One of the most significant events of the Obama presidency was the legalization of same-sex marriage and his open support for the rights of same-sex couples. In the wake of this, there was an outpouring of people who came out about their true sexuality, international television personalities were not exempt from this. Donald Davis Lemon, a CNN anchor who is popularly known as Don Lemon, was one of such celebrities who told the world the truth about their sexual orientation. He is mostly known for the primetime show, Tonight with Don Lemon.
Is Don Lemon Really Gay?
As already stated, when the bill for the legalization of same-sex marriages was passed, Lemon was one of many celebrities who came out to the world as gay. However, his execution of this was by employing a more unconventional method, and he did this with his autobiography, Transparent.
In his autobiography, Don Lemon also revealed the trauma he had to endure as a child, which included the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a neighbor, discrimination from a deeply homophobic black community in Louisiana where he was born and raised, as well as his estrangement from his birth father.
In an interview with the New York Times, Lemon also reiterated and confirmed the information he had revealed in his autobiography. During the interview, he confirmed that the people he is closest to, including his colleagues were all aware of his sexual orientation. According to the CNN anchor, including it in the book was a struggle for him, but he chose to do so as a way to offer encouragement to anyone who had fears about coming out.
Who Is His Partner, Boyfriend or Husband?
To his friends, family, and co-workers, it was always common knowledge that Don Lemon was gay, and in 2017 when he started to publicity date Tim Malone, his announcement to the world about his sexuality was substantiated.
Malone works as a real estate agent; however, before his current profession, he used to have a career in media working as a production assistant for NBC network. The couple got engaged in 2019, but at the moment, they have not made any announcements about when the wedding would take place.
Facts About Don Lemon’s Sexual Assault Suit
Dustin Hice who used to work as a bartender at the Old Stove Pub in Sagaponack, New York, filed a lawsuit suit against Don Lemon on the 11th of August 2019. The suit alleged that Lemon physically and verbally assaulted him a year earlier when the reporter was in the Hamptons and while both of them were at Murf’s Backstreet Tavern, located in Sag Harbour. According to Hice, he offered to buy a drink for Don Lemon which he refused but a few minutes after, the reporter approached him and acted sexually aggressive towards him.
When people heard about what happened, Hice was subjected to more bullying with people visiting the bar he worked at to order the same drink he had offered to buy for Don Lemon – Lemon Drops. Dustin Hice’s suit was asking for Lemon to pay for damages to his emotional health.
As the story unraveled, it became known that Hice initially asked Lemon for payment so that he would not come forward with the story. When the network Don Lemon worked with (CNN) was contacted, they stated that they would be giving Don their full support as they were aware of Dustin Hice’s attempts at extortion.
Details of Lemon’s Career Achievements
Before Don Lemon started to work for CNN, he worked for NBC; however, his professional career started with him working for WBRC as a news anchor on the weekends. Lemon has come a long way and is regarded as one of the best in his profession. He earns an annual salary of $125,000 and has a net worth of $3 million.
Lemon has been the recipient of several awards and nominations including an Emmy, and a Native Son award which was in recognition of the publicity he’s bringing to the lives of the average black gay man. What’s more, Don was also awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award which acknowledges extraordinary achievements in electronic journalism.
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