Theirs was just one of dozens of ‘lavender’ marriages in the movie community. Her husband, Robert Taylor, told Shelley Winters over dinner that Barbara was a lesbian and that they had separate beds. Actor Clifton Webb described her as, ‘My favourite Hollywood lesbian’. Of course, that does not make her in any way unique in Hollywood.
There is enough evidence about Miss Stanwyck to be able to state with some certainty that she was either a lesbian or bisexual. The sarcasm was obvious but, apparently, the writers felt it necessary just to keep on the safe side. I recently read a book in which he was continually referred to as ‘the heterosexual Tom Cruise’ throughout, perhaps a hundred times. Mention his name in connection with homosexuality or bisexuality and he will threaten to sue.
Any mention of her sexual preferences would immediately bring forth veiled threats of litigation should the subject be pursued. When it came to questions about her sexuality, Barbara Stanwyck was the old studio days’ equivalent of today’s Tom Cruise.
