Barry Manilow 'didn't realize he was gay' until he met hband | Toronto Sun

Contents:

• BARRY MANILOW OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, EXPLAS WHY HE KEPT SEXUALY A SECRET
• BARRY MANILOW REVEALS HE IS GAY
• BARRY MANILOW: SGER OUT AS GAY AGED 73 NFIRMG S-LONG RELATNSHIP
• BARRY MANILOW REVEALS WHY HE DIDN'T E OUT AS GAY YEARS AGO
• BARRY MANILOW CONFIRMS HE IS GAY AND IS MARRIED TO PARTNER OF 39 YEARS
• BARRY MANILOW REVEALS HE IS GAY
• BARRY MANILOW 'DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS GAY' UNTIL HE MET HBAND
• BARRY {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BARRY MANILOW MA THE WHOLE WORLD SG WH HIS 1970S HS "I WRE THE SONGS," "MANDY" AND "COPABANA (AT THE COPA)."{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1943-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}SYNOPSISBORN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, 1943, BARRY MANILOW ATTEND THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL NEW YORK CY BEFORE WRG MIC FOR TELEVISN AND ADVERTISG. IN THE 1970S, MANILOW'S VOICE ULD BE HEARD SGG "YOU DERVE A BREAK TODAY" ON ADS FOR MCDONALD'S. HIS BIG BREAK ME WHEN HE TEAMED UP WH BETTE MIDLER FOR A NIGHTCLUB ACT, LEADG TO SOLO HS LIKE "MANDY" (1974), "I WRE THE SONGS" (1975) AND "CAN'T SE WHOUT YOU" (1978).MANILOW'S STYLEBORN BARRY ALAN PC BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ON JUNE 17, 1943, BARRY MANILOW IS BT KNOWN FOR HIS ROMANTIC AND BORRLE SACCHARE SONGS. BUT BEFORE ACHIEVG STARDOM, MANILOW WAS A WHIPPG BOY FOR THE CRICS THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE 1970S, EVEN AS HE SOLD LNS OF ALBUMS AND GAED A HUGE DIENCE BASE. THOUGH HE DIDN'T ALWAYS WRE MIC, EVEN WHEN RERDG WORK BY OTHER ARTISTS, MANILOW CULTIVATED A LH AND MELODIC MIL STYLE THAT WAS POPULAR DURG THE PRE-ROCK ERA. HIS STYLE EVOLVED DURG THE EARLY 1980S, OM TAME, STRG-LAN, AM-RAD POP TO A MORE CLASSIC, JAZZY SOUND FLUENCED BY BOTH SWG AND 1930S AND '40S BROADWAY SHOW TUN (MANY OF WHICH HE LATER VERED).UNABASHEDLY EMBRACG A SENTIMENTAL STYLE THAT APPEALED PRIMARILY TO WHE MIDDLE-CLASS WOMEN OF THE WORKG AND HOMEMAKG SORT, IS UNSURPRISG THAT THIS BROOKLYN-BORN AND -RAISED SONGWRER WAS EQUENTLY NOUNCED BY THE MALE-DOMATED ROCK AND ROCK CRIC WORLDS. BEE FEMALE-ASSOCIATED FORMS OF ENTERTAMENT SUCH AS SOAP OPERAS AND ROMANCE NOVELS HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN VALUED, ENTERTAERS TERG TO THAT DIENCE HAVE ROUTELY BEEN DISMISSED BY MASTREAM CRICS.EARLY LIFEUNLIKE HIS RAGTAG ROCK 'N' ROLL WORLD UNTERPARTS, HOWEVER, BARRY MANILOW'S RUMé HAS "PROFSNALISM" WRTEN ALL OVER . AFTER TAKG UP A VARIETY OF STMENTS AT AN EARLY AGE, MANILOW ATTEND BOTH THE NEW YORK COLLEGE OF MIC AND THE PRTIG JUILLIARD SCHOOL NEW YORK CY, AND BEME THE MIL DIRECTOR OF A CBS WORK TELEVISN SHOW 1967. THEREAFTER, MANILOW REMAED BY WRG A SUCCSFUL OFF-BROADWAY ADAPTATN OF THE DNKARD, DOG MIL ARRANGEMENT WORK FOR ED SULLIVAN PRODUCTNS AND WRG A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN MERCIAL JGL FOR DR. PEPPER AND BAND-AID, AMONG OTHER LARGE PANI. IN THE 1970S, MANILOW'S VOICE ULD BE HEARD SGG THE MCDONALD'S JGLE "YOU DERVE A BREAK TODAY." HE EVEN RELEASED A MEDLEY OF HIS MERCIALS ON ONE OF HIS '70S 73-YEAR-OLD SGER, WHO HAS A DITED, MOSTLY FEMALE FAN BASE LLED 'FANILOWS,' SAID HE WAS THKG OF HIS FANS WHEN HE KEPT HIS PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE FOR MOST OF HIS REER. “I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG THEM IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY. SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG,” MANILOW SAID. “WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT GARRY AND I WERE TOGETHER, THEY WERE SO HAPPY. THE REACTN WAS SO BETIFUL — STRANGERS MENTG, ‘GREAT FOR YOU!’ I’M JT SO GRATEFUL FOR .”CAREER HIGHLIGHTSBARRY MANILOW GOT HIS FOOT THE DOOR OF THE POP MIC WORLD WHILE WORKG AS PART OF A DUO WH THE THEN-UNKNOWN BETTE MIDLER. WORKG OUT OF NEW YORK CY GAY BATHHO AS HER PIANIST, MANILOW SOON BEME HER MIL DIRECTOR AND ARRANGER, -PRODUCG AND ARRANGG HER GRAMMY AWARD-WNG BUT ALBUM AND S FOLLOW-UP. HIS OWN BUT ALBUM, ON THE OTHER HAND, WENT NOWHERE, BUT HIS SEND ALBUM FEATURED THE NUMBER ONE BILLBOARD POP SGLE, "MANDY," LAYG THE GROUNDWORK FOR HIS RISE TO FAME THROUGHOUT THE RT OF THE 1970S. MANY MORE H SONGS, CLUDG "I WRE THE SONGS," "LOOKS LIKE WE MA IT," "COULD IT BE MAGIC" AND "COPABANA (AT THE COPA)," FOLLOWED, AS DID GRAMMY AND TONY WS FOR A BROADWAY PERFORMANCE.IN THE EARLY 1980S, MANILOW BEGAN TO POSN HIMSELF AS A MORN TERPRETER OF SHOW TUN AND POP STANDARDS, WORKG WH SGERS MEL TORME AND SARAH VGHAN AND VETERAN JAZZ STMENTALISTS GERRY MULLIGAN AND SHELLY MANNE ON 1984'S 2:00 AM PARADISE CAFE. HE FOLLOWED THIS SAME PATH ON 1987'S SWG STREET AND 1991'S SHOWSTOPPERS, ON WHICH HE SANG WH MICHAEL CRAWFORD AND BARBARA COOK. ONE OF MANILOW'S SELF-SCRIBED REER HIGHLIGHTS WAS SRG MIC TO A LLECTN OF UNPUBLISHED LYRICS BY JOHNNY MERCER, THE FAMED LYRICIST WHO PENNED A MULTU OF POP STANDARDS OM THE 1930S TO THE 1950S. FROM POP STANDARDS TO SHOW TUN, MANILOW HAS PTURED A VOTED DIENCE WHO NTUE TO MATA HIS IMPORTANCE TO AMERIN MIC AND POPULAR CULTURE.AS TTAMENT TO HIS MIL SIGNIFINCE, MANILOW WAS DUCTED TO THE SONGWRERS HALL OF FAME JUNE 2002, ALONGSI STG AND MICHAEL JACKSON.PERSONAL LIFEAFTER GRADUATG HIGH SCHOOL, MANILOW MARRIED SAN DEIXLER, BUT THE MARRIAGE WAS SHORT-LIVED AND LASTED JT A YEAR. ACRDG TO PEOPLE MAGAZE, MANILOW AND HIS LONGTIME MANAGER GARRY KIEF SECRETLY TIED THE KNOT 2014. IN 2017, MANILOW OPENED UP PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HIS SEXUALY AND MARRIAGE TO KIEF AN TERVIEW WH {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}PEOPLE MAGAZE. THE 73-YEAR-OLD SGER, WHO HAS A DITED, MOSTLY FEMALE FAN BASE LLED 'FANILOWS,' SAID HE WAS THKG OF HIS FANS WHEN HE KEPT HIS PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE FOR MOST OF HIS REER. “I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG THEM IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY. SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG,” MANILOW SAID. “WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT GARRY AND I WERE TOGETHER, THEY WERE SO HAPPY. THE REACTN WAS SO BETIFUL — STRANGERS MENTG, ‘GREAT FOR YOU!’ I’M JT SO GRATEFUL FOR .”{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• BARRY MANILOW ME OUT AS GAY AT AGE 73 – MEET THE MAN HE’S BEEN WH FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
• WHY IT TOOK BARRY MANILOW SO LONG TO COME OUTLATE BLOOMERWHEN SOMEONE THEIR 70S OUT AS GAY, PECIALLY A FAMO SOMEONE LIKE SGER BARRY MANILOW, THE FIRST QUTN IS ALWAYS, WHAT TOOK SO LONG? BUT THERE ARE VERY GOOD REASONS.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED MAY 05, 2017 2:32PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 07, 2017 1:00AM EDT DAVE KOTSKY/GETTYFALLY.IT WAS MORE OR LS AN OPEN SECRET BUT INIC SGER-SONGWRER BARRY MANILOW HAS OFFICIALLY E OUT AS GAY AT THE AGE OF 73 A PEOPLE EXCLIVE, NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER NEWS BROKE THAT HE HAD MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER AND MANAGER GARY KEIFF A PRIVATE CEREMONY.BUT JT BEE WAS WILY KNOWN THAT MANILOW WAS GAY DON’T MAKE HIS G OUT ANY LS SIGNIFINT. FOR LGBT PEOPLE THE SILENT GENERATN—AND OLR LGBT ADULTS MORE GENERALLY—SPEAKG OUT ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL OR GENR INTY WH A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENG.“I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG [MY FANS] IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY,” THE “COPABANA” SGER EXPLAED TO PEOPLE. “SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG.” IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE THAT MANILOW SO BADLY MISLCULATED HOW HIS ADORG FANS MIGHT REACT TO NEWS OF HIS WEDDG. BUT LGBT EXPERTS SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TO TAKE TO NSIRATN WHEN JUDGG AN OLR ADULT’S TIMG G OUT. A GENERATNAL PREDILECTN FOR PRIVACY BED WH A LIFETIME OF WNSG—AND MANY S, EXPERIENCG—RAMPANT ANTI-LGBT DISCRIMATN N MAKE MANY OLR LGBT ADULTS RELUCTANT TO E OUT. Y, EVEN WEALTHY POP LEGENDS.