Was Elvis Gay? Did The King Swing Both Ways?

Today, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and discuss one of the greatest performers in human history – Elvis Presley.

Was Elvis gay? There have been sources and rumors, but do they amount to anything? We’re going to investigate and see if there’s any truth to them here.

There’s some evidence that Elvis may have been gay or bisexual

It’s usually taboo to talk about the sexuality of long dead icons since they’re not around to confirm or deny it either way. However, some music journalists and authors in Europe have touched on the subject of Presley’s sexuality, and they’ve found some…suggestive photographs…in and around his time serving in the military in Germany.

There have also been persistent rumors that Elvis had an affair with gay entertainer Liberace. While there’s no verifiable source for this information, Elvis’ second cousin and good boyhood pal said he had a gay affair with Nick Adams in his book ‘The Boy Who Would Be King.’

Frustratingly, this is all just rumor and hearsay. There’s absolutely no hard or reliable evidence to suggest Elvis was gay. Some topless photos with fellow heartthrobs, a friendship with a gay icon, and some unconfirmed rumors by a distant family member looking to cash in on a book is all we have.

Remember: In Elvis’ day, it was very much frowned upon to be gay. Even if he was, it’s highly unlikely he would have come out of the closet. Like Sir Elton John, he could well have been a gay icon if he had come out, but it would have also cost him dearly back then. It was a different era.

Was Elvis bisexual?

Again, the same evidence as above exists that Elvis might have swung both ways. It’s thin, based on conjecture, rumor, and unsubstantiated speculation. At this point, we’d have to say no, because there’s no evidence of it that can be confirmed by anyone alive today.

Elvis dating history

Elvis was a superstar in his day, so he dated lots of beautiful women, but he never dated a member of the same sex. He dated Debbie Minardos, Dixie Locke, Wanda Jackson, Natalie Wood, Jana Lund, June Wilkinson, Nancy Czar, Yvonne Craig, Marianna Hill, Susan Henning, Joyce Bova, Barbera Leigh, Linda Thompson, and he was engaged to Ginger Alden. He married Priscilla Presley.

Here’s some more detailed information of Elvis’ most significant and noteworthy relationships.

The High School Sweetheart: Dixie Locke

Before fame came knocking, Elvis Presley dated Dixie Locke while they were both in high school in Memphis, Tennessee. Their teenage romance began in 1953 and lasted until 1955 when Elvis’s career started to take off. Despite their relationship coming to an end, the pair remained friends for many years.

A Hollywood Romance: Anita Wood

During the late 1950s, Elvis began a relationship with Anita Wood, a TV and radio personality. Their romance lasted several years, with Anita even living at Graceland, Elvis’s famed mansion. However, as Elvis’s fame continued to grow, so did the strain on their relationship, and they eventually parted ways.

Love and Marriage: Priscilla Presley

In 1959, while stationed in Germany during his military service, Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu, a 14-year-old girl and the daughter of a US Air Force officer. Despite their age difference, the two began a romantic relationship that would lead to their marriage in 1967.

Priscilla moved to Graceland in 1963, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in 1968. However, their marriage was stormy, and they ultimately divorced in 1973. Despite the end of their marriage, Elvis and Priscilla remained close until his death in 1977.

A String of Starlets

Throughout his life, Elvis was also linked to various actresses and celebrities, including Ann-Margret, Cybill Shepherd, and Natalie Wood. These relationships were often short-lived, but they contributed to the mythology surrounding Elvis’s love life.

Did Elvis Support Gay Marriage and LGBTQ+ Rights?

Presley’s views on LGBTQ+ rights and issues are not well documented. It’s important to remember that Elvis lived and worked in a time when attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights were markedly different from today, and discussions around these issues were not as prevalent as they are now.

There isn’t any significant record of Elvis being an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, but it’s also important to note that there’s no evidence of him being openly against the community either. Some of his closest friends, such as his hairstylist Larry Geller, were gay, and it has been suggested that Elvis had a friendly and accepting attitude toward them.

So, while Elvis may not have been an active advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, it seems that he had some personal connections with members of the LGBTQ+ community and maintained an accepting attitude.

So, was Elvis gay?

There have been many rumors, and there’s some evidence to suggest a little kink in Elvis, but his public dating history, his own statements, and just about everything else that can be confirmed suggest he was straight. We’ll never know the answer for sure as the King died decades ago, but we’re going to conclude that the answer is no; Elvis was not gay.