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Kyle Richards is no amateur when it comes to airing out her dirty laundry on TV; she’s made a career out of it for the last 14 years on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” However, Richards has discovered an unfortunate side of celebrityhood — people will put anything in a headline. The reality star’s sexuality has sparked particular interest in the media, especially her relationship with country singer Morgan Wade, which Richards denies as being anything more than a friendship.
Her sexual orientation is something Richards never thought she’d be discussing on “RHOBH.” “This is not something that would have ever registered in my brain,” Richards told Refinery29 after the Season 14 premiere. “You’re raised a certain way or, at least for me, just on autopilot, that this is how life is. And [the speculation] did kind of make me go, ‘Hmm, now I’m wondering about that.'”
However, how she’s perceived in the media hasn’t stopped Richards from living freely in her new identity. “A couple of years ago I thought, ‘You know what? I have my own thoughts and feelings,'” Richards told Entertainment Tonight. “And if that means getting a tattoo at my age or whatever it may be, you know, I’m going to live by my rules.” The freedom of expression has come at a cost, with many of her public relationships meeting challenges as her exploration of her new self comes to a head.
Kyle Richards hinted at her sexual exploration with women at the RHOBH Season 13 reunion
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Throughout Season 13 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Kyle Richards hinted at her interest in women — and she didn’t mean arguing with them. In one instance on the show, she asked the other women if they’d ever consider dating the same gender. The biggest revelation in the season was her budding friendship with country music artist Morgan Wade. Their bond was so tight that Richards even tattooed her initial onto Wade’s body.
During the Season 13 reunion, Andy Cohen asked Richards to clarify her relationship with Wade, also opening the floor to the other women — including Crystal Kung Minkoff and Dorit Kemsley — who said they thought Richards and Wade were romantically involved. When they addressed the topic of Wade’s music video for her song “Fall In Love With Me,” which shows many sultry scenes between the friends, Richards said, “If I’m being honest with myself, I was obviously curious in order to say yes” to the video. After Erika Jayne gave the camera a confident “I knew it” head nod, Richards added: “You know what? She’s hot. What can I say?”
Kyle Richards’ split from Mauricio Umansky sparked rumors of infidelity with Morgan Wade
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After nearly 30 years of marriage, Mauricio Umansky and Kyle Richards announced their separation in July 2023. While many were confident that Umansky had seen other women, Richards was sparking infidelity rumors herself. Her friendship with Morgan Wade was a piping hot topic after her split with Umansky, with much of the public speculating that there was something more than just friendship between them.
According to an inside source who spoke with Us Weekly amid the couple’s separation, Umansky denies that it was an affair that split them up, but he “does take responsibility for making Kyle lose all trust in the marriage,” the source said. Richards also addressed the trust issue in the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 13 reunion.
Now that she is no longer in a relationship with Umanksy, fans wondered if there will be any clarification on her relationship with Wade in Season 14 of “RHOBH.” Though they’ve denied any romantic involvement, Richards’ coy explanation to Us Weekly might be all the info we need. “What’s hard is that I can only speak on my behalf,” Richards told the outlet, suggesting there may be some love for her country singer friend, but she won’t publicly address it.
The media has put pressure on Kyle Richards’ friendship with Morgan Wade
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Though Kyle Richards has been open about her own sexuality, she says she won’t be putting a spotlight on her relationship with Morgan Wade anymore. Since her separation from Mauricio Umansky, Richards has been romantically tied to Wade, which has put immense pressure on her friendship with the country artist — sparking intrigue with fans on where Richards and Wade’s relationship stands today.
The “Halloween Ends” actor revealed to People in December 2023 that she regretted exposing her relationship with Wade on TV. “In the beginning, I did [regret bringing her on camera] because even though she’s an artist and a musician, she’s not someone who wants this attention,” she said. “I felt bad about that.” While it’s still unknown whether the friends are more than what they tell, Richards told Us Weekly that she will not be addressing Wade much in Season 14 out of respect for her privacy. “I have to let her speak for herself,” said Richards.
The conversation with Kyle Richards’ daughters about her sexuality was a proud mom moment for the reality star
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After the media flooded with stories about Kyle Richards and her questioning romantic interests, the “RHOBH” star knew she had to be open with her four adult daughters — Farrah, Portia, Alexia, and Sophia. “It was the most difficult conversation I’ve ever had with my children and I was terrified to have that conversation,” she revealed on the Page Six podcast “Virtual Reali-Tea.”
She went on to say that she had never felt unassured about her sexuality until she started questioning whether she liked women at this stage of her life. “This was not the way I was raised, that’s not the way my mind even operated, and all of a sudden, I was thinking like that,” Richards said. However, Richards noted that the conversation with her girls was her proudest moment as a mother because of their unwavering support. “The reaction I was met with just blew me away with all four of my daughters, and I felt so loved and so supported,” she told People. “They just want me to be happy.”
Kyle Richards wants people to stop gossiping about her sexuality
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In the premiere of Season 14, Kyle Richards confessed to somewhat of an identity crisis stemming from no longer being a wife, no kids in the house, and exploring her sexuality. Richards even admitted that she started questioning her sexuality when rumors were flying through the media. But she’s certain about one thing: there’s no room in this world for gossip when it pertains to someone’s sexual orientation.
“In the LGBTQIA+ world, that’s a very known thing,” Richards told Refinery29 of the etiquette around publicly commenting on someone’s sexuality when they’re not ready. “You give that person grace and let them figure it out on their own and don’t comment on it until that person does.” Unfortunately, that was not the case for Richards’ own self-sexploration. The reality star says that being under the microscope was challenging because the public didn’t give her time to figure it out for herself.
One thing’s for sure — the “Real Housewives” star doesn’t owe the public any explanation, but what she reveals in Season 14 could be the start of a new journey for Richards.
Read More: https://www.thelist.com/1730947/kyle-richards-sexual-orientation-unclear-morgan-wade-kevin-costner/
