or is it that fewer lesbians feel comfortable coming out because of the abuse they will inevitably get?

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burnoutbabe · 23/12/2023 07:39

RachelGreensHair · 23/12/2023 00:25

I can't even think of many highprofile gay couples either though...

Elton John and David F
Tom Daley and Lance
Stephen Fry and Elliot (he admittedly is less well known)
Neil Patrick Harris and husband
Jim Parsons and husband

Nate and Jeremiah -HGTV design couple.

Frederick and his British man -million dollar listing plus a few others on the LA franchise.

but yes, not a huge number of them either.

(And quite a few listed I only know one if theirs work and the other is just known as their partner -it Stephen fry's partner or Frederick's partner or Neil Patrick Harris partner or Tom Daley's.)

slore · 23/12/2023 02:02

Actresses Erin Doherty and Sophie Melville

USA gymnasts Laurie Hernandez and Charlotte Drury

RachelGreensHair · 23/12/2023 00:25

I can't even think of many highprofile gay couples either though...

Elton John and David F
Tom Daley and Lance
Stephen Fry and Elliot (he admittedly is less well known)
Neil Patrick Harris and husband
Jim Parsons and husband

Abhannmor · 23/12/2023 00:17

What professions are lesbians into? Well, not a profession exactly but I worked as a roadsweeper in a previous existence and it was Lesbian Central at our depot

boozeclues · 22/12/2023 13:27

Julia is on the Real Housewives of Miami!

HelenFisksBrownSuit · 22/12/2023 13:25

I am part of a low-profile lesbian couple and we are great and in no current danger of splitting up. 😊

DC1888 · 22/12/2023 13:23

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/sexuality/bulletins/sexualidentityuk/2019#

"Men (2.1%) were almost twice as likely than women (1.1%) to identify as gay or lesbian."

So nearly double the amount of gay men than lesbians, plus there has always just been more famous males than females (we are beginning to see some reversal on the latter with women's sports getting more attention..Mary Earps winning SPOTY for example, that wouldn't have happened five years ago).

Sexual orientation, UK - Office for National Statistics

Experimental statistics on sexual orientation in the UK in 2017 by region, sex, age, marital status, ethnicity and socio-economic classification.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/sexuality/bulletins/sexualidentityuk/2019#

PaintedEgg · 21/12/2023 19:51

maybe women are more likely to keep their lives private and media are less interested in private lives of women who don't date famous men

for example, Cassandra Peterson, the actress who plays Elvira character and is reasonably well known, has been in a relationship with a woman for something like 20 years and nobody knew about it until recently

tobee · 20/12/2023 21:15

Tigresswoods · 18/12/2023 06:14

Katherine Brunt & Nat Sciver are England cricketers who got married in 2022.

Maybe the lesbians just aren't splitting up?

Yes absolutely tons in the cricketing world.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/12/2023 09:30

Julie Bindel and Harriet Wistrich. Possibly not household names but both brilliant campaigners.

TheCountIsPale · 18/12/2023 08:24

This is really interesting. I barely recognise any of the names mentioned and often feel sad our lesbian icons aren’t even gay - see pink and tilda swinton.

I’d love to see some data about what professions lesbians are attracted to - I know a notable amount working as barristers in family law. My group of lesbian friends work in public sector/creative/IT-data sort of roles but there’s a wide spread.

Perhaps there’s something about celebrity itself that feels unappealing to lesbians…?

Just musing really.

inkjet · 18/12/2023 08:15

I think from the list above it’s mainly because their other half isn’t famous so there’s less interest. I remember articles about Cara Delevingne splitting with St Vincent (singer).

NashvilleQueen · 18/12/2023 07:11

Think Sue Perkins and Anna Richardson split up a good while ago because I remember thinking it was a shame.

nettie434 · 18/12/2023 06:41

Sam Kerr is fucking awesome!!!!

Yes, she is so often a game changer. And another example of one half of a football power couple.

Tigresswoods · 18/12/2023 06:14

Katherine Brunt & Nat Sciver are England cricketers who got married in 2022.

Maybe the lesbians just aren't splitting up?

Helleofabore · 17/12/2023 22:55

nettie434 · 17/12/2023 18:37

If you look at women's football, there are many lesbian couples. To use a example, Beth Mead described her and and Viv Midema as 'the lesbian Posh and Becks'. For many years, women's football got very little attention and players were not under pressure to conform to a heterosexual stereotype.

I was so slow posting this that I missed the other post making a point about women footballers. 😳

Edited

Sam Kerr is fucking awesome!!!!

Slothtoes · 17/12/2023 22:08

Jacqueline Wilson children’s author and her partner/wife called Trish

Lovingitallnow · 17/12/2023 21:00

You'd know Lily Tomlin too if you google her, 9-5, the west wing, Frankie and Grace. She's incredible

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 17/12/2023 20:55

RoyalCorgi · 17/12/2023 20:14

The only one I've heard of is Jodi Foster. The name Rebel Wilso also rings bell, but the other are completely unknown to me.

Fiona Shaw is an immensely talented actress. She had a long career with the RSC but she was also a principal character in Killing Eve.

Her partner Sonali Deraniyagala has an extraordinary story - she was a married to a man and they two sons. They were on holiday in Sri Lanka with her parents at the time of the tsunami in 2004 and they were all killed - the husband, her children and her parents. She was the only survivor.

Oh how awful! I know who Fiona Shaw is but didn't know about her wife.

burnoutbabe · 17/12/2023 20:41

www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a38091483/cara-delevingne-boyfriends-girlfriends-dating-history/

So miley and Caitlin were "gal pals" I got them mixed up!

burnoutbabe · 17/12/2023 20:33

Mary portrays broke up with her wife a few years ago.

Didnt miles Cyrus date her off 2fast2furioys a while ago.

And Cara de la whatever dates one of the pretty little liars. And msybe Caitlin Jenner (ex wife of brody Jenner from the hills)

So plenty of casual lesbian dating going on. Maybe the older ones just stay settled for ever!

RoyalCorgi · 17/12/2023 20:14

The only one I've heard of is Jodi Foster. The name Rebel Wilso also rings bell, but the other are completely unknown to me.

Fiona Shaw is an immensely talented actress. She had a long career with the RSC but she was also a principal character in Killing Eve.

Her partner Sonali Deraniyagala has an extraordinary story - she was a married to a man and they two sons. They were on holiday in Sri Lanka with her parents at the time of the tsunami in 2004 and they were all killed - the husband, her children and her parents. She was the only survivor.

helpfulperson · 17/12/2023 20:12

Susan calman and her wife

Treesinmygarden · 17/12/2023 20:09

Alex Scott and Jess Glynne

EmpressaurusOfCats · 17/12/2023 20:05

Martina is bloody brilliant.