Raven-Symone answers outing story :: 'My sexual orientation is mine'

Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 2 MIN.

That's not so Raven: On Thursday the National Enquirer outed actress and singer Raven-Symone as a lesbian and claims she has been dating a former contestant from "America's Next Top Model." But the 26-year-old responded to the rumors (sort of) and Tweeted, "My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm dating's to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life."

The tabloid claimed that Symone, who got her start as playing the adorable Olivia on "The Cosby Show" when she was just 3-years-old, is dating AzMarie Livingston, known for her stunning androgynous look, who appeared on a season of Tyra Banks' fierce reality show, "America's Next Top Model." The newspaper also says that the couple is living in a luxury $11,000-month condo in Manhattan.

Sources also tell the Enquirer that Symone's family is not too pleased with the actress' sexuality.

"She's at a point now where she doesn't care what her family thinks, and she's in love with AzMarie. She's a lesbian and wants to live that way," the source says. "She feels her parents are still trying to treat her like she's a kid, and she's told them she's going to do what she wants."

The last time Symone denied the gay allegations was in 2008 when she said "It's false that I'm dating a girl right now."

"Raven has hidden being gay for a long time now," the source told the tabloid. "But about a year ago, she was introduced by a friend to AzMarie, who is absolutely gorgeous. The two began see�ing each other, and a few months ago, Raven finally got the nerve to ask her to move into her lavish Manhattan condo.

"When her family found out, they blew their stack and it's created a gay scandal for Raven," they added. "She told her parents she loves them, but her home - especially her bedroom - is nobody's business, and she was not going to back down, so they needed to accept it, period."

But Symone was still coy about her sexual orientation as she Tweeted "However that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I'm not harming anyone."

Besides "The Cosby Show," Symone the actress stared in Disney Channel's "That's So Raven." She also appeared in "The Cheetah Girls" TV movies and has released four albums and four soundtracks.


by Jason St. Amand , National News Editor

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