Last night on “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” Wanda Sykes opened up like never before on her life as a black gay woman. And in the interview, Sykes talked about her struggle to accept her sexuality and about how she first showed off her wife to President Obama.
While chatting with Oprah Winfrey, Sykes explained that she grew up in a religious home and tried to pray the gay away when she was younger.
“I would say, ‘I have these feelings, God, and these feelings are real to me. But if they’re not from you, please take them away and allow me to do what I should be doing,” said Sykes.
Sykes explained that she “chose to be straight” and went on to date men and eventually married a man, but all of her heterosexual relationships were doomed by a lack of intimacy and connection.
It wasn’t until she began dating women and married her wife, Alex, that she found true love and intimacy.
And although she found pride in her relationship and living as an out woman, she explained that there was still fear over her sexuality when she introduced her wife to the first couple at the 2009 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. But despite her fears, she explains that the Obamas treated them like any other married couple.
“Alex was standing next to me and I said, ‘this is my wife,’ ” said Sykes, explaining that she made a face when she said it to Obama, who kindly greeted Alex. “It was just so natural.”
“And then when the first lady came over and I introduced her, the first lady was like, ‘You put up with this?’ You know, just totally making jokes like you would to some other couple, like a straight couple,” Sykes said.
“Just for a minute, I thought, ‘Oh my God. The first lady is sitting here talking to my wife. I said ‘my wife’ to the first lady and to the president of the United States. This is crazy!” said Sykes with excitement and awe.
Well, we’re glad that Sykes has found love and pride in herself and that the Obamas have been so supportive of her and marriage equality for other LGBT couples.
Check out a list of other famous married gay couples below. –nicholas robinson
