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Sally Ride’s Partner of 27 Years Says Astronaut Gave Permission to Speak About Romance
Sally Ride’s partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, detailed her decision to reveal their 27-year romance before the famed astronaut died in 2012 following her battle with pancreatic cancer.
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Sally Ride’s most intimate mission was a private one.
Nearly 13 years after the ground-breaking NASA astronaut’s death, her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy reflected on their joint decision to reveal their 27-year romance to the world.
“Ten days before she died, I asked her how I should be to the public,” the 73-year-old told People in an interview published June 15. “I was holding sort of a public celebration of her life, and then a national tribute at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. And it was like, ‘So who am I?’”
Though many of their “friends and family knew” of their decades-long relationship, Tam still wanted to disclose their connection with earnest respect.
“She told me, ‘You decide what you want to say,’” the children’s science writer continued, “‘how open you want to be about our relationship.’”
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Indeed, Tam took Sally’s words into consideration and announced their relationship in 2012, shortly after the astronaut—the first American woman to go into space—died following her battle with pancreatic cancer at age 61. She specifically revealed their relationship in Sally’s obituary at the time, noting “she is survived by her partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy.”
A champion of Sally’s legacy, the Exploring Our Solar System author also accepted her partner’s Presidential Medal of Freedom award on her behalf a year later.
Until Tam confirmed their nearly three decades together, Sally had often kept her private life out of the public—although, her five-year marriage to fellow astronaut Steven Hawley was quite known. The former couple split in 1987, and it was that divorce that opened a path for longtime friends Sally and Tam to reconnect.
“We had a wonderful relationship from the time we were kids until we became lovers,” she noted. “I think it’s something to be proud of.”
Carla Cioffi/NASA via Getty Images
In fact, the author offers more moments from their private connection in the astronaut’s documentary Sally, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January and debuted on Disney+ June 17. And while she was honored to speak on her partner’s impressive accomplishments in the project, her death still sits with her.
“When I was describing my relationship with Sally, and especially when Sally got sick, I got teary-eyed,” Tam explained. “It just got me all the way through to my heart and guts, and that was a little bit of a surprise.”
While Sally left it to Tam to share their story, keep reading to see more celebrities who have come out over the years…
Tara Ziemba/Getty Images
Natalie Morales
The Parks and Recreation alum came out publicly on her former co-star Amy Poehler's Smart Girls website in June 2016, writing, "I don't like labeling myself, or anyone else, but if it's easier for you to understand me, what I'm saying is that I'm queer."
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Cody Alan
The CMT star came out in an Instagram post.
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for WE tv
Andre King
The Growing Up Hip Hop reality star and model came out during an episode of the hit series.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Neil Patrick Harris
Hollywood has a long list of out and proud celebrities. From trailblazers like Melissa Etheridge and K.D. Lang to more newly out names like Anderson Cooper, Zachary Quinto and Frank Ocean, plenty of Tinseltown's same-sex oriented stars aren't afraid to share their true selves with fans around the world. Let's take a look at all of our favorite singers and actors who've come out of the closet as gay.
Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for P.S. ARTS
Bex Taylor-Klaus
The Scream actress addressed her sexuality on Twitter, writing, ""hello my name is bex and yes the rumors are true I am v gay."
D Dipasupil/Getty Images
Gus Kenworthy
The Olympic skier came out as gay in an interview with ESPN. "For most of my life I've dreaded the day that people would find out I was gay. Now, I couldn't be more excited to tell you all the truth," he wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post.
Facebook/Matt Cage
Matt Cage
The pro wrestler came out in a moving letter on Facebook, writing, "I truly have nothing to hide anymore."
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards
Jussie Smollett
The Empire actor cleared the air during a guest appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Universal Pictures
Patricia Velasquez
The actress and supermodel came out as gay with her 2015 memoir, Straight Walk: A Supermodel's Journey to Finding Her Truth. She told Yahoo! Parenting that her 8-year-old daughter inspired the book.
