J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons, left, and her rumored partner, Courtney Crangi
My aunt is engaged to a woman who used to be married to a man and has several children with him. It wasn’t a case where my aunt’s partner was cheating on her husband or anything; she was already divorced when they met. I never asked her if she considers herself gay or bisexual, it honestly just didn’t occur to me. She’s my aunt-in-law and she’s been with my aunt for a few years. The way I see it, you fall in love with someone and some people can fall in love with either gender. I’m not trying to make it sound like being gay or bisexual is a choice at all, I just think that some people are at different sides of the Kinsey scale and some people are more in the middle. For those people in the middle, it’s not as much of a leap to date someone of a different sex than your last partner.
All of this is a preface to this story making headlines about how the creative director of J.Crew, Jenna Lyons, left her husband of 10 years for a woman. I first read about this on TheFrisky and now People is covering it, with a photo of the other woman. This is how Melissa Etheridge met her partner Julie Cypher, who was married to Lou Diamond Phillips at the time. Sex & The City’s Cynthia Nixon also used to be married to a man before she met her current female partner. (Rojo caliente!)
Here she is: the alleged new woman in Jenna Lyons’s life.
Lyons, 43, the creative director of J. Crew, has reportedly become involved with Courtney Crangi, 38, the sister and business parter of jewelry designer Philip Crangi. The photo, from June, shows Lyons and Crangi together at the 2011 Summer With Off Duty Party in New York.
Lyons separated from Vincent Mazeau, her husband of nine years, this summer, according to the New York Post.
[From People]
I feel like if you cheat on your partner it doesn’t matter if you end up with someone of the same sex or not – you’re still cheating! Yes you might be having some personal revelation that you’ve been married to the wrong gender person for you, but really isn’t that what infidelity is all about, some personal revelation? We don’t know if that’s the case here and if Lyons was broken up with her husband before she met Crangi, or if they hooked up after she was separated. Reports say that she was having an affair. It’s not surprising though, it’s pretty much expected.
Also is that Crangi chick wearing a totally see through shirt without a bra? She’s dating the creative director from J. Crew for God’s sake, you would think she would look more put together than that.
I had the same thought about the woman’s attire. Either wear a bra or a non-see-through shirt!
I clicked on this link hoping to find out what j crew is. A clothing line. Huh.
Good write-up.
Sexuality spans the spectrum and for many, it seems to change with time and circumstance.
Cheating is vulgar and refects one’s character which has nothing to do with sexual preference.
(I guess you already said all that but its worth repeating.)
I think about leaving my husband for other women all the time; Not to have sex with them but because I want to know what it’s like to have a wife doing everything for me!
“Iām not trying to make it sound like being gay or bisexual is a choice at all… ”
Why would it be bad to assume that, especially considering the scientific evidence for a ‘gay gene’ is lacking?
Dating the J Crew creative (stress on creative) director and you wear that thing without a bra, huh. Go figure.
terrible eyeglass frames! as unflattering as demi moore’s ones! dang hipsters.
I wonder how much discussion there will be of her photo shoot with her son and the pink nail polish in light of current events.
Her new partner looks like a very rough version of Sienna Miller. Not a compliment.
Why would it be shocking? Jann Wenner left his wife for a man 20 years ago, had two kids via surrogate with him, and only recently divorced his wife after 43 yrs. No one made a big deal out of it.
@Missy – the lack of scientific evidence for “a gay gene” is meaningless considering those who seem to find a need to have this identified have seriously oversimplified genetics, science and human nature. Most things in life and nature are multifactorial, including a lot of things thought to be genetic (and most genetically determined things are not determined by one “gene”/allele).
Too bad she didn’t leave him for someone who knows something about clothing that isn’t hideous and criminally overpriced. Better luck next time.
Ok Missy. Thanks for starting off the thread on an evangelical note. I have been gay since I shot out of the womb. Ask anyone in my family. There has never been a choice about that, I just am. There will never be a scientific enough answer for someone like you.
Ugh…what an ugly picture. They look like leftovers from the 70’s.
at first glance, you can tell!
Part of me is saying the only reason this is a story is because JCrew is basically conservative yuppy (I’m bringing the word back) clothes and all those CY people are flipping out over it because “it doesn’t fit the image” RME
The other part is saying SOOOO…what! And…
i always got that vibe from jenna lyons. i didn’t know she was married!
at ron why are you coming at someone for stating a fact that was not mean
Considering that the entire science of determining what gene is responsible for what is incredibly new, the lack of determination about which is the “gay” gene is meaningless.
People fall in love with whom they fall in love with; who really cares why.
