#The seven husbands of evelyn hugo movie#

There is a long historical tradition of individuals (particularly royalty and aristocrats) who likely preferred same sex partners entering into heterosexual marriages, particularly if they needed to produce heirs, but the phenomenon of Hollywood lavender marriages specifically linked this practice to the rise of celebrity, the entertainment industry, and the fashioning of a public persona.īecause these arrangements were often secret, it is virtually impossible to know the precise details and agreements that governed some prominent Hollywood marriages. These expectations meant that Hollywood stars sometimes had a strong incentive to conceal queer relationships, and to give the impression of being in a heterosexual relationship if this relationship could be orchestrated to further enhance their fame (such as by marrying a fellow star), it might have additional value.

#The seven husbands of evelyn hugo movie#

Studios knew that audiences were often attracted to see a particular star because of the persona they associated with that individual, and that actions that compromised someone's reputation could thus also impact sales of movie tickets. The practice of lavender marriages in Hollywood likely originated with the use of 'morality clauses' in the contracts between Hollywood studios and film actors, which became common practice in the 1920s. Some lesbian feminists subsequently reclaimed the term 'lavender menace' to assert their visible and important role within the feminist fight for gender equality. In 1969, Betty Friedan, a feminist leader, referred to lesbianism as the 'lavender menace,' arguing that lesbians would disrupt feminist efforts to achieve equality for women. Johnson retrospectively applied the term 'Lavender Scare' to describe this phenomenon. In the mid-20th century, the American government sought out and dismissed many people employed in government service because they were, or were believed to be, gay historian David K. Historically, this practice is believed to have occurred among some high-profile Hollywood stars, and is sometimes known as a 'lavender marriage.'Īn association between the color lavender and queer sexuality can be dated back to the late 19th century, possibly originating with the writer Oscar Wilde commenting on 'purple hours' to describe the pleasures of romantic relationships between men. In the novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a number of characters enact heterosexual marriages as a way of concealing or distracting from their true sexual orientations.