“IT’S BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCE [FOR THEM],” HILARY MEYER, CHIEF ENTERPRISE AND NOVATN OFFICER FOR THE LGBT ELRS ANIZATN SAGE, SAID AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST. “IF YOU THK ABOUT THE VAST MAJORY OF LGBT OLR FOLKS—SAY PEOPLE 65 AND OLR—THEY HAVE LIVED THROUGH REALLY PERVASIVE DISCRIMATN, STIGMA, AND PREJUDICE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIV.”MANILOW WAS BORN 1943. SOMEONE BORN THAT YEAR HAS WNSED THE MCCARTHY-ERA LAVENR SRE, POLICE RAIDS ON GAY BARS, THE STONEWALL RTS, THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS AND S ACPANYG STIGMA, THE STRONG ANTI-GAY CURRENTS OF THE 1990S, THE HEYDAY OF ANTI-LGBT NVERSN THERAPY, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. SO NO MATTER HOW ACCEPTG 2017 MIGHT BE—AND EVEN THAT CLSE HAS TO E WH QUALIFIERS ABOUT LGERG CULTURAL HOMOPHOBIA—THEY MIGHT STILL BE EXTREMELY RETICENT TO E OUT.AS PATRICIA DAVI, A 90-YEAR-OLD WORLD WAR II VETERAN WHO ME OUT AS TRANSGENR LAST MONTH, TOLD CATER NEWS AGENCY, SHE WAED UNTIL NOW BEE “THE ATMOSPHERE [AROUND BEG TRANSGENR] WAS NOT SAFE. PEOPLE DID NOT UNRSTAND WHAT TRANSGENR WAS.”AND FOR EVERY BARRY MANILOW OR PATRICIA DAVI WHO DO E OUT LATE LIFE, THERE ARE MANY LGBT ELRS WHO ARE STILL CHOOSG TO REMA THE CLOSET FOR THEIR OWN PRIVACY AND, OFTEN, THEIR OWN PROTECTN.ACRDG TO THE LATT GALLUP NUMBERS, PREPARED BY MOGRAPHER GARY GAT, ONLY 1.4 PERCENT OF PEOPLE BORN BETWEEN 1913 AND 1945 INTIFY AS LGBT. THAT FIGURE RIS DRAMATILLY WH EACH SUBSEQUENT GENERATN: 2.4 PERCENT FOR BABY BOOMERS, 3.2 PERCENT FOR GEN X, AND A WHOPPG 7.3 PERCENT FOR LENNIALS. WHAT THOSE NUMBERS REVEAL, GAT SPECTED, IS PART THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE “ARE MORE FORTABLE THAN THEIR OLR UNTERPARTS WH THE IA OF SHARG WHAT SOME MIGHT NSIR PRIVATE RMATN ON SURVEYS.”TELLGLY, MANILOW TOLD PEOPLE, “I’M SO PRIVATE. I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.”BUT DIFFERENC SOCIAL CLIMATE ARE ANOTHER POSSIBLE NTRIBUTOR TO THE HUGE DISPARI LGBT INTIFITN ACROSS GENERATNS. AS GAT WROTE FOR GALLUP, “IT’S LIKELY THAT LENNIALS ARE THE FIRST GENERATN THE U.S. TO GROW UP AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE LGBT MUNY MARKEDLY CREASED.” IF YOU ME OF AGE THE 1950S, BY NTRAST, YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL AS NFINT ABOUT G OUT.“YTERDAY’S NEWS THAT BARRY MANILOW CID TO E OUT AT AGE 73 DO PROVI SOME EVINCE THAT THE PROCS N BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THAT GENERATN,” WROTE GAT AN EMAIL TO THE DAILY BEAST, CG ADDNAL REARCH SHOWG THAT OLR LGBT PEOPLE TEND TO BE “MORE GUARD” ABOUT THEIR INTY AS THEY AGE FOR FEAR OF DISCRIMATN SENR RE SERVIC.AND ALTHOUGH LACK OF ACCEPTANCE SENR RE FACILI MAY BE LS OF A NCERN FOR A WEALTHY POP STAR RIDG PALM SPRGS, HELPS EXPLA WHY SO MANY LGBT PEOPLE OF MANILOW’S GENERATN STAY CLOSE TO THE CLOSET.MEYER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT AS SAGE NDUCTS TRAGS WH SENR RE FACILI, THEY SOMETIM ENUNTER THE ATTU THAT, OF URSE, THEY WOULDN’T MD IF A RINT ME OUT AS GAY.“WHAT THEY DON’T REALIZE IS THAT LGBT OLR ADULTS RRY THIS HEAVY STIGMA WH THEM THAT HAS CREATED THIS WALL OF STAYG CLOSETED UNLS THEY ARE OTHERWISE EXPLICLY TOLD THAT THIS IS A SAFE AND FORTABLE ENVIRONMENT,” SHE SAID.AND FOR LGBT SENRS, WHO ARE ALREADY AT CREASED RISK FOR SOCIAL ISOLATN AND PRSN, RETAKG SUATNS N BE GHT WH RISK, WHETHER REAL OR JTIFIABLY PERCEIVED.“THE ARE VERY VULNERABLE SUATNS,” MEYER EXPLAED. “MOST PEOPLE DON’T NECSARILY WANT STRANGERS TO BE TAKG RE OF THEM BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICULARLY NCERNED THAT THEY’RE GOG TO BE MISTREATED BEE THEY’VE LIVED THROUGH SO MUCH MISTREATMENT THE URSE OF THEIR LIV, THERE’S A MUCH GREATER SENSE OF NCERN.”THAT MAK ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT, MEYER SAID, FOR THE MEDIA TO NTUE HIGHLIGHTG OLR LGBT ADULTS. MANILOW MIGHT NOT HAVE SHOCKED ANYONE WH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO PEOPLE. INED, MANY THE LGBT MUNY MIGHT HAVE PERCEIVED HIM AS DRAGGG HIS FEET ACROSS THE FISH LE. BUT HIS G OUT MATTERS AS A MOL FOR OTHER LGBT ADULTS WH THE PRIVILEGE TO DO SO—AND UNDOUBTEDLY, TO HIM PERSONALLY.WHEN MEYERS HEARS PEOPLE WONR WHAT DIFFERENCE MAK FOR SOMEONE TO E OUT SO LATE LIFE, SHE ASKS THEM TO IMAGE WHAT WOULD BE LIKE “IF YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH LIFE AND NOT TALK AT ALL ABOUT ANYTHG RELATED TO YOUR FAY OR YOUR SIGNIFINT OTHER.”“YOU N’T MENTN THEM,” SHE NTU. “YOU N’T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY EXIST. YOU N’T SHARE THE JOY.”INED, JOY SEEMS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT BOTH MANILOW AND THE TRANSGENR WORLD WAR II VETERAN HAVE FOUND THE PAST WEEK AFTER G OUT.“IT FEELS LIKE A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULRS,” DAVI TOLD CATERS. “I WAS LIVG A LIE.”AND MANILOW IS FALLY BEG OPENLY, FULLY, AND PLETELY EMBRACED BY THE SAME FANS WHOSE REACTNS HE ONCE FEARED. SAMANTHA ALLEN

