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Congrats and love goes out to Meredith Baxter (formerly Birney), the actress who famously played Elyse Keaton for many years on the 80′s sitcom Family Ties, who has decided to come out of the closet and reveal herself as a gay mom in the pages of the new issue of People magazine:

Most people know Meredith Baxter as Elyse Keaton, everyone’s favorite mom from the hit ’80s sitcom Family Ties. But now the actress reveals to PEOPLE that she’s ready for the world to see her in a different – and surprising – way: “I’m a lesbian mom,” she says. Before Baxter, 62, first started dating women seven years ago, the thought of being gay “had never crossed my mind,” she tells PEOPLE. Having been in three failed marriages to men (most famously to actor David Birney), she says of her many difficult years before coming out, “I was never comfortable with myself.” But she’s quick to add, “That doesn’t mean I was questioning.” Now in a four-year relationship with building contractor Nancy Locke – the couple have lived together for two years – the actress, who continues to act and run a skincare company, says, “I feel like I’m being honest for the first time.” Baxter was open about her new-found identity almost immediately with her five kids. Her son Peter’s reaction, like that of his siblings, was both reassuring and supportive. “I just couldn’t stop smiling,” says Peter, 25, “because she finally figured it out.”

What a great day … I’m sure Meredith feels as if the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders. I could not be happier for her … that she feels comfortable enough to share this news with the world proves that she is a very happy place in her life. She is very lucky to have the love and support of her family … and the love and support of a partner who loves her. Family Ties was one of my fave TV shows in the 80′s and I always thought it would be cool to have Elyse Keaton as a mom. Now I’m certain that is it is very cool to have Meredith Baxter as a mom ;)

Meredith Baxter also gave an interview to The Advocate, after the jump, check out some excerpts from her first interview with the GLBT press …

In her first interview with the gay press, which she says can be called nothing other than a “coming-out” interview, Baxter discusses the attention she received from women on the cruise, the impact sobriety may have had on her coming-out, and the cakewalk of telling family and friends she’s gay.

When a celebrity comes out, there is a tendency among some gay people to try to make that person a poster child for activism or hold them up as a spokesperson. Is that a role you’re willing to step into, or is it something you haven’t begun to think about?
Well, two things come to mind. First of all, if they were to look for a spokesperson, you’d think they’d look for someone with a bigger track record behind them — like Ms. Locke here. [Laughs] But the truth is that coming out is a political act these days because it has so many ramifications. I do a lot of speaking engagements and I have my little skin care company, so I go to trade shows and I interact with the public quite frequently. I haven’t been on prime time in many years on a regular basis, so when I’ve gone out into the Midwest or down in Florida or Louisiana, I was really surprised by the extent of attention I got by people who knew me immediately, who responded to me so beautifully and with a great deal of affection. It surprised me. The message I get is that I’m America’s mom. And because research seems to show that people who have someone who is gay in their family — or a friend or just know someone in the community who is gay — they seem to have a more open attitude about gay and lesbian issues. So I can say I’m still that mom. I am still the same person. I’m nonthreatening, I’m very friendly, I’m accessible, and if they can say, “OK, well, she’s a lesbian, maybe that’s not such a scary thing. And if she can come out and say that without too much fear, then maybe I can do that.” If it makes a difference to a couple of people, then I guess it’s worthwhile. I certainly got tired of hiding to the extent that I was.

The full online version of The Advocate interview can be read HERE. Again … much love goes out to the entire Baxter-Locke family. Here’s hoping their example of openness will help other families with their own similar personal stories. I wish them much happiness and a life filled with LURVE!

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