During a December 2 interview, Real Housewives of Orange County star Braunwyn Windham-Burke announced that she identifies as a lesbian.
Burke sat down with GLAAD to talk more about her sexuality. “I like women. I’m gay,” Burke said during the interview. “I’m a member of the LGBTQ+ community. It has taken me 42 years to say that but I am so proud of where I am right now. I’m so happy where I am. To be able to be comfortable in my own skin after so long is just so nice.”
Burke continued, telling GLAAD, “I’m just now starting to feel like I’m becoming the woman I’m supposed to be. I’ve always known it, but it took me, personally, 42 years to be comfortable in my own skin to say that.”
Burke is still married to her husband, Sean Burke. Together, the two have seven children, and her relationship and family life is often shown on The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Making out With Another Real Housewife Got Braunwyn Windham-Burke Thinking About Her Identity
During the interview with GLAAD, Burke revealed that it was actually a moment on The Real Housewives of Orange County that helped her realize she might be gay. “I had a scene with Tamra [Judge] that everyone kind of talked about,” Burke said. “When we were getting ready for the reunion I was talking to a producer that I trust a lot, his name was James, and he said, ‘How do you feel about this? Was it a drunken mistake or is this part of who you are?’ And I said, ‘This is who I am.’”
Burke continued, revealing, “When I went to the reunion last year I kind of started baby-stepping into, ‘This is who I am. I like women.’ I was testing the waters with my friends, my cast, my family.”
Braunwyn Windham-Burke Also Spoke About the Status of Her Marriage
During the interview, Burke also addressed the status of her marriage. Over the summer, there were rumors that Burke and her husband, Sean Burke, had split up, but she later revealed that she and her husband were “redefining” their marriage. Currently, Burke is seeing a woman. “I met someone that I was interested in pursuing a relationship with,” Burke explained to GLAAD. “It became something that I didn’t want to hide anymore and I didn’t want to keep secret anymore.”
Burke continued, “I love Sean. I love him dearly, he is my person, he is my family, but I’m not attracted to men and I never have been.”
However, even though Burke may be with a woman right now, she has no plans to divorce. “We are in unchartered territories,” Burke explained. “Sean and I are still married, I plan on staying married. We are not sleeping in the same bedroom right now, but we are in the same house. We are raising our kids together, he’s my best friend. He knows the girl I’m dating.”
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