Whitney Houston’s fatal drug habit was driven by hiding away her sexuality — with even her ex-husband Bobby Brown saying that her secret lesbian lifestyle was “an open secret,” and that his doomed bride would still be alive if family members had “let Whitney live the life she wanted to live.” But despite her dedication to longtime love Robyn Crawford, Whitney herself helped cover up her homosexual urges while pursuing pop stardom!Read on for Whitney’s denials in her own words, and click here for the inside story on gay and lesbian celebs who once stayed in the closet…
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When she began to top the charts in 1986, Whitney would boast to interviewers that her cat was "the only man in her life," and insisted that she wasn't "experienced enough" to have both a career and a romance. But by 1988, Whitney felt compelled to address the rumor that she was
intimately involved with longtime assistant Robyn. "It doesn’t bother me," said Whitney, "because I know I’m not gay. I don’t care.”
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Photo credit: Mega
She spoke out again after rumors that she was involved with both
Jodie Foster and "Top Gun" star
Kelly McGillis, telling LIFE: "I have no desire for a woman." By 1990, though, Whitney was more vocal in her denials, saying she'd "cried over" the rumors — adding: "Maybe it's because they don't know who I'm sleeping with, so they decided I'm gay!"
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Photo credit: Mega
In a 2000 interview with gay publication
Out, Whitney — now the mother of
Bobbi Kristina Brown — declared: “I know what I am, I’m a mother. I’m a woman. I’m heterosexual. Period.” That was five years after musician Kevin Ammons filed a lawsuit claiming that Whitney's father John had once hired him to break Robyn's legs and arms, saying the family was concerned she was "a lesbian...trying to sabotage" Whitney's marriage.
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Photo credit: Mega
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Photo credit: Getty Images
After the death of Whitney, more stars came out to discuss her sexuality, with
Rosie O'Donnell saying that she had always known that Whitney and Robyn “were together.” Robyn has refused to go public about their romance, only saying: “She knew I was never going to be disloyal to her.” But, insisted Bobby Brown, “I really feel that if Robyn was accepted into Whitney’s life, Whitney would still be alive today!”
When she began to top the charts in 1986, Whitney would boast to interviewers that her cat was "the only man in her life," and insisted that she wasn't "experienced enough" to have both a career and a romance. But by 1988, Whitney felt compelled to address the rumor that she was
intimately involved with longtime assistant Robyn. "It doesn’t bother me," said Whitney, "because I know I’m not gay. I don’t care.”
She spoke out again after rumors that she was involved with both
Jodie Foster and "Top Gun" star
Kelly McGillis, telling LIFE: "I have no desire for a woman." By 1990, though, Whitney was more vocal in her denials, saying she'd "cried over" the rumors — adding: "Maybe it's because they don't know who I'm sleeping with, so they decided I'm gay!"
In a 2000 interview with gay publication
Out, Whitney — now the mother of
Bobbi Kristina Brown — declared: “I know what I am, I’m a mother. I’m a woman. I’m heterosexual. Period.” That was five years after musician Kevin Ammons filed a lawsuit claiming that Whitney's father John had once hired him to break Robyn's legs and arms, saying the family was concerned she was "a lesbian...trying to sabotage" Whitney's marriage.
After the death of Whitney, more stars came out to discuss her sexuality, with
Rosie O'Donnell saying that she had always known that Whitney and Robyn “were together.” Robyn has refused to go public about their romance, only saying: “She knew I was never going to be disloyal to her.” But, insisted Bobby Brown, “I really feel that if Robyn was accepted into Whitney’s life, Whitney would still be alive today!”
Photo credit: Getty Images