BARRY MANILOW OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, EXPLAS WHY HE KEPT SEXUALY A SECRET

Barry Manilow opened up about beg gay a rare terview about his private life. ”“I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay.

Manilow on Wednday nfirmed that he was gay, that he and Kief have been together almost 40 years, and that they are married. At 73, Barry Manilow announc he is gay, married, and has been wh the same man for almost 40 years. ‘I thought I would be disappotg [my fans] if they knew I was gay.

BARRY MANILOW REVEALS HE IS GAY

The sger Barry Manilow has said publicly that he is gay after keepg his sexualy secret for s for fear of “disappotg his fans”.

“I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay.

BARRY MANILOW: SGER OUT AS GAY AGED 73 NFIRMG S-LONG RELATNSHIP

“Not que sure how I’m gonna tell my mum that Barry Manilow is gay, ” said Takei, the gay actor bt known for his work the Star Trek televisn seri, was one of the first stars to react to the news on Twter. Femist wrer Roxane Gay said: “I didn’t realise Barry Manilow was the closet!

“I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay, ” the legendary sger recently told People magaze. Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Manilow scrib his hband as "the smartt person I've ever met my life"Sger Barry Manilow has spoken for the first time about beg gay, revealg he kept his sexualy secret for years out of fear of disappotg his 73-year-old, who married his long-term partner Garry Kief 2014, said he "never did anythg" to addrs speculatn about his private news of the weddg broke, though, he found the reactn hearteng. Sign up to Rois O’Connor’s ee weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the si track on all thgs micGet our Now Hear This email for eeBarry Manilow has spoken about his sexualy for the first time and e out as gay, nfirmg he is married to manager Garry Kief, his partner of nearly 40 famoly private pop in nfirmed his relatnship to People, explag that he feared fans would be disappoted if they knew he was gay.

BARRY MANILOW REVEALS WHY HE DIDN'T E OUT AS GAY YEARS AGO

I thought I would be disappotg them [fans] if they knew I was gay.

Barry Manilow is explag why he took so long to acknowledge publicly that he's gay, even after he married his longtime manager/partner: He was aaid of "disappotg" his fans.

