what is a lavender marriage

A lavender marriage is a male-female mixed-orientation marriage, undertaken as a marriage of convenience to conceal the socially stigmatized sexual orientation of one or both partners. The term "lavender" was used to represent homosexuals before the start of the 21st century. Lavender marriages have been a big part of Hollywood for a long time, even up to the 1920s. During the 1920s, many people believed actor Rudolph Valentino was gay, and this information would eventually lead to a public relations problem and affect the worldwide acceptance of this handsome, top-rated actor. The solution of studio executives was to wed Valentino to Jean Acker, an actress. The union between Kathrine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy is one of the instances when a lavender marriage can be hidden from the public. Although lavender marriages are typically associated with LGBTQ+ celebrities, people of all backgrounds have used them for protection and convenience. Lavender marriages are known as Tongqi or Tongfu in China, where same-sex marriages or the LGBTQ+ community are not usually accepted.