Kathy Bates has portrayed herself as a lesbian character in many movies. She is also very supportive of the gay community. This has led fans to believe that Kathy might be gay.
Let’s delve deep into her personal life and find out if she is gay or not!
Key Takeaways:
Kathy is straight, meaning she is attracted to people of the opposite gender. |
Initially, Bates was unaware of the gay community due to less exposure. |
Although she is not gay, she has played the role of a gay character in three movies so far. |
Bates was once married to Tony Campisi. |
Profile Summary
Date of birth | June 28, 1948 |
Place of birth | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
Age | 74 |
Parents | Langdon Doyle Bates(father) and Bertye Kathleen(mother) |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Sexuality | Straight |
Profession | Actor and director |
Is Kathy Bates Gay?
Kathy Bates is not gay. In fact, in the past, she has been married and divorced to a man.
However, despite not being gay herself, she holds a deep affection for the LGBTQ community and actively supports them as an ally.

Her support for the gay community exemplifies her dedication to promoting respect, acceptance, and equality for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Kathy Had No Idea About The LGBTQ+ Community
Kathy grew up serving in a Methodist church which meant she had limited exposure to the LGBTQ+ community. In an interview with Pride Source, she talks about how she didn’t know what being gay meant until she attended college.

Anyways, Bates had a personal experience where she developed a crush on two men who happened to be in a relationship with each other. This experience likely challenged her previous assumptions and helped her gain a better understanding of same-sex relationships.
She Has Portrayed The Role Of A Lesbian In Several Movies
Kathy has been cast as a lesbian character in several movies. In the 1998 film ‘Primary Colors,’ Kathy Bates played the character Libby Holden, who was a lesbian. This role marked her first portrayal of a lesbian character onscreen.
Also, Read: Know about Last of US star Bella Ramsey’s Lesbian Relationship with Partner
In 2011, she appeared in the film ‘Midnight in Paris,’ where she also played a lesbian character.

Additionally, in 2014, Bates portrayed the role of Lenore in the movie ‘Tammy,’ where Lenore is depicted as a lesbian character in the film.
Kathy’s Views On Her Lesbian Roles
According to Bates, she had a great time working on the movie ‘Tammy’. In an interview, she mentioned that shooting the film was a lot of fun.
Furthermore, she expressed that it was important for her to have the opportunity to improvise and highlight the challenges that lesbian women faced, particularly 20 to 25 years ago, when ‘coming out of the closet’.
In her opinion, she believes that the process of coming out as a lesbian was often tougher for women to come out as gay as compared to men.
Her Parents’ Reaction When She Brought Gay Friends Home
Bates explained that her parents were of an older generation and they didn’t quite understand the community.

According to her, she made a few gay mates in college and when she introduced them to her parents, it was amusing to witness their reactions.
However, her parents warmly embraced her friends and Kathy appreciates that her parents never made any derogatory remarks about them, which she found really positive.
Kathy was in a straight relationship
Bates was married to Tony Campisi in 1991, but unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce in 1997. They were together for six years before deciding to part ways.

As of now, Kathy is not married to anyone and there is no public information suggesting that she is currently dating someone.
Source: gaylesbiancelebs.com
FAQs
Are Bates and Sandra Oh dating?
No, they are not in a relationship.
When did she separate from her husband?
She divorced her husband in 1997.