“Courage and Authenticity: Jenna Lyons’ Powerful Account of Embracing her True Self in 2023”

 

 

Image Credit: Cindy Ord/Bravo

The new ladies of The Real Housewives of New York City (sans an ill Brynn Whitfield) traveled to The Hamptons during the July 23 episode of the series. Erin Lichy had invited everyone to stay at her house, so that’s what they did. And obviously, it was very interesting. Not only did Jessel Taank reveal that she and her husband haven’t had sex in over a year, but they all ate caviar on Pringles potato chips.

However, the most riveting reveal came from the lips of Jenna Lyons, as she recalled the moment she learned she was attracted to women and how she came out. During a group dinner, Jenna told the ladies that her marriage to Vincent Mazeau was “falling apart” when she went out to dinner with a gay friend. Jenna was curious about lesbian sex, so she asked this friend of hers about it, and after hearing all the details, she “felt hot” and “wanted to kiss her”. After that, everything shifted for her. Jenna and her friend didn’t actually kiss, but she started having sexy dreams about her. Jenna, who’s now 55, was 40 at the time, and feeling unhappy, so she filed for divorce and started exploring her newfound sexuality.

#RHONY Season 14, Episode 2 SNEAK PEEK. All new, Sunday 9/8c on @Bravotv. (Source@Bravotv @NBCUniversal) pic.twitter.com/7GdqmgkWhE

— OMFGRealityTV (@OMFGRealityTV) July 19, 2023

Unfortunately for her, it wasn’t something she was able to do privately. Jenna was the executive creative director and president of J.Crew from 2010 until April 2017, so she was and is a public figure. And because of that, she was “outed by the New York Post“. Jenna said she was grabbing dinner with a female, and while they “weren’t doing anything” that looked too romantic, it caught the attention of the news outlet. And when Jenna returned to work, she was asked to join a conference call with the CEO of J.Crew, the company’s head of PR, and the NY Post. The Post told Jenna that they obtained information about her “seeing a woman”, so they asked her if she wanted to “confirm or deny” the claim.

Jenna was “in the process of getting divorced”, but had not yet told her mom, her brother, any of her family, or anyone at work about her newfound sexuality because she “didn’t really know” what she was doing yet. She had only been dating a woman for three weeks, but still, she “confirmed” the claim.

“While it was devastating and probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, I’m still incredibly grateful for how gracious everyone in the office was. Everyone was incredible. Not my mom, but everybody else,” Jenna revealed in her private confessional.

She also told the ladies she’s currently dating someone, but won’t reveal her identity. She said that person doesn’t necessarily want to be a part of the show and she wants to respect that.

Want more? New episodes of The Real Housewives of New York City air Sundays at 9 pm on Bravo.