@RobN I thought the same thing. I thought she looked familiar to me.
And? I see no reason why this is garnering headlines…and why you chose to continue it. *shrug* People bone, man. What’s the big deal?
ps. Missy – they also didn’t know there was a cancer gene until recently. Research before you post, please.
The bigger issue that that it is turning into a very large, very ugly custody battle.
I hope they’re able to keep that part out of the papers.
Please ignore. My celebitchy comments are posting funny.
@ Missy: Your sexual identity is not a choice, but how you choose to express it is.
No surprise, she looks like a man waiting for a woman.
In the movie “Weekend,” one of the characters relates how he came out to his parents at age sixteen: “‘Nature or nurture, it’s your fault. Get over it.'” Why does anyone care if one is ‘born this way’ or not? Like only by not having a choice is it ok to be gay/bi. Being gay/bi/straight is simply ok, period.
CB is asking whether it’s shocking or no biggie, I don’t fault CB for asking the question. The issue to me is why the news outlets are reporting it as if it is newsworthy. I don’t think it is. I doubt if the creative director was a man who dumped his wife for a woman that it would make the news.
I am totally pro-gay rights, but I truly am bewildered when someone who was living as hetero for most of their adult lives is suddenly gay, like Cynthia Nixon. Didn’t she have any sense of herself before then? Everyone I know who’s gay says they always knew. It’s weird to me to do such a 180 when she lived in NY, which is gay-friendly. I can sort of see someone living in a backwater place where gays are hated lives opposite to their heart.
I’m with Marjalane, I want a wife too!
I’ve always wondered what it would be like to discover that your spouse is gay (or bisexual) and to be dumped for someone of the same gender. I can’t imagine how humiliating it must be. My male friends often tell me if they are dumped by their girlfriends or wives for another woman, they would feel inadequate as a man and feel like they’ve failed as as a man.
jazz fabulous: I know a lot of men feel this way, but honestly it’s just a sad reflection of how tied in their identities are to their ‘tools.’ Not surprising in our phallocentric culture. But still kinda pathetic, really. They need to get over it, too.
I think it makes the news, because she is well known here in NYC and the divorce is becoming really ugly. Scandal sells!
I’ve met her a couple of times at some charity events, but I didn’t get that vibe from her.
I don’t understand the cheating part, if it’s true.
Reminds me of the spineless Brad Pitt who cheated with Jolie while married to Aniston.
It seems that he didn’t have the backbone to deal with his marital issues head on and divorce from his first wife before hooking up with Jolie.
I think that all gay people should have the same rights as straight, just let them live, they are not hurting anybody.
Today anything goes!
I would imagine that getting dumped for somebody the same sex would be less humiliating. If I’m a guy and she isn’t into dudes, well there’s not a lot I could do about it. She leaves for another guy and that might make you question yourself a bit.
I don’t know, I winder if I would feel MORE bad about my spouse leaving me for another woman. I haven’t been there, but I think (FWIW, lol) that if he left for another woman, I’d feel really inadequate. If he left for a man, he was living a lie. Pure speculation, of course.
when done right and with consideration for the body-type in question, a see through flowy, silky and see-though top with a matte colored bra can look positively chic and classy.
jc126, you’re totally right. CB was just doing social commentary; I stand corrected. š
It’s not surprising to me – this thing happens all the time. Actually, when it’s a change in gender, I think it is less awful than run of the mill cheating because it’s not about a choice really, but about realizing what gender you are attracted to. In my own life, a friend of mine just left her husband and now has a girlfriend. She is free and herself now in a way that she never was before, and I applaud that.
Also, as to fashion – if you’ve ever seen the September Issue documentary about Vogue – except for Anna Wintour, the staffers at Vogue are horrendously put together. I think it’s a fashion thing to look not put together when you work IN the fashion industry.
It shouldn’t be shocking. But I believe in the gay gene like I believe in the obesity gene. It exists but not every gay person has it. For some it’s choice and for some it isn’t. My girlfriend has known she was gay since she was little (before even thinking about sex) but I was married to a man for 7 years. We have been together for two years now (no cheating happened). Oh and you don’t really get a “wife” like you are thinking. You both kinda step up into both roles (when it’s working well).
I know a few people who this happened to, especially older people who grew up in times where it was far less acceptable to be gay. They got married because that’s what they were supposed to do, and eventually couldn’t do it anymore.
As for the cheating aspect, I guess it depends on if an affair actually happened, or if she simply acknowledged her feelings and told her husband. Either way, it must suck to love someone and make a commitment to them, and have them leave you for someone else.
