King and Oprah Dismiss Gay Rumors

July 27, 2007 — -- Best friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King recently made headlines by saying during an interview with O magazine that they were not lesbians.

But Oprah did say she understood why people might think they're gay, because "there isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women."

King said today on "Good Morning America" that the attention paid to the gay issue has been frustrating.

"I tell you, I know it sounds silly ... but I never thought it would be this big. It has been everywhere," King said. "That's the biggest thing of all that bothers me, because if we were, we would so tell you. Because we so don't think there is anything wrong with it. That's what's so frustrating about it."

Good Friends for Good Health

But King and Winfrey aren't the only women who have discovered the deep and lasting bond between female best friends.

Having a best friend isn't just good for those heart-to-heart chats. Studies show that intimate friendships are good for your health.

Women on average live longer than men, and researchers now believe that close bonds between women may be part of the reason why.

Scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles who study long-term relationships say the deep friendships many women form keep them healthier and may even be the reason they outlive men.

When a woman is stressed, a hormone called oxytocin is triggered, the UCLA researchers found. That hormone acts together with estrogen to send her in search of a sympathetic ear -- a female friend. The result is a calming effect.

King's friendship with Winfrey goes back 30 years, when King was a production assistant at Baltimore's WJZ-TV and Winfrey was the six o'clock anchor.

"Through ups and downs, daily phone calls -- sometimes three or four times a day -- bonding through tears of heartbreak and joy," King said. "Like many other women, we share the treasured gift of a lasting friendship."

Still Learning About Each Other

Girlfriends keep one another's secrets, boost their spirits and hold hands through life's adventures, creating a special intimacy rarely seen among men, says Patricia O'Brien, author of "I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives."

"I think males and females relate to each other differently when it comes to friendships," O'Brien said. "Women are much more likely to hug and kiss each other when they meet if they're friends, and men are much more likely to give each other a slap on the back."

Other women say it's the unconditional support from someone who means the most to you. "Knowing that you can laugh, you can cry, you can express any emotion that you need to and not being judged for it. You know that's what a true friend is," said Gabrielle, a woman King talked to about friendship.

But even friends of three decades can still learn new things about each other, as King did in her recent interview with Winfrey.

During the interview, Winfrey said she thought King's marriage would be a "bust" and her wedding was a "pitiful thing." King is divorced now and has two children from that marriage.

"I looked at her, and I said, 'What are you saying?' I had no idea she felt that way," King said. "As it turns out, she was right."

King said that at the time, Winfrey did the right thing by not telling her. "If she had, I would not have believed it. You are young and in love. I wouldn't have believed it," she said.

Now, though, King said she had no doubt Winfrey would tell her if she didn't like her significant other. "You know what? This time I would listen," King said.