Lavender marriage is a term used to describe a type of mixed-orientation marriage in which a man and a woman marry for the purpose of concealing that one, or both, parties are homosexual.^{citation needed} If one party is straight, they are referred to as a beard (female) or merkin (male), depending on their gender.

Although there have been a number of prominent lavender marriages in history, the phrase itself came into colloquial use during the 1920s,^{citation needed} when the imposition of morality clauses into the contracts of Hollywood actors caused some homosexual stars to enter into marriages of convenience to protect their public reputations, and preserve their careers. The destruction of the career of MGM actor William Haines, who refused to end his relationship with his male partner Jimmy Shields and enter into a marriage at MGM's direction^[1], was said to have prompted a number of marriages of this type.^{citation needed}

While the term is no longer in common usage, rumors suggesting some high profile celebrity couples marry to conceal the sexual orientation of one or both partners continue to circulate.

Among the couples and individuals who have been reported or rumored to have entered "lavender marriages" are:

• Rock Hudson, who, under movie studio pressure and worried about rumors that Confidential magazine was planning to expose his homosexuality, married Phyllis Gates, a young woman who worked in the film studio.^[2]
• Costume designer Adrian and actress Janet Gaynor.
• Actors Edmund Lowe and Lilyan Tashman was rumored to be a lavender marriage.
• Actors Charles Bryant and Alla Nazimova, who collaborated on several films including the infamous Salomé.

The plot of the 1993 film The Wedding Banquet centers around a lavender marriage between two Chinese Americans.

See also

• Boston marriage
• Doom Book
• Hollywood marriage
• Mariage blanc, an asexual marriage undertaken for the protection of one party
• Sham marriage

References

1. ^ Trimmier, Benjamin. "Haines, William "Billy" (1900-1973)". glbtq.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
2. ^ Gates, Phyllis (1987). My husband, Rock Hudson: the real story of Rock Hudson's marriage to Phyllis Gates. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday. ISBN 9780385240710.