This is the woman whose son was featured in the controversial toe nail polish ad. I find it funny that it’s always a gay/lesbian couple who promote transgendered children, like the lesbian couple giving their son hormones because he thinks he’s a girl. I’m beginning to think they are forcing their lifestyle on their children
My grandma was gay-but got married of course because in that day that’s what you did. My aunt is gay and the same thing happened-she got married because in South Texas in the 1960’s that’s what you do-then she got divorced and is now with her life partner Uncle Sandy.
I think anyone born from the 1970’s and older probably tried to go the striaght route even though they felt like they could be gay….then at some point just decide the hell with my family or whatever their beliefs are, its time to live who they are. JMO
I dated a guy who cheated on me with other guys (unbeknownst to me), and broke up with me for one of the guys. It was a lot easier to take than it being another women (which has happened to me as well).
Clearly, he wanted something I just could not give him. No hard feelings on my part, except for the cheating. Gay or straight, cheating is just not acceptable.
@Kristipistol
Really? I need to ask this: do you think that “transgendered” and “gay” are the same things? And the whole “pushing their lifestyle” argument is old. Straight parents have been trying to push their lifestyle on their gay kids for years, and it isn’t working. They’re still turning out gay!
I thought Jenna Lyons was a guy at first, which is fine. I don’t think it’s wrong that she left him for a woman but if she cheated on him first – that is wrong.
Whenever I hear a story like this, it makes me feel sad that the person possibly spent years of their life trying to be something that they are not. Coming out after years of trying to hide it is very brave. I hope she’s happy and that her friends and family are being supportive.
@kristipistol: I painted MY son’s nails with polish, at his request. He wore them to preschool, and came home. The other boys had noticed and told my son that next time? He should wear red or blue polish, and not a “girl” color like pink. I guess my point is, it’s nail polish. Not an alternative lifestyle. Projecting much?
gay or straigher…no excuse for cheating.
@ kristipistol – putting pink nail polish on a child of any sex is not making them transgendered. Get out of the 18th century.
Well, whether she got with a woman or man is a moot point. Skank still cheated on her spouse. Geez, she couldn’t wait to leave her spouse completely before jumping on someone else’s bones?!?! What a skank. And they both have terrible fashion sense. Ha!
@ Everyone who has questions about the whole “being married and finding out your spouse is gay” thing…
When Mr. Tarheel met his first wife, they were 17 and 20, and she did not have a well-developed sense of self. When they got married 8 years later, she was starting to develop a strong interest in women’s rights, etc. She studied, they moved, she got her PhD, they moved again (to the South this time), and then a year later she told him she was gay. They decided to get a divorce, because he wanted a true marriage, so they sat down at the kitchen table, diviied up their belongings, and filed for divorce with no attorneys. They told their families, who couldn’t understand what the H-E-L-L was going on-they had always seemed so happy. And they were-they were good friends. He got drunk a few times, but mainly thought to himself, “Well, that explains a lot, and this could be a good thing.” Then, before the divorce was even final, I walked off an elevator and Mr. Tarheel fell in love. It look me a little longer (hello, man coming out of a divorce, my first thought was get thee far away from me), but we’re married and have a 5 month old. He and his ex are in communication, and we really really like her and her girlfriend. It wasn’t humiliating or upsetting for Mr. Tarheel, so I think it depends on the personality and confidence of the straight person left in the marriage. Mr. Tarheel knew he was smart, sexy, funny, and a good catch, and that this was an opportunity to get into a marriage of balance vs. staying in a friendship/roomate situation, so he felt relieved. I think it’s more like…Ok, so there’s nothing wrong with ME, she’s gay! I am not responsible for why this marriage doesn’t feel right!
I wonder if Jenna’s coming out will impact J Crew’s sales? I am not aware of other lesbian clothing designers, but the stereotype (wrong, IMO) of gay women is not stylish.
It will be interesting to see.
Ohhh, and as for how I feel about it, I love it-if my hubby had to be married first, I would rather it be this situation than any other. No worries about how I compare, we couldn’t be more different, and he totally appreciates my love of clothes and perfume and the hair to my waist in a way that he might not if I was the only woman he had married.
Also, she didn’t cheat and they didn’t have kids, which probably made it a lot cleaner.
Calm down infidelity people! She had already split with her husband when she took up with her lover. Per the NY Post: “The dishy part: Post sources said that after she and Mazeau broke up this summer, Lyons fell for a woman, Courtney Crangi, who also works in the fashion industry.”
This BS is from her soon to be ex-husband, a crappy artist who she supported financially and emotionally the entire marriage, who wants the multi-million dollar house and custody of their son.
