NEW YORK -- Rosie O'Donnell has finally outed herself, according to sources who have seen advance copies of her new book "Find Me," the New York Daily News reports.

Though rumors about the daytime talk show hostess' sexual orientation have been in ubiquitous circulation for years, there has never been anything close to an honest admission. All that has apparently come to a swift and nonchalant end.

"She talks about her relationships with women and having a girl breaking her heart in college and other relationships with women," one source told the newspaper.

"She comes out," says another reader, "but she's very matter-of-fact about it. She may be thinking that if she doesn't make a big deal out of it, she minimizes the backlash from gay activists who might say, 'Where the hell have you been?'"

That she has remained closeted for so long has angered some gay activists who contend O'Donnell could have been a powerful advocate and role model on her TV show. She officially leaves her television programme in May.

O'Donnell has become much more candid about her love life. Accepting a trophy at last year's Daytime Emmy Awards, she thanked her frequent companion, Kelli Carpenter, declaring: "I love you!"

She says in her book that her talk show "took off so fast, she cornered herself into a stereotype," says one reader. "She talks about how exhausting it's been acting happy all the time [and] how she's leaving the show because she can't keep it up."

The book is due out April 23.