Meredith Baxter Reveals She's Gay

By PopEater Staff Posted Dec 2nd 2009 07:56AM

After recent reports say 'Family Ties' mom Meredith Baxter was spotted on a gay cruise, the actress is coming clean on 'Today,' saying: "I want to say I'm a lesbian, and it was a later-in-life recognition." In an interview with Matt Lauer, Baxter -- who has been married three times and has five children -- says she figured out her sexuality seven years ago.

"Some people would say, well, you're living a lie and, you know, the truth is – not at all. This has only been for the past seven years," Baxter told Lauer. She says she didn't disclose this before because she has "always lived a very private life," and that "to come out and disclose stuff is very antithetical to who I am."

Baxter says that she realized she needed to come forward because she "got involved with someone I never expected to get involved with, and it was an awakening. I understood why I have the issue in my life ... I was involved with people who made me think they're the problem. It never occurred to me, that it was me," Baxter said.

The actress has been dating building contractor Nancy Locke for four years and acknowledges that she's the reason she decided to come out publicly.

"As much as my family knew, I was not ready to make any big announcement, I didn't want to do that. And there was one time when I was concerned that there might be some press interest ... I didn't know but I got a little paranoid and Nancy's a general contractor so she has a truck ... And I said, 'Could you park down the street, please?' and she said, 'No.'" Meredith explained.

"I had to reach a level of comfort because it wasn't fair to push her back into secrecy. We live very out lives in Los Angeles," she said.

According to LimeLife, Locke, who is 54, and Baxter met through mutual friends.

Speculation about Meredith's sexuality was raised when tabloid magazine The National Enquirer reported that she was spotted on a gay cruise recently.

Baxter shot to fame thanks to her role as matriarch Elyse Keaton on the hit '80s sitcom 'Family Ties.' Before her success there, she already had a long career in showbiz, with acting gigs dating all the way back to 1971. She had stints on 'The Love Boat,' 'Family' and 'Bridget Loves Bernie,' among other shows and movies.

Watch: Vintage 'Family Ties' Christmas Story

Baxter has five children from three separate marriages. She had two children with husband Ted Bush, and later had three more with David Birney.

In recent years, Baxter has become very focused on charity work since she survived breast cancer. She's since started her own charity -- the Meredith Baxter Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

Tags: family ties, FamilyTies, meredith baxter, MeredithBaxter, today show, TodayShow

Comments

(855)

Wednesday 02 December

By Bill

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You're a LOSER

By wolf

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UGLY THATS WHY THEY ARE LESBIAN

By BarbieB

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Kuddos for Meridith...I have always had great admiration for her as an actress and am glad for her if she is happy.. I personally came out 3 years ago, after being maried for 30 years to the same man and with 2 children.Now, I could not be happier.

By Jessica Baxter

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I too wish Meredith well...but what's a republipig?

By Katboygreg

GO GIRL!!!
ITS ALSO NICE TO SEE THAT SHE HAS STAYED AWAY FROM PLASTIC SURGERY AND AGED WITH BEAUTY GRACEFUL:)

By STR8 MAN

Its sick and repulsive. Keep it in the closet would you? Jeeze!

By don

Sorry but your gay marriage and you can go to hell. Oops, that's where you're going.

By dlm0209

And they wonder why I hate liberals. I am a Conservative and don't give a damn about her sexual preference. Why the grandstanding and big announcements? She should live her live privately. BTW, wrinkle cream is our friend, Mer.

By Karen

I am a Republican and you are an ignorant sub-human...however, I can change parties.

By RKL

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What the devil is going on here? The whole freaking world is turning gay. Maybe they're putting something in our food to cut down on the population? I'd sooner believe that than I believe 1/2 the world no longer practices the basic laws of nature. It's inconceivable !

By Vizzini

Inconceivable, yes, but that's because she's past menopause.

By remmy

omg u r so right wht a world

By Mis

Homosexual behavior is widespread amongst social birds and mammals, particularly the sea mammals and the primates.

Male homosexuality has been inferred in several species of dragonflies. A survey of damsel and dragonflies reveals characteristic cloacal pincher mating damage in 20–80 percent of the males, indicating a fairly high occurrence of sexual coupling between males

Also, The asexual, all-female Whiptail lizard species practices homosexual behavior on a regular basis. Research has shown that simulated mating behavior increases fertility for Cnemidophorus neomexicanus. One female lies on top of another, playing the role of the male, the lizard that was on bottom has larger eggs. The lizards switch off this role each mating season.

So, I think it's clear....God DOES create homosexuals.

By Loyal

Being gay is a chosen behavior. It is still a sin, it is still wrong and it will always be judged by God like any other sin.

By Garibaldi

Lesbian Lizards. Muff diving Mandrills. Dragonfly dykes. Homo Hippopotomi. Yesterday my two male cats were going at it. Draw the Hetero wagons in a circle, we're under attack by the gay injuns. They have fabulous little feathered flaps blowing in the breeze. Their chief is the Indian from the Village People. I used to think God was a republican. Now it's starting to look like, well you draw your own conclusion. Sorry fundamentalists everywhere, there is a good chance the almighty is light in his loafers. Or even more shocking. A Lesbian Republican.

By Robert

Actually, RKL, we get a toaster oven every time we convert one! Need one?

By hairhofa

you actually may be closer to the truth than you'd prefer to realize...our food sources have been tampered with since just after 1945...with presticides....fertalizers....hormone feed beef....and not hormone inhibitors in the preservatives of opur canned veggies

By kelley

Dogs don't even follow the laws of nature .... check your facts.

By EMColoney

Yep. Pretty soon God is going to get fed up with it all like he did before the great flood.

By cathy

It's easier to say your gay these days than it is to work on a heterosexual relationship. The big "cop out" is turning to someone of your own sex because "they understand". It's a shame that society is now so understanding of such hogwash. Half the country says they are gay because half of all marriages fail. So, it's an acceptable (to some) way to dance out of failure. Sad, but true.

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