I must admit I always sensed an aloofness from her that I couldn't pinpoint. I didn't know if it was snobbishness or a desire to keep people from getting too close to knowing the real person behind whatever role she played. I always thought though that she was very pretty.
I remember her from when I was a wee lad in the 70's when she played the older vivacious but aloof daughter on "Family". Long before her show "Family Ties". The show family starred Kristy Mc Nichol who later in life was reported to have had a lesbian affair with Tatum O'Neil. Her coming out kinda made sense to me in hindsight. But to me she always kept an almost frosty exterior.
As far as men having gaydar for women...mine doesn't work very well. I do pick up the vibes from some women. Obviously the more butch lesbians are easier for us gay guys to spot. And I can spot lesbian couples out in public fairly quickly. But on an individual basis my gaydar doesn't work nearly as well on women as it does on men.