Hippie Mom on Family Ties, Meredith Baxter, Comes Out of the Closet

I don't know about you but I am surprised by the fact that at age 62, three marriages and five kids, the star of Family Ties has come out of the closet.

Some of you old enough will remember the loved Elise Keaton. Meredith Baxter also knows as Meredith Baxter Birney was married to her co-star of Bridget Loves Bernie, David Birney. In Family Ties she was the hippie mom. One of her children on the show, Michael J. Fox, was very conservative making for a fun television show.

Meredith has been with Nancy Locke, a building contractor, for four years although she has been dating women for seven years.

It sounds as if she woke up one day and decided to be a lesbian. This is a strange statement, "Some people would say, well, you're living a lie and, you know, the truth is - not at all," she told Lauer. "This has only been for the past seven years." Source

The infamous National Enquire actually reported the story that Baxter and Locke had taken a cruise sponsored by a lesbian travel agency. Funny that this story is actually true! Meredith explained on the Today Show that it has taken her decades to figure out her relationship with men.

Her first marriage lasted for five years; her second lasted for 15 years and her third lasted for five years. The last was in 2000. Seven years ago after having a relationship with a woman she decided she was gay, at which time her male relationships that she acknowledged were sabotaged by her, became clearer.

Meredith has never had a publicist and has lived a quiet life. This disclosure was very hard for her but one she felt she had to do after the report in the National Enquirer. In addition sleazy celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton, posted photos of Baxter nuzzling Locke.

Nancy Locke is openly lesbian so their relationship has not been kept a closely guarded secret. Still one can have a lesbian friend and not be a lesbian but the cruise was certainly the opening of the closet.

As a 57-year old woman I must admit that I am glad that the "woman next door" came out. It shows people that sexuality goes on throughout life. To those of you who are 30 something, you get to realize that people don't stop being sexual beings. I, for one, am raising my glass to Meredith Baxter.

Sources:The Today Show
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