Fitness TV star Liz Hilliard has spoken about how coming out later in life and finding love with a woman made her happier after she was married to a man for 37 years.
Hilliard, famous for her fitness videos and the ‘Hilliard Studio Method’ fell in love with her company director of training Lee Kennelly after splitting with her husband.
After spending time as good friends and colleagues, their relationship became something else, and it all started with one hug.
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Speaking to Pink News, Hilliard said: “She’d hugged me a thousand times, but something clicked, as in an electrical charge.
“It sounds so dramatic and weird but all I can say is the truth. I had a moment where I went, ‘Oh my god, I’m really not a heterosexual. I am in love. I love her’.”
It started out awkwardly, not only because Lee is Liz’s employee, but also because she is 24 years Liz’s junior.
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At first – Liz admitted – it was a ‘HR disaster’, but five and a half years later, the pair are still together and happy.
Liz married her husband at 26, and thought that it would last forever.
Most of it was great, but over the years, it slowly crumbled.
“Most of our marriage was fairly good, especially the hot lust at the beginning,” she said.
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“But we allowed ourselves – and we both take credit for this, and blame at the same time – to grow apart.”
During their divorce, Liz started to develop feelings for Lee, and – after all is said and done – her ex-husband is now happy for the pair.
She explained: “His whole thing was, ‘Good for you, I want to find that for myself. I need that kind of love too’”.
Now, she’s in a different kind of relationship.
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“This is the most creative, beautiful relationship I’ve ever had,” she added.
“I loved my ex-husband, but it was a totally different relationship.
“There’s just some freedom that happens when you open up to true love, to real passion that you never expected and can explore it together.
“Maybe I was just a lesbian the whole time, I don’t know!”
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It hasn’t been easy, with some people struggling to accept the news, but for the most part people – including some with conservative views that she wouldn’t have expected it of – have been supportive.
With Pride Month upon us, Liz hopes that her message might help others discover their true selves, as well as remind them that it’s never too late.
“Listen to your body. Listen to your soul. Be afraid, but do it anyway,” she said.
“It’s important that we live our lives fully or else what are we doing for our people, whether it’s our children, our ex-husbands, our husbands presently, or whoever our partners are?
“If we’re not living fully, we’re wasting space.”
Topics: US News, Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, LGBTQ
Tom Wood