BARRY MANILOW CONFIRMS HE IS GAY AND IS MARRIED TO PARTNER OF 39 YEARS

For those who were snarky, Anna Kendrick had a sarstic retort: "Lot of people seem really proud of themselv for announcg they "already knew" Barry Manilow was gay.

Barry Manilow has publicly nfirmed for the first time that he is gay and legendary sger, 73, appears on the ver of People this week, speakg about his 39-year romance wh manager hband Garry pair married a secret ceremony at their tate Palm Sprgs, California, April 2014. "I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay.

BARRY MANILOW REVEALS HE IS GAY

“I thought I would be disappotg [the fans] if they knew I was gay, so I never did anythg, ” he told People. Sayg "I always knew Barry Manilow was gay" is not the way to react to the bravery of someone g out. Lot of people seem really proud of themselv for announcg they "already knew" Barry Manilow was gay.

BARRY MANILOW 'DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS GAY' UNTIL HE MET HBAND

Sger Ricky Mart clared himself as a “fortunate homosexual man” 2010 after years of public speculatn that he’s gay. By Jordan SargentAt age 73, Barry Manilow is tellg the world that he’s gay.

“I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay, ” he told People. ”The uple currently live on a 53-acre property Palm Sprgs, as all gay men post Barry Manilow Reveals He Is Gay first appeared on SPIN. Barry Manilow has fally lowered his guard on his personal life and revealed that he is gay.

“I thought I would be disappotg them if they knew I was gay, ” he said. Lot of people seem really proud of themselv for announcg they “already knew” Barry Manilow was gay.