Jennifer Graylock/FilmMagic
Joel Grey
The actor, who won an Oscar and a Tony for his role as the Emcee in the film and original Broadway production of Cabaret, revealed in a January 2015 People magazine interview that he is a gay man. He was married to a woman, former actress Jo Wilder, for about 24 years. They have two children, a son, James, and daughter and actress Jennifer Grey.
Youtube
Connor Franta
The YouTube sensation revealed his sexuality in a video titled "Coming Out." "This has easily been the hardest thing I ever had to do but I'm so happy that I'm doing it," he shared with his fans.
Rich Pilling/Getty Images
Dale Scott
The Major League Baseball umpire announced that he was gay in an interview with Referee magazine alongside his husband, Mike Rausch.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Ty Herndon
The 51-year-old country singer came out in November 2014, saying, "I'm an out, proud and happy gay man."
Amanda Edwards/WireImage
Ellen Page
The actress revealed she is a gay woman during a personal speech delivered at Time to THRIVE, a conference to promote the welfare of LGBT youth held at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts came out as gay in an end-of-year Facebook post, saying she she was grateful for "longtime girlfriend" Amber Laign.
Clive Rose/Getty Images
Tom Daley
The Olympic diver came out in a YouTube video, saying, "I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier."
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Bob Harper
The Biggest Loser personal trainer came out as gay to help contestant Bobby Saleem, who revealed he was struggling to do so himself with his father. "Being gay doesn't mean that you are less than anybody else," Harper said on the show. "It's just who you are."
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
Maulik Pancholy
Star of 30 Rock and Weeds casually broke the news of his sexuality to Out magazine as part of its annual "Out 100 list," saying he felt it was a "nice time" to come out, "especially on the heels of the DOMA and Prop 8 decisions."
Matt Sayles/AP Photo
Wentworth Miller
The Prison Break star revealed his sexuality after being invited to attend a film festival in Russia. "As a gay man, I must decline," the 41-year-old said as the Russian government continues to voice their opposition against the gay community.
Nickelodeon
Lucas Cruikshank
The star of Nickelodeon's Fred series revealed he was gay through a YouTube video. "I'm gay," he told his loyal fans. "It feels so weird saying it on camera!"
Darren Young
"I'm gay, and I'm happy. I'm very happy," the 29-year-old WWE star nonchalantly told a paparazzi at LAX airport in August 2013.
Jemal Countess/WireImage
Ricky Martin
The "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer had an epiphany while working on his memoir. As he opened up about his life through writing, Martin decided it was finally time to go public with his sexuality.
Amanda Schwab/StarTraks
Victor Garber
The Argo actor first spoke about his relationship with artist Rainer Andreesen to blogger Greg Hernandez. "I don't really talk about it but everybody knows," the actor said.
David Giesbrecht/USA
Matt Bomer
While accepting an award at the Desert AIDS Project's Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, the White Collar actor acknowledged that he is gay by giving a shout-out to his partner, Hollywood publicist Simon Halls.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Jim Parsons
In a New York Times article, the writer revealed The Big Bang Theory star was a gay man.
ABC News / Splash News
Sam Champion
The Good Morning America weatherman was never shy about his sexuality in a private setting. But when he announced his engagement, his sexual orientation was made public.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Cynthia Nixon
The former Sex and the City star came out on the cover of The Advocate. "I was like, ‘Really, we can just confirm?'" the actress recalls telling her publicist and manager before the announcement. "So that's what we did. It was so fantastic."
Dana Edelson/NBC
Cheyenne Jackson
You've seen this hot Broadway belter on Glee and 30 Rock. And in 2008 he was not only on the cover of Out magazine, but the gay publication crowned him "Entertainer of the Year."
Courtesy: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Jason Collins
Paving the way for gay professional athletes, the NBA center wrote a piece in Sports Illustrated about his sexuality. "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black and I'm gay," he wrote.
Matt Sayles/AP Photo
Adam Lambert
The former American Idol contestant appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine with the headline, "The Liberation of Adam Lambert."
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