Faux News is making hay out of this because she painted her sons toenails and because they f*cking hate non-straight people. Look at the pic of her son, how happy he is and how much his mom loves him. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef014e60e83c13970c-pi
Wow. My first thought is “who cares?” I mean, stuff happens. I don’t know how long they were together, or at what age they got married, so maybe their (or her) sh!t wasn’t all sorted out.
There are expectations placed on ALL of us. Like it or not, that’s the way it is.
Some of us follow our own hearts from the get. Some of us do what is expected, then decide to follow our own hearts. Some of us decide to follow our own paths and pay the price. Some of us fall somewhere in between.
(But cheating is cheating, regardless of gender. Not saying she did; just the facts.)
nope. dont care.
I think her new partner looks like Gloria Steinem. But that’s a hard looking 38.
@DreamyK – thanks for link, beautiful pic. š I have no idea who this woman is or anything about her but I love her look. As for the rest, who cares, really. Just people getting on with their lives.
Wow, they both look so old.
My aunt is 48 and she looks 30.
This 38 year old looks like she is 60, her skin must be aging fast from sun, booze, cigs or drugs, I don’t know.
How slutty, tacky and desperate is the no bra thing with a see through blouse?
Some women truly have no class or taste!
I see that everyone attacked the nail polish issue instead of the parents giving their 11 year old son hormones. The point I was making is that it appears they look for that in their children and rather than teaching a child how to become a woman or man, they automatically think they are transgendered. Children need some direction sometimes, they really aren’t able to make a life altering decision at that age.
What does the husband look like? Seriously, that anyone would leave someone for that woman is almost as shocking as that woman that Cynthia Nixon hooked up with.
Have some decorum people – that shirt and the overall unhygienic look is a total turn off in either gender.
I’m always surprised when it takes someone that long to realize they are not gay or not straight, I would assume bisexual works the same way – its something you know. Then again for all I know this woman has always been openly bisexual. This isn’t Meredith Baxter claiming she JUST realized she is gay at 60. If I were bisexual and had a long term partner I don’t know that may people would know I was bisexual – they would think I was gay or straight.
In short other than how creepy looking her partner is, I would need to know more about this woman’s history to know if it is shocking or not.
All I can say is….they both need a trip to the hair salon and some better sunscreen. 43 and 38? Yikes.
Don’t care. Love her lipstick. I really want to wear a colour like that, even though it’s totally outside my comfort zone.
Boys wearing nail polish is controversial? Who knew. I know LOTS of boys who dabble in it. And many of them are rough and tumble hockey players. So not a big deal.
the Crangi person reminds me of that very short actor/songwriter guy from the 80s. can’t recall his name. this girl is mangy looking. whatever. i’ve had my flings with the messy types. definitely prefer the better groomed ones. just me. ymmv. (your mileage may vary, for the non-acronym informed)
OK *now* I’m shocked. That tacky braless woman who looks like Gloria Steinem (70) is 38. This is a REALLY bad photo of me: close up, 42 years old – no foundation some make up, sun damage freak flag flying free…. taken with an iPhone… every wrinkle and dimple showing. So close up the angle is warped.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/ZenB1tch/299571_206223196115347_100001830048150_466324_1800682669_n.jpg
The 43 year old looks my age, the 38 year old looks like she could be our mother.
They look absolutely horrible.
38 and 43, more like 68 and 61.
Have they never heard of a nice hot shower, sunscreen and a bra?
Goodness, I’m from NYC and I’m ashamed looking at these pictures.
If they were from some backwater hick village, I would understand.
LIPSTICK COLOR IS GROSS!!!
@kristipistol – this woman didn’t give her child hormones. She didn’t make him paint his nails pink. She let him do what he wanted to do. I used to paint my brothers nails when we were little & he’s straight as an arrow. Get over it – doing “girl things” as a little boy doesnt make one gay.
Yeah, this woman is too hipster for her own good.
Nothing that people ever do is shocking anymore.
@ 39- Uncle Sandy?! That’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.
When I read the headline I thought it was asking if the news was surprising considering the particular aesthetic of J. Crew clothing (classic, tailored, preppy, menswear)- insinuating that J. Crew’s classic look was “totally butch, how could the creative director NOT be a lesbian??” I’m glad that was not the case! Not saying that J. Crew clothing is one way or another, it’s just wrong to assume that kind of thing.
I also just read an article somewhere in which salespeople from the NYC J. Crew flagship were interviewed about the increase in wedding dress sales to lesbian couples since gay marriage was legalized in New York. This will probably only help their business.
@Marjalane: Your post gave me a laugh, but then it occurred to me that you might be completely serious. The idea of a wife who does everything around the house is kind of appealing.
