19 Gay Men Who Were Once Married to Women

7. Cole Porter

Cole Porter was a well-known composer during the 1920s and 30s, considered one of the best songwriters for the Broadway musical stage. His greatest success however, was his 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, as it won the first Tony Award for Best Musical. Porter spent much of his time in Paris, hosting lavish parties at his apartment, with “much gay and bisexual activity, Italian nobility, cross-dressing, international musicians and a large surplus of recreational drugs.” But, he himself had never admitted to being gay. In 1919, Porter married Linda Lee Thomas, a rich, Kentucky-born divorcée, and although she was aware of Porter’s homosexual tendencies the pair believed the marriage could be beneficial to the both of them. For Linda, it offered continued social status, and for Porter, it assured a respectable heterosexual front during a time when homosexuality was not accepted. Surprisingly, they were genuinely devoted to each other and remained married until her death in 1954.