Seeing  Meredith Baxter on the Discover Sweet lesbian cruise, I just assumed she was gay.  No biggie. She was pleasant and quiet and I felt it only right not to intrude on her space.   So I was surprised to learn via the Today Show that she was only just coming out to the public. (She has been out in her private life to her family and friends after making her discovery 7 years ago.) I believe if everyone came out, the gay population would be seen in a different, more positive light, but I also believe that none of us has the right to out another person.

The ship was filled with reporters and unfortunately one overstepped his bounds forcing Meredith to come out suddenly and tell her own story rather than have his rag print whatever they could make up about her.

I clearly remember my own discovery. The idea of ever coming out terrified me. But life has a way of  moving on and when I wrote Married Women Who Love Women I knew I had to do it honestly even if that meant using my real name and coming out to my immediate world. Luckily I realized early on that if anyone has a problem with who or what I am, it is their problem, not mine.

I applaud Meredith for her attitude. She told the Advocate, “I expect all sorts of questions and maybe interviews and asks for support and events usually follow something like this.  If that happens, great.  If it doesn’t, that’s OK too.  I’ve lived a really nice life just the way I’ve been living.”