BARRY {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BARRY MANILOW MA THE WHOLE WORLD SG WH HIS 1970S HS "I WRE THE SONGS," "MANDY" AND "COPABANA (AT THE COPA)."{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1943-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}SYNOPSISBORN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, 1943, BARRY MANILOW ATTEND THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL NEW YORK CY BEFORE WRG MIC FOR TELEVISN AND ADVERTISG. IN THE 1970S, MANILOW'S VOICE ULD BE HEARD SGG "YOU DERVE A BREAK TODAY" ON ADS FOR MCDONALD'S. HIS BIG BREAK ME WHEN HE TEAMED UP WH BETTE MIDLER FOR A NIGHTCLUB ACT, LEADG TO SOLO HS LIKE "MANDY" (1974), "I WRE THE SONGS" (1975) AND "CAN'T SE WHOUT YOU" (1978).MANILOW'S STYLEBORN BARRY ALAN PC BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ON JUNE 17, 1943, BARRY MANILOW IS BT KNOWN FOR HIS ROMANTIC AND BORRLE SACCHARE SONGS. BUT BEFORE ACHIEVG STARDOM, MANILOW WAS A WHIPPG BOY FOR THE CRICS THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE 1970S, EVEN AS HE SOLD LNS OF ALBUMS AND GAED A HUGE DIENCE BASE. THOUGH HE DIDN'T ALWAYS WRE MIC, EVEN WHEN RERDG WORK BY OTHER ARTISTS, MANILOW CULTIVATED A LH AND MELODIC MIL STYLE THAT WAS POPULAR DURG THE PRE-ROCK ERA. HIS STYLE EVOLVED DURG THE EARLY 1980S, OM TAME, STRG-LAN, AM-RAD POP TO A MORE CLASSIC, JAZZY SOUND FLUENCED BY BOTH SWG AND 1930S AND '40S BROADWAY SHOW TUN (MANY OF WHICH HE LATER VERED).UNABASHEDLY EMBRACG A SENTIMENTAL STYLE THAT APPEALED PRIMARILY TO WHE MIDDLE-CLASS WOMEN OF THE WORKG AND HOMEMAKG SORT, IS UNSURPRISG THAT THIS BROOKLYN-BORN AND -RAISED SONGWRER WAS EQUENTLY NOUNCED BY THE MALE-DOMATED ROCK AND ROCK CRIC WORLDS. BEE FEMALE-ASSOCIATED FORMS OF ENTERTAMENT SUCH AS SOAP OPERAS AND ROMANCE NOVELS HAVE HISTORILLY BEEN VALUED, ENTERTAERS TERG TO THAT DIENCE HAVE ROUTELY BEEN DISMISSED BY MASTREAM CRICS.EARLY LIFEUNLIKE HIS RAGTAG ROCK 'N' ROLL WORLD UNTERPARTS, HOWEVER, BARRY MANILOW'S RUMé HAS "PROFSNALISM" WRTEN ALL OVER . AFTER TAKG UP A VARIETY OF STMENTS AT AN EARLY AGE, MANILOW ATTEND BOTH THE NEW YORK COLLEGE OF MIC AND THE PRTIG JUILLIARD SCHOOL NEW YORK CY, AND BEME THE MIL DIRECTOR OF A CBS WORK TELEVISN SHOW 1967. THEREAFTER, MANILOW REMAED BY WRG A SUCCSFUL OFF-BROADWAY ADAPTATN OF THE DNKARD, DOG MIL ARRANGEMENT WORK FOR ED SULLIVAN PRODUCTNS AND WRG A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN MERCIAL JGL FOR DR. PEPPER AND BAND-AID, AMONG OTHER LARGE PANI. IN THE 1970S, MANILOW'S VOICE ULD BE HEARD SGG THE MCDONALD'S JGLE "YOU DERVE A BREAK TODAY." HE EVEN RELEASED A MEDLEY OF HIS MERCIALS ON ONE OF HIS '70S 73-YEAR-OLD SGER, WHO HAS A DITED, MOSTLY FEMALE FAN BASE LLED 'FANILOWS,' SAID HE WAS THKG OF HIS FANS WHEN HE KEPT HIS PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE FOR MOST OF HIS REER. “I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG THEM IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY. SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG,” MANILOW SAID. “WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT GARRY AND I WERE TOGETHER, THEY WERE SO HAPPY. THE REACTN WAS SO BETIFUL — STRANGERS MENTG, ‘GREAT FOR YOU!’ I’M JT SO GRATEFUL FOR .”CAREER HIGHLIGHTSBARRY MANILOW GOT HIS FOOT THE DOOR OF THE POP MIC WORLD WHILE WORKG AS PART OF A DUO WH THE THEN-UNKNOWN BETTE MIDLER. WORKG OUT OF NEW YORK CY GAY BATHHO AS HER PIANIST, MANILOW SOON BEME HER MIL DIRECTOR AND ARRANGER, -PRODUCG AND ARRANGG HER GRAMMY AWARD-WNG BUT ALBUM AND S FOLLOW-UP. HIS OWN BUT ALBUM, ON THE OTHER HAND, WENT NOWHERE, BUT HIS SEND ALBUM FEATURED THE NUMBER ONE BILLBOARD POP SGLE, "MANDY," LAYG THE GROUNDWORK FOR HIS RISE TO FAME THROUGHOUT THE RT OF THE 1970S. MANY MORE H SONGS, CLUDG "I WRE THE SONGS," "LOOKS LIKE WE MA IT," "COULD IT BE MAGIC" AND "COPABANA (AT THE COPA)," FOLLOWED, AS DID GRAMMY AND TONY WS FOR A BROADWAY PERFORMANCE.IN THE EARLY 1980S, MANILOW BEGAN TO POSN HIMSELF AS A MORN TERPRETER OF SHOW TUN AND POP STANDARDS, WORKG WH SGERS MEL TORME AND SARAH VGHAN AND VETERAN JAZZ STMENTALISTS GERRY MULLIGAN AND SHELLY MANNE ON 1984'S 2:00 AM PARADISE CAFE. HE FOLLOWED THIS SAME PATH ON 1987'S SWG STREET AND 1991'S SHOWSTOPPERS, ON WHICH HE SANG WH MICHAEL CRAWFORD AND BARBARA COOK. ONE OF MANILOW'S SELF-SCRIBED REER HIGHLIGHTS WAS SRG MIC TO A LLECTN OF UNPUBLISHED LYRICS BY JOHNNY MERCER, THE FAMED LYRICIST WHO PENNED A MULTU OF POP STANDARDS OM THE 1930S TO THE 1950S. FROM POP STANDARDS TO SHOW TUN, MANILOW HAS PTURED A VOTED DIENCE WHO NTUE TO MATA HIS IMPORTANCE TO AMERIN MIC AND POPULAR CULTURE.AS TTAMENT TO HIS MIL SIGNIFINCE, MANILOW WAS DUCTED TO THE SONGWRERS HALL OF FAME JUNE 2002, ALONGSI STG AND MICHAEL JACKSON.PERSONAL LIFEAFTER GRADUATG HIGH SCHOOL, MANILOW MARRIED SAN DEIXLER, BUT THE MARRIAGE WAS SHORT-LIVED AND LASTED JT A YEAR. ACRDG TO PEOPLE MAGAZE, MANILOW AND HIS LONGTIME MANAGER GARRY KIEF SECRETLY TIED THE KNOT 2014. IN 2017, MANILOW OPENED UP PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HIS SEXUALY AND MARRIAGE TO KIEF AN TERVIEW WH {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}PEOPLE MAGAZE. THE 73-YEAR-OLD SGER, WHO HAS A DITED, MOSTLY FEMALE FAN BASE LLED 'FANILOWS,' SAID HE WAS THKG OF HIS FANS WHEN HE KEPT HIS PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE FOR MOST OF HIS REER. “I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG THEM IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY. SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG,” MANILOW SAID. “WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT GARRY AND I WERE TOGETHER, THEY WERE SO HAPPY. THE REACTN WAS SO BETIFUL — STRANGERS MENTG, ‘GREAT FOR YOU!’ I’M JT SO GRATEFUL FOR .”{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Barry Manilow has spoken publicly for the first time about beg gay, sayg he feared he would disappot his mostly female fan base had he e out s "Can't Se Whout You" sger, now 73, talked wh People magaze and "Entertament Tonight" about his prevly secret, almost 40-year romance wh hband Garry Kief. "I thought I would be disappotg them (fans) if they knew I was gay.

