Who is the "most famous Lesbian in the world?"

[liamstliam]

The New York Times has an excellent analysis on where same-sex marriage stands, based on the appearance of Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia de Rossi, on Oprah.

I would have recommended it anyway, but I did have a little furrowing of the forehead when Ms. de Rossi was quoted as saying Ellen was "the most famous lebian in the world."

Here's the context:

A decade ago, she had trouble getting work, a development that she and many observers chalked up to her being “the most famous lesbian in the world,” as Ms. de Rossi described her on “Oprah.”

But now she’s on the cover of the current issue of O magazine, exclusive real estate usually inhabited by Ms. Winfrey alone. She’s a pitchwoman not only for American Express but also for Cover Girl makeup, a heartland product if ever there was one.

Now, observations aside, who do you think is the most famous Lesbian in the world.

(I think we can do this without getting too tied up in "Well, she's really bisexual," for whatever value of "she" we mean.)

Anyway, my immediate thought, being a man of a certain age, was Martina Navatrilova, the great tennis player.

Is it an age thing?

A "general public vs. those of us who know a lot of Lesbian/Bi folks" question?

Where does your mind go on this one?

Comments

[whildbill.livejournal.com]

Generally it really doesn't matter at all. Mainly, I am an unabashed information junkie, and thus I simply wish to know these things. For me, frankly, it falls in much the same category as "X famous person got married" or "Y famous person fell off the stage at the awards ceremony and broke their leg" or "Z team won the game". It happened, I want to know about it. That's all.


Actually, thinking about it, there is another reason I like to know these things. If, to pick on the previous example mentioned of Eleanor Roosevelt, I were reading a book about her, and the author kept making a big deal about the women in her life, but didn't come right out and say 'lesbian', I'd be puzzled as to why the big fuss about her women friends.

Also, thinking about it, in a more modern (and likely more lowbrow) setting, the same could hold true in watching a show or a comic act: without knowing that one basic fact, I wouldn't get the joke or the point of the conversation.

[whildbill.livejournal.com]

Erm. Editing to revise the 'lesbian' reference to Eleanor Roosevelt to read 'bisexual', as per the next big thread down. (still reading my way through this)