With more same-sex couples in the spotlight than ever before, SheWired decided to take a tour of some of the greatest lesbian couples through modern history to get into the Valentine's Day spirit.
Including SW’s familiar faces like Jill Bennett and Cathy DeBuono and famed females in our history, like Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, take a look at some of the most inspiring and romantic lesbian love stories of our time.
Jill Bennett & Cathy DeBuono: Bennett has always said, "There are plenty of lesbians in Hollywood, but they're not out. And that's their choice, but I can't do that, it's too important to me". She is in a relationship with DeBuono, and the two have costarred in multiple projects including And Then Came Lola and their own web series We Have to Stop Now, as well as the video blog The Gloves are OFF for SheWired.
Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi: The new queen of daytime and the lovely actress have been together since 2004. They married in 2008 and their wedding photos landed on the cover of People.
Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon: They met in 1950, became lovers in 1952, and moved in together on Valentine's Day 1953 in an apartment on Castro Street in San Francisco, according to Wiki. After decades of gay and feminist rights’ activism, they were married on June 16, 2008 in the first same-sex wedding to take place in San. Martin passed away on August 27, 2008.
More on next page...
\\\
(continued)
Susan Sontag & Annie Leibovitz : Both had already established notability in their careers when the two women met in 1989. Following Sontag’s death in 2004, Leibovitz said, "With Susan, it was a love story.” She also notes assembling A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005 was part of the grieving process for Annie. It includes many photographs of Sontag throughout their life together, including several toward the end of Sontag's life.
Jane Lynch & Dr. Lara Embry: The Emmy-winning star of Glee and the clinical psychologist married in the spring of 2010. Lynch has made a point to honor her wife as she collects awards for her perfect performance as ‘Sue Sylvester’.
Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas: Stein is the author of one of the earliest coming out stories, Q.E.D. (published in 1950 as Things as They Are), written in 1903 and suppressed by the author. Stein and Toklas, who Hemingway referred to as Gertrude’s “wife,” made a petite pair: Alice was 4'11" tall, and Gertrude was 5'1".
More on next page...
\\\
(continued)
Wanda Sykes & Alex Sykes: The outspoken comedian and her wife welcomed, Alex, welcomed twins on April 2009. The couple married on Oct. 25, 2008.
Lily Tomlin & Jane Wagner: The brilliant creative partners are life partners as well who met in 1971 when Tomlin invited Jane to Los Angeles to collaborate on a comedy album. Although Tomlin officially came out to the press in 2001, she never shied away from the subject explaining, "Everybody in the industry was certainly aware of my sexuality and of Jane... In interviews I [would] always reference Jane and talk about Jane, but they don't always write about it."
Cynthia Nixon & Christine Marinoni: The Sex and the City star and the education activist have been together since 2003. They announced their engagement last year and surprised the press by welcoming a new baby just this month.
More on next page...
\\\
(continued)
Sheryl Swoopes & Alisa Scott: In October 2005, Swoopes became one of the most high profile (and first African-American) athletes to ever come out publicly. Sheryl wrote in Essence magazine April 2006 of her partner, Alisa Scott, with whom she is raising her son from a previous marriage:
"Alisa treated me the way I'd always longed to be treated. Each time she asked me out, she handled every detail. She always opened my door, helped me out of the car, pulled out my chair. Perhaps because she sensed I was reluctant in the new territory of a same-sex relationship, she took the lead. Nearly every day I went to her house after basketball practice. I constantly wanted to be in her presence. When we were apart. I'd call just to hear her voice--then I'd sheepishly hang up when she answered. By summer 2001, Alisa and I were in a committed relationship."
Sara Gilbert & Allison Adler: They’ve been in a relationship since 2002, and former child star Gilbert officially came out as a lesbian in 2010. Adler gave birth to the couple's son, Levi Hank, in October 2004 and Gilbert gave birth to a daughter, Sawyer, on August 2, 2007.
Kirsten Vangsness & Melanie Goldstein:Criminal Minds star Vangsness is engaged to film editor Melanie Goldstein. They intend to marry in 2013. She tells EOnline.com, "We're going to do it in 2013 - no matter what. Melanie wants us to go to every place that it's (gay marriage) legal and just collect marriage certificates from places like Sweden and Mexico like people collect Disney pins. We want to put up a whole wall of them."
More on next page...
\\\
(continued)
Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Cholodenko:The Kids Are All Right filmmaker, Cholodenko, is from a "liberal Jewish" family and came out as a lesbian in the 11th grade. She is in a relationship with musician Wendy Melvoin who was half of the iconic Wendy and Lisa, which grew out of Prince and the Revolution. Cholodenko gave birth to their son, Calder, by way of an anonymous sperm donor.
Rachel Maddow & Susan Mikula: The couple met in 1999, when Mikula hired Maddow to do yard work at her home. Maddow has said she looked at her future partner and instantly fell in love. Their first date was at a National Rifle Association "Ladies Day On The Range" event. Although Massachusetts recognizes same-sex marriage; the couple has no plans to wed.
Meredith Baxter & Nancy Locke: Baxter made nationale news when she came out to SheWired at the close of 2009. She lives with her partner, Nancy Locke, a general contractor. They have been together since 2005.
Follow SheWired on Twitter!
Follow SheWired on Facebook!
Be SheWired's Friend on MySpace!