Workg out of New York Cy gay bathho as her pianist, Manilow soon beme her mil director and arranger, -producg and arrangg her Grammy Award-wng but album and s follow-up. It turned out Manilow rried a huge secret for a large chunk of his life – he me out as gay at 73.

BARRY MANILOW ME OUT AS GAY AT AGE 73 – MEET THE MAN HE’S BEEN WH FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.

Fally, 2017 – at 73 years of age – Manilow me out as gay. Comg out as gay wasn’t an easy cisn Barry.

WHY IT TOOK BARRY MANILOW SO LONG TO COME OUTLATE BLOOMERWHEN SOMEONE THEIR 70S OUT AS GAY, PECIALLY A FAMO SOMEONE LIKE SGER BARRY MANILOW, THE FIRST QUTN IS ALWAYS, WHAT TOOK SO LONG? BUT THERE ARE VERY GOOD REASONS.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED MAY 05, 2017 2:32PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 07, 2017 1:00AM EDT DAVE KOTSKY/GETTYFALLY.IT WAS MORE OR LS AN OPEN SECRET BUT INIC SGER-SONGWRER BARRY MANILOW HAS OFFICIALLY E OUT AS GAY AT THE AGE OF 73 A PEOPLE EXCLIVE, NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER NEWS BROKE THAT HE HAD MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER AND MANAGER GARY KEIFF A PRIVATE CEREMONY.BUT JT BEE WAS WILY KNOWN THAT MANILOW WAS GAY DON’T MAKE HIS G OUT ANY LS SIGNIFINT. FOR LGBT PEOPLE THE SILENT GENERATN—AND OLR LGBT ADULTS MORE GENERALLY—SPEAKG OUT ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL OR GENR INTY WH A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENG.“I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DISAPPOTG [MY FANS] IF THEY KNEW I WAS GAY,” THE “COPABANA” SGER EXPLAED TO PEOPLE. “SO I NEVER DID ANYTHG.” IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE THAT MANILOW SO BADLY MISLCULATED HOW HIS ADORG FANS MIGHT REACT TO NEWS OF HIS WEDDG. BUT LGBT EXPERTS SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TO TAKE TO NSIRATN WHEN JUDGG AN OLR ADULT’S TIMG G OUT. A GENERATNAL PREDILECTN FOR PRIVACY BED WH A LIFETIME OF WNSG—AND MANY S, EXPERIENCG—RAMPANT ANTI-LGBT DISCRIMATN N MAKE MANY OLR LGBT ADULTS RELUCTANT TO E OUT. Y, EVEN WEALTHY POP LEGENDS.“IT’S BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCE [FOR THEM],” HILARY MEYER, CHIEF ENTERPRISE AND NOVATN OFFICER FOR THE LGBT ELRS ANIZATN SAGE, SAID AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST. “IF YOU THK ABOUT THE VAST MAJORY OF LGBT OLR FOLKS—SAY PEOPLE 65 AND OLR—THEY HAVE LIVED THROUGH REALLY PERVASIVE DISCRIMATN, STIGMA, AND PREJUDICE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIV.”MANILOW WAS BORN 1943. SOMEONE BORN THAT YEAR HAS WNSED THE MCCARTHY-ERA LAVENR SRE, POLICE RAIDS ON GAY BARS, THE STONEWALL RTS, THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS AND S ACPANYG STIGMA, THE STRONG ANTI-GAY CURRENTS OF THE 1990S, THE HEYDAY OF ANTI-LGBT NVERSN THERAPY, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. SO NO MATTER HOW ACCEPTG 2017 MIGHT BE—AND EVEN THAT CLSE HAS TO E WH QUALIFIERS ABOUT LGERG CULTURAL HOMOPHOBIA—THEY MIGHT STILL BE EXTREMELY RETICENT TO E OUT.AS PATRICIA DAVI, A 90-YEAR-OLD WORLD WAR II VETERAN WHO ME OUT AS TRANSGENR LAST MONTH, TOLD CATER NEWS AGENCY, SHE WAED UNTIL NOW BEE “THE ATMOSPHERE [AROUND BEG TRANSGENR] WAS NOT SAFE. PEOPLE DID NOT UNRSTAND WHAT TRANSGENR WAS.”AND FOR EVERY BARRY MANILOW OR PATRICIA DAVI WHO DO E OUT LATE LIFE, THERE ARE MANY LGBT ELRS WHO ARE STILL CHOOSG TO REMA THE CLOSET FOR THEIR OWN PRIVACY AND, OFTEN, THEIR OWN PROTECTN.ACRDG TO THE LATT GALLUP NUMBERS, PREPARED BY MOGRAPHER GARY GAT, ONLY 1.4 PERCENT OF PEOPLE BORN BETWEEN 1913 AND 1945 INTIFY AS LGBT. THAT FIGURE RIS DRAMATILLY WH EACH SUBSEQUENT GENERATN: 2.4 PERCENT FOR BABY BOOMERS, 3.2 PERCENT FOR GEN X, AND A WHOPPG 7.3 PERCENT FOR LENNIALS. WHAT THOSE NUMBERS REVEAL, GAT SPECTED, IS PART THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE “ARE MORE FORTABLE