by Pam Cole
LOS ANGELES (April 17, 2006) - Melissa Etheridge and wife Tammy
Lynn Michaels are expecting twins. The couple announced the happy
news today on Etheridge's website.
"We are thrilled to announce that Tammy is pregnant, and expecting
twins sometime around this fall," said the happy pair online.
Heading off wild speculation about the father, they added, "To
answer the obvious question: We used an anonymous donor from a bank."
Etheridge has two children (daughter Bailey Jean, 9, and son Beckett,
7) from her previous relationship with Julie Cypher.
The online posting from Tammy and Melissa also read:
"These are our first two babies conceived together, but not
our first time mothering together. For the past 5 years, we have
been parenting two children, from a previous time in Melissa's life.
The twins will be a joyful addition to our loving home. We are a
blessed family, and ask that no gifts be sent. Any gifts we receive
we will donate to a local women's shelter. However, well wishes
are more than welcome!
Have a great summer, everyone!
Peace, Melissa and Tammy Etheridge"
Etheridge is on a happy roll these days. Last fall, she announced
that she was cancer free after enduring two cancer surgeries in
October 2004, during which a tumor and some lymph nodes were removed
from her breast, and months of chemotherapy. She recently received
the Stephen F. Kolzak Award from GLAAD, which honors openly lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgender media professionals who have made
a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community.
Accepting the award, Etheridge said:
"The one thing that makes us stronger as a community is coming
out. When we put ourselves out there, we show people that we are
gay and we're not going to hurt you. We live, we love, we have children,
we get married. We are people. I love being a gay person —
a lesbian in 2006." Tammy and Melissa were married in a high
profile celebrity wedding on Sept. 22, 2003.
Etheridge also has a full summer U.S. tour this year, starting
in June 2006. It will be her first musical tour since her 2004 breast-cancer
diagnosis.
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