Barry Manilow is publicly gay and has spoken openly about it since 2017, when he confirmed he is gay and introduced the world to his husband, Garry Kief. He has described keeping his sexuality private for decades as a burden and has since talked about how relieved and supported he felt after coming out.

Quick Scoop: Is Barry Manilow Gay?

  • Barry Manilow confirmed in 2017 that he is gay after years of speculation.
  • He has been in a long-term relationship with his manager-turned-husband, Garry Kief, since the late 1970s.
  • The two reportedly married in a private ceremony in 2014, long before he spoke publicly about his sexuality.

“I thought I would be disappointing [my fans] if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything.”

Why He Waited To Come Out

  • Manilow has said he feared being open about being gay might hurt his career and disappoint fans, especially during the peak of his fame in earlier decades.
  • In recent interviews, he called hiding his sexuality a “burden,” explaining he was always worried about the impact on his work and public image.

How Fans Reacted

  • When he finally came out in 2017, he described the reaction from fans as “beautiful” and overwhelmingly supportive.
  • Instead of backlash, he has said he felt gratitude and relief, and his status as a beloved pop legend has remained intact.

His Personal Life In Brief

  • Before his relationship with Garry Kief, Manilow married his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler, in 1964; the marriage ended about a year later.
  • Manilow has explained that he genuinely cared for her but that his “gay thing was pretty, pretty strong” and he could not be the kind of husband she needed while also chasing a demanding music career.

Forum & Trending Talk

  • The question “barry manilow is he gay” still trends in searches and forum threads because he kept his private life quiet for so long, leaving fans with decades of speculation.
  • Recent coverage and discussions focus less on “is he gay?” and more on how the industry’s attitudes, career pressures, and fan expectations made it hard for older-generation artists to live openly.

TL;DR: Yes, Barry Manilow is gay, and he has been open about it since 2017, sharing that he is happily married to his longtime partner and husband, Garry Kief.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.