THAN THEIR OLR UNTERPARTS WH THE IA OF SHARG WHAT SOME MIGHT NSIR PRIVATE RMATN ON SURVEYS.”TELLGLY, MANILOW TOLD PEOPLE, “I’M SO PRIVATE. I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.”BUT DIFFERENC SOCIAL CLIMATE ARE ANOTHER POSSIBLE NTRIBUTOR TO THE HUGE DISPARI LGBT INTIFITN ACROSS GENERATNS. AS GAT WROTE FOR GALLUP, “IT’S LIKELY THAT LENNIALS ARE THE FIRST GENERATN THE U.S. TO GROW UP AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE LGBT MUNY MARKEDLY CREASED.” IF YOU ME OF AGE THE 1950S, BY NTRAST, YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL AS NFINT ABOUT G OUT.“YTERDAY’S NEWS THAT BARRY MANILOW CID TO E OUT AT AGE 73 DO PROVI SOME EVINCE THAT THE PROCS N BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THAT GENERATN,” WROTE GAT AN EMAIL TO THE DAILY BEAST, CG ADDNAL REARCH SHOWG THAT OLR LGBT PEOPLE TEND TO BE “MORE GUARD” ABOUT THEIR INTY AS THEY AGE FOR FEAR OF DISCRIMATN SENR RE SERVIC.AND ALTHOUGH LACK OF ACCEPTANCE SENR RE FACILI MAY BE LS OF A NCERN FOR A WEALTHY POP STAR RIDG PALM SPRGS, HELPS EXPLA WHY SO MANY LGBT PEOPLE OF MANILOW’S GENERATN STAY CLOSE TO THE CLOSET.MEYER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT AS SAGE NDUCTS TRAGS WH SENR RE FACILI, THEY SOMETIM ENUNTER THE ATTU THAT, OF URSE, THEY WOULDN’T MD IF A RINT ME OUT AS GAY.“WHAT THEY DON’T REALIZE IS THAT LGBT OLR ADULTS RRY THIS HEAVY STIGMA WH THEM THAT HAS CREATED THIS WALL OF STAYG CLOSETED UNLS THEY ARE OTHERWISE EXPLICLY TOLD THAT THIS IS A SAFE AND FORTABLE ENVIRONMENT,” SHE SAID.AND FOR LGBT SENRS, WHO ARE ALREADY AT CREASED RISK FOR SOCIAL ISOLATN AND PRSN, RETAKG SUATNS N BE GHT WH RISK, WHETHER REAL OR JTIFIABLY PERCEIVED.“THE ARE VERY VULNERABLE SUATNS,” MEYER EXPLAED. “MOST PEOPLE DON’T NECSARILY WANT STRANGERS TO BE TAKG RE OF THEM BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICULARLY NCERNED THAT THEY’RE GOG TO BE MISTREATED BEE THEY’VE LIVED THROUGH SO MUCH MISTREATMENT THE URSE OF THEIR LIV, THERE’S A MUCH GREATER SENSE OF NCERN.”THAT MAK ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT, MEYER SAID, FOR THE MEDIA TO NTUE HIGHLIGHTG OLR LGBT ADULTS. MANILOW MIGHT NOT HAVE SHOCKED ANYONE WH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO PEOPLE. INED, MANY THE LGBT MUNY MIGHT HAVE PERCEIVED HIM AS DRAGGG HIS FEET ACROSS THE FISH LE. BUT HIS G OUT MATTERS AS A MOL FOR OTHER LGBT ADULTS WH THE PRIVILEGE TO DO SO—AND UNDOUBTEDLY, TO HIM PERSONALLY.WHEN MEYERS HEARS PEOPLE WONR WHAT DIFFERENCE MAK FOR SOMEONE TO E OUT SO LATE LIFE, SHE ASKS THEM TO IMAGE WHAT WOULD BE LIKE “IF YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH LIFE AND NOT TALK AT ALL ABOUT ANYTHG RELATED TO YOUR FAY OR YOUR SIGNIFINT OTHER.”“YOU N’T MENTN THEM,” SHE NTU. “YOU N’T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY EXIST. YOU N’T SHARE THE JOY.”INED, JOY SEEMS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT BOTH MANILOW AND THE TRANSGENR WORLD WAR II VETERAN HAVE FOUND THE PAST WEEK AFTER G OUT.“IT FEELS LIKE A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULRS,” DAVI TOLD CATERS. “I WAS LIVG A LIE.”AND MANILOW IS FALLY BEG OPENLY, FULLY, AND PLETELY EMBRACED BY THE SAME FANS WHOSE REACTNS HE ONCE FEARED. SAMANTHA ALLEN

But by the time Garry and I cid to do , beg gay and beg alive was accepted, so nothg changed, ” Barry explaed.

Barry Manilow is a te legend – and he should be praised for his urage g out as gay so late his life. )This week also saw the passage of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, affectg what n and n’t be said and tght the state’s classrooms. The are jt the hight-profile of hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills prently Republin-n state legislatur, cludg would Manilow, who me out as gay 2017, say to all the Republin legislators tryg to ph this panoply of anti-LGBTQ, anti-trans bills, I asked.