Lavender marriage
A lavender marriage is a male–female mixed-orientation marriage undertaken as a marriage of convenience to conceal the socially stigmatized sexual orientation of one or both partners. The term dates from the early 20th century and is used almost exclusively to characterize certain public celebrities' marriages in the first half of the 20th century, primarily before World War II, when public attitudes made it almost impossible for an openly queer person to pursue a public career, notably in the Hollywood film industry.