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Former NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio & Wife Chirlane Split Up But Not Divorcing as They Seek Other Romantic Interests
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray recently announced their separation, attributing their decision to de Blasio’s political career, which has long been criticized, as was reported by the New York Post. Despite the separation, the couple plans to remain married and live together in their Park Slope, Brooklyn home while exploring relationships with other people.
McCray, who had previously identified as a lesbian, expressed her belief that de Blasio’s tumultuous eight years as mayor, coupled with his unsuccessful 2020 presidential bid, played a significant role in the breakdown of their nearly three-decade marriage, the Post reported. She acknowledged that supporting him despite her reservations was challenging, emphasizing the burden of being part of a political “package.”
“I thought it was a distraction,” McCray, 68, also told The Times of her husband’s failed White House run, while admitting that she knew she had to be supportive anyway, as was reported by the Post.
“This is not the kind of thing where you can break ranks,” she said. “That’s part of the difficulty of being part of a package.”
The couple made their mutual decision to split approximately two months ago, sparked by de Blasio questioning the decline in their affectionate behavior, as was reported by the Post. Despite their separation, McCray and de Blasio, known as a liberal biracial couple, have two adult children together, Dante and Chiara.
The Post report said that McCray, an alumnus of Wellesley College lamented, “How can you be a couple in the fullness of what you tend to think … when you’ve got this responsibility on your shoulders and you don’t want to add to that?”
“There’s a certain weight … that goes with being with Mr. Mayor.”
During de Blasio’s tenure as mayor, McCray led the ThriveNYC initiative, a billion-dollar program aimed at providing mental health services to New Yorkers. However, the Post reported that the program faced criticism for failing to deliver on its promises. McCray believes her own aspirations were stifled by the responsibilities and limitations imposed by Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City mayors.
The Post also reported that De Blasio admitted to becoming emotionally dependent during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a disconnect between him and his wife. He cited the overwhelming schedule and constant challenges he faced during his two terms in office as contributing factors that took a toll on their relationship.
“Everything was this overwhelming schedule, this sort of series of tasks,” de Blasio said about his two terms in office, as was reported by the Post. “And that kind of took away a little bit of our soul.”
Despite their separation, both McCray and de Blasio insisted that they are still deeply in love. The Post report indicated that they hope their decision to communicate openly about their needs and move in a different direction can serve as a model for other couples. Adjusting to their new normal will take time, but they remain optimistic about their future as public figures.
“We came to this decision together and I think it’s the right decision for us,” McCray explained, as was reported by the Post.”
“I hope that we can be a model for how couples can communicate honestly about what their needs are and to conduct themselves when they find it’s time to move in another direction. I think that’s important,” she added.
“We’ve been together for nearly 32 years … Serving shoulder to shoulder in City Hall and even before that,” she said, the Post report said. “We’ve raised a beautiful family.
“And we just want to be able to continue our lives as public people — which, it seems, like we never stop being public people no matter what. But do it in a way that shows that all that we had, all that we built, doesn’t just go away.”
De Blasio, known for his busy schedule, left their home with a suitcase in hand, jokingly implying that he was going on a trip but would be back. The Post report said that since ending his presidential ambitions, de Blasio has taken up teaching positions at Harvard University and New York University while also undergoing a makeover, including a noticeable change in hair color.
The couple expressed excitement about re-entering the dating scene, with McCray mentioning the novelty of exploring new territory, according to the Post report. De Blasio even playfully suggested including a “thirst trap” photo in the article to spark interest.
