Lavender marriage - meaning and definition
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Definition
A marriage, typically between a man and a woman, entered into partly to hide one or both partners' same-gender attraction.
At a glance
- A marriage entered partly to hide one or both partners' same-gender attraction.
- Strongly linked to early and mid twentieth-century Hollywood.
- Such marriages existed long before and still happen where being openly LGBTQ+ is risky.
- Some were affectionate partnerships of friends; in others one partner did not know.
- Now also used for chosen, openly platonic marriages between queer friends.
In detail
The phrase is linked to early and mid twentieth-century Hollywood, when studios expected stars to appear straight, but such marriages existed long before and still happen where being openly LGBTQ+ is dangerous or socially costly.
Some lavender marriages were affectionate partnerships of friends; others involved one partner who did not know. Today the term is also used for chosen, openly platonic marriages between queer friends.
In a sentence
- The biography suggests the star's first marriage was a lavender marriage arranged by the studio.
- They joke that theirs is a lavender marriage: two queer best friends sharing a home and a tax return.
Where the word comes from
Lavender has been associated with gay and lesbian culture since at least the early twentieth century, which is why it was attached to marriages of this kind.
Common questions
Do lavender marriages still happen?
Yes, particularly where being openly LGBTQ+ is dangerous or socially costly. The phrase is also used today for marriages between queer friends who choose a platonic partnership openly.