Real Housewives of New York season 16 star Hailey Glassman says she’s in a ‘lavender marriage’
Publicist Hailey Glassman joins the RHONY cast for season 16. (Image: Bravo)
With the new season of Real Housewives of New York comes a handful of new cast members, and LGBTQ+ fans of the franchise can expect to see some fresh queer representation.
Hailey Glassman is one of three new stars joining the series of season 16. In a drama-filled new trailer for the upcoming episode, she reveals details about her non-traditional love life.
“I’m in a lavender marriage,” Glassman says. “I sleep with women intimately as well.”
“Your husband is okay with that?” asks returning castmate Sai De Silva.
What is a lavender marriage?
A ‘lavender marriage’ is typically a marriage of convenience between a man and a woman, where one or both of the partners are members of LGBTQ+ community.
The term originated during a time where same-sex marriages were illegal and queer relationships were taboo. Lavender marriages were usually used to conceal someone’s queer identity, avoid social stigma, maintain social status or protect professional careers.
From the clip, it is unclear whether Glassman is the only queer person in her marriage, but she has also never publicly revealed the identity of her husband.
Glassman is joining the Real Housewives of New York franchise alongside returning castmembers Carole Radziwill, Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and Sai De Silva, and fellow newbies Erika Hammond and Daisy Toye.
Who is Hailey Glassman?
In her Deadline introduction for the show, Glassman is described as “no stranger to the spotlight,” thanks to her career as a publicist which saw her grace many a tabloid cover in the 2000s.
“With her offbeat humor and unconventional personality, Hailey is an instant hit within the group, but she finds herself struggling to come to terms with her past and find her voice when her friends start questioning the pillars of her identity,” Deadline’s intro continues.
Glassman joins a short list of LGBTQ+ housewives to receive their RHONY apples. Creative director Jenna Lyons became the show’s first lesbian cast member in season 14, and model and art curator Racquel Chevremont became its first Black queer housewife the following season.
Real Housewives of New York season 16 is set to premiere on Bravo on 8 September.