I consider myself heterosexual; I’ve never been attracted to any woman sexually, but I think I could absolutely live with a female life partner and be happy. I would assume that she would understand my hormonal moments and be more sensitive when I need it. I often think about this when I am agitated with my husband over his very “logical” thinking on matters and he is stubbornly refusing to look past the “principle” of any issue we may be discussing.
@irishserra – I am 99.9% heterosexual (never been attracted to a woman and do not want to have sexual contact with a woman) but I keep wishing I were gay. Men are so frustrating. I want someone who understands me and who I understand back.
@ ZenB!tch :
My best friend is a gay female.
She is married to a very nice gay woman, but it’s not easy either, they have their issues, even though they are women.
Just, because they are both same sex doesn’t mean that they will understand each other.
ZenB!tch:
October 27th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
@irishserra – I am 99.9% heterosexual (never been attracted to a woman and do not want to have sexual contact with a woman) but I keep wishing I were gay. Men are so frustrating. I want someone who understands me and who I understand back.
——————————
As a bi woman i can tell you it doesnt always work that way. My ex once asked me to skip dinner with my mom, so that we could talk about why i didnt hugged her in public after not seeing her for 2(!!) hours.
AND i still havent figured out whats worse pms:ing at the same time (your home is a war zone).
Or at different times (someone is always cranky)
Men dont usually hold a grudge for several months because you forgot wich schampoo he prefers.
And frankly men usually do what you ask, a woman just need half a reason to refuse. Of course women are easier in other ways, just like men are.
@irishserra
Being married to an extremely logical man, I loved your comment but you might as well ask him to sit when he pees as to ask a man to forego his logic and reason.
A few years ago after my husband cornered me in his logic maze and as I was staring at him in total frustration, arms crossed and tapping my foot he instructed me as follows:
“The only thing left for you to do is to do what you always do…..say something completely illogical, declare victory, and walk away with that smirk on your face.”
Which is exactly what I did. He will yield and even submit to my arguement when I am right but I must present it logically and unemotionally.
Believe it or not, he thinks a good woman is far superior to men of whom he says,
“Most ain’t worth the dirt they’re made of.”
@Missy
Being gay or bi isn’t a choice, anymore than being straight is. This is 2011, and for someone to be so uneducated about sexual orientation is embarrassing.
Thinking it’s a choice certainly does make it easier for many people to be homophobic though, doesn’t it?
Glad J. Crew chickie has accepted her orientation, but major points deducted for cheating on her spouse.
I guess I’m encouraging my 3 year old son to be gay by letting him watch “my little pony.” *eyeroll*
Rainbow Dash is his favorite (she’s the one with the rainbow on her butt). Surely this means he MUST be gay. Even though all other behavior indicates otherwise. However, if it turns out he is, I will love him just the same.
@zenbitch, you’re adorable.
@kristipistol
Listing an incident of potential child abuse (your reference to the hormone thing was a little vague) and painting a child’s nails is a little ridiculous. One is, like I said, potential child abuse (something straight couples have also been guilty of), and the other is completely harmless. Also, you never answered my question, which I’ll restate: do you know that there’s a difference between transgendered and gay? You seem to think they’re the same thing.
How, exactly, do you know what “they” think (and are “they” trans people, or gay people?)? Also, let’s just say “they” (whoever the hell they are) really do have an alternative agenda. They’re trying to make their kids gay! Why are straight parents allowed to push their straight agenda onto their children?
@Morticians: Love your post. And zenbitch, yeah you are adorable. Save the bragging, would’ja? š
Hahaha @ Marjalane. So true!
No biggie. Women leave men for women and Men leave women for men. Happens all the time.
What I find more interesting is Diane von Furstenberg’s marriage to Barry Diller. Now that’s odd.
No biggie. . . except that we’re all supposed to honestly believe that the Crangi chick is really 38??? Try more like 50 yrs old!
Maybe now a man will know how it feels.
@theaPie, thanks love š you’re pretty great yourself.
Being gay isn’t a choice, silly. Being religious is a choice. And there isn’t scientific evidence for either of them.
I’m not sure what you’re on about. Going ot assume you’re just trolling.
I don’t care about the gender involved. Cheating is cheating. I just hope there weren’t children involved. I mean minor children.
I’m just mad at the lack of creativity from these two, from supposedly artistic types just out mimicking like so many faux artistes these days. What acid flashbacks these two are.
Puhleez on the glasses, that’s no accident.
Gloria Steinem has a clear case of copyright infringement here on her whole look and vibe.
And Kennedy wayyy back from MTV’s music playing days has a case with Lady Crew.
Dull, you two, tres dull.