Editing Lavender marriage (section)

{{Short description|Marriage to feign heterosexuality for both spouses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}

A '''lavender marriage''' is a male–female [[mixed-orientation marriage]], undertaken as a [[marriage of convenience]] to conceal the socially stigmatized sexual orientation of both partners. The term dates from the early 20th century and is used almost exclusively to characterize certain marriages of public celebrities in the first half of the 20th century, primarily before [[World War II]], when public attitudes made it impossible for a person acknowledging homosexuality to pursue a public career, notably in the [[Hollywood (film industry)|Hollywood]] film industry.<ref>{{cite book|author=Claude J. Summers|title=The Queer Encyclopedia of Film & Television|publisher=Cleis Press|year=2005|page=132}}</ref> One of the earliest uses of the phrase appeared in the British press in 1895, at a time when the [[lavender (color)|color of lavender]] was associated with homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=January 18, 2015|date= August 29, 1995|first=John|last=Lyttle|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-bride-and-groom-wore-lavender-1598474.html|work= The Independent (UK)|title=The bride and groom wore lavender}}</ref>