According to the New York Post's Page Six, new details have emerged about the divorce of Jenna Lyons: the creative director of J. Crew, much admired for her impeccable taste, is splitting from husband, Vincent Mazeau, and is supposedly in a relationship with another woman.
If the rumors are true, this means, among other things, that contrary to tired stereotypes, not every lesbian looks like, say, Pat Buchanan. Yes, folks, a lesbian can be stylish. And not just kind of stylish, but really stylish. In fact, two lesbians can be stylish, assuming that Lyons wouldn't pair up with some who has questionable taste.
L'affair Lyons is catnip for gossip rags, and if she actually is gay, she will join the many celebrity women once married to men whose coming outs inspired more media coverage than usually devoted to small revolutions. (The Frisky takes us down memory lane to remember some others in a slideshow here.)
One early example is The Daily Mail's headline: "Millionaire J Crew boss who painted five-year-old son's toenails pink splits from husband -- and moves on with lesbian lover"
Because the pink toenails clearly have a lot to do with it. I'm just surprised no one has suggested that the writing was on the wall in Lyons' recent interview with The New York Times discussing how gay and lesbian couples have recently had an influence on J. Crew's wedding collection:
The piece quotes Lyons, "Based on feedback, she said, there was a need for simpler dresses, as a way for a woman to differentiate herself if her partner decides to go the princess bride route. Ms. Lyons is also thinking of offering a white pantsuit."
Lyons clarified in the piece that said pantsuit would be "not necessarily for a lesbian."
You'd hope that any socially-aware heterosexual person in Lyons' position would have had the same idea, no?
Perhaps the biggest question Lyon's personal saga raises is this: Is the public shocked by the fact that she was married to a man for ten years and that she now likes women? Or that she's a successful, well-respected and beautiful leader in the fashion industry who's gay, but not a man?
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So, what is the Big Story as it were?
Oh she's some kind of "Famous" Person?
Thanks for the factoid!
While this may say something about lesbians and style, what does it say about homosexualÂity and choice? Is it possible that not all homosexual behavior is inborn? That some people can actually choose their sexual preference and are not simply victims of there biology.
Some of us are born definitely gay, but scientific studies have shown that every human is somewhere in between. We have a little of everything going on sexually. Only those brave enough to be true to themselves actually live out their natural sexual desires.
Some callers wanted to imply that this is proof that homosexuality is a choice, but the psychologist was essentially saying that 1) Many, many people are truly conflicted about their sexuality for years and can often convince themselves they are heterosexual, while eventually their true selves emerge, and 2) Some people feel they can live a double life -- have a traditional family and career while also exploring these other feelings they have.
I came away feeling bad for people who are living a secret life (for whatever their reasons), but also bad for kids who have a parent who would keep something so potentially damaging to the family unit a big secret for years.
The bigger question here isn't that Jenna lived as a closet lesbian all these years but that she chose to have an affair breaking the sanctity of the vows she took in the pact of marriage. Why are solidly successful "leaders" such wimps when it comes to their personal relationships? Granted most people don't handle their emotions very well but honestly I would like to see her raked over the coals in divorce court.
You all want equality well here it is. Jenna made a dumb decision and should pay for it just as any other adulterer would. She is the bread winner. She is the adulterer. She should lose 50% of the combined estate and possibly custody. He should get alimony and child support if awarded custody of their children. I might even go so far as to give her less of the estate due to her adulterous behavior.
I don't care about her orientation. I do care that this article wants to point out that her sexual orientation needs to be part of the conversation.
The stigma and discrimination of 'coming out' keeps many gays in fear and denial, until they reach a 'tipping point -- and find the courage and strength to face the truth. It isn't intentional dishonesty. It's an inability to cope with the viciousness and highly judgmental attitudes of those much like you.
It could be that she just got fed up with "a lifetime of dealing with egocentricÂ, childish, narcisistiÂc, self-centeÂred, clueless men who think women are disposableÂ, I can't say I blame her. And I would add to that the masculine penchant for starting wars and killing millions of people" as someone said above. Sounds like you're well on the way to assuming the 'male privilege' of punishing a woman for the adulterous behavior that most men don't even think twice about engaging in.