Is Sheila E. with a guy? I never hear about her dating anyone, or having a significant other. Like EVER. I can't imagine her not having a loving man in her life that she can love and love her.

Man - no. Girl - yes.

squirrelgrease said:

She's not a lez!

ernestsewell said:

Even if she has had any involvement with women in her past, her current religious beliefs wouldn't permit it.

Wasn't she either married or at least engaged to some basketball player or something?
[Edited 5/4/09 15:21pm]

ernestsewell said:

It's not on her resume.

I heard that she was engaged to Prince (!) in 1988.

ernestsewell said:

I wonder where/how the lesbian rumors got started?

SoulAlive said:

She kinda has herself to blame for that, doesn't she?

Efan said:

Why should she be blamed for something like that? Did she make out with chicks or something in public? No. Why does the subject of a rumor get blamed for it, rather than the tabloids, or fools, who start the rumor? Why not blame the ignorant instead of the victim?

It's like saying a woman deserves to be raped because she wore a short skirt to a bar. "She was asking for it." Bullshit.

Is it because she's near 50, and single? When did that become a crime and instant "lesbian" status for a woman? It's degrading to a woman to be dismissed as a lesbian (not that BEING a lesbian is degrading, mind you) simply because she's chosen not to marry by the 2nd act of her life.

ernestsewell said:

Uh, calm down. Rape? Really? You couldn't find a way to work Hitler in there too?

Sheila's '80s work was similar to Prince's, obviously--sexually suggestive and often having same-sex overtones or double entendres. Examples:

1) The Belle of St. Mark--"belle" being a feminine term. The lyrics refer to a male, but the title suggests a female.

2) Sister Fate--"If they knew the real truth/they'd probably die/I could never do nothin'/To live up to those lies"--that was when people really started wondering.

3) Dear Michaelangelo--"I'll make love to no one/unless he's of your persuasion"--Michaelangelo was gay.

4) Hollyrock--"I'll pet your kitten/your little dog too"--come on, by this point, Prince was writing incredibly blatant lyrics for her. She was being provocative, and it is NOT wrong for listeners to pick up on it and question what Sheila was trying to tell us.

5) Sex Cymbal--"Come, make me happy/I don't mean just the boys"

If there had never been any reports of Sheila being with women, just these lyrics alone would be enough for people to wonder if she was a lesbian (or a "lez," as you so classily put it). She started it. That's all there is to it.

Efan said:

snip

Utter rubbish.

And I had a phone call, so I had to nix the Hitler references I had typed out.

And I'm quite calm. Thanks, muffin.

ernestsewell said:

Are you one of those people who missed Prince's androgyny and gay references too? If you refuse to see any nuance in the lyrics and image she was crafting at the time, whatever. But it was definitely there.

Efan said:

Yeah, that's it. It was totally lost on me. You nailed it.

ernestsewell said:

Good. I'm glad I could clear that up for you!

BriaVelveeta said:

In the mid-80s,I remember hearing this rumor....that she was engaged to some professional football or basketball player.I also remember a rumor that she was romantically involved with actor Stoney Jackson but I think that was just wishful thinking on his part,lol.

maybe someone should ask Wendy and Lisa

Back in the day around 1985-86 my sister was living in minniapolis working for honeywell. Her apartment was in the same building as Jerome (of the time/family). Jerome and my sister's husband became good friends. When I went to visit them a few years later they told me about the friendship they also told me some gossip. I for sure remember them telling me that Sheila was a lesbian and I'm pretty sure that they said Cat was as well. They had zero reason to make that up. There's a reason that Sheila has never been really linked with a man. Its pretty obvious.

Most people around here KNOW wassup. It don't matter. Shit I ain't no lesbian but I'd do Sheila or at least let her do me. . . wait . . . nevermind.

tricky99 said:

The truth doesn't really matter to me either way, but I always heard Sheila and Cat had something going on and Prince got off on that shit too...2 women going at it. I'm sorry but a somewhat famous celebrity that has NEVER been linked to a man..I'm pretty sure you all can figure it out for yourselves.

Wow,now we know what Sheila meant when she sang "If they knew the REAL TRUTH,they'd probably die"

BriaVelveeta said:

It would depend, alot of people don't realize it but there are a number of Christian denominations that except gay men & women.

A lot of times for the sakes of those members they try not to draw much attention to their congregations.

I even know of a bishop of a c.o.g.i.c. congregation in Michigan who came out to his congregation (and had a male partner) and only a few people left

tricky99 said:

Cat: if she is into women she must be bisexual, she is in her 40's and has 2(?) kids and has been in relationships with men.

Efan said:

I don't think blame has anything to do with it.
Women take sexual abuse differently than men, and she was sexually abuse for a long time in her youth.

They say women tend to either become frigid or really loose. Maybe Sheila is the former. That can be something hard to deal with, according to interviews it was not long ago that she started talking about it or healing from it.

I strongly believe she was in love with Prince in the earlier years though.

But if she is attracted to women, I wouldn't think of her any different.

tricky99 said:

-----
This all my be true but Sheile has talked about her romatic involvement with Prince a lot over the last few years.

OldFriends4Sale said:

What that mean? I KNOW lots of women with kids that consider themselves lesbian. For some people sexuality is an evolution.

laurarichardson said:

Again, what that mean? Just cuz she was into a dude 20 years ago doesn't mean things couldn't have changed. Besides, many gay folks know from early on that they're gay but try to be hetero due to pressures/guilt from their family/society. And finally come out in later years. I have many gay friends that have kids and were married for 20 years but knew all along they were really gay. It happens every day.

SCNDLS said:

AND if we're talking about Prince, it's not that great a leap to be with a female anyway.

BriaVelveeta said:

I'm DONE! He IS a fancy lesbian, after all.
[Edited 5/17/09 11:38am]

BriaVelveeta said:

This reminds me of something that Robin Power said on this site.She said that being with Prince (sexually) was like "being with a woman,but that's okay because I'm into women too".

SCNDLS said:

-----
I think it means she might have been going both ways. She wanted to marry P.
Keep in mind she was also sexually abused so she may not know what she is.