When actor, comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres opened up about being gay back in the 1990’s little did she know that her act of courage would get her the U.S Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Tears rolled down her face when she accepted the honour for breaking down barriers from President Barack Obama.
In an opening speech, Obama praised Ellen DeGeneres for her way of making people laugh at things rather than persons, except when he danced on her show, he joked. He also said that she selflessly risked her career nearly twenty years ago to be herself and come out as openly gay. “It was an incredible burden to bear, a risk to take. Back then people didn’t do that very often and she took on the hopes of millions of people on her shoulders” he said.
Although the contentiousness of her decision to come out by the media left her in a state of shock and depression, DeGeneres stood her ground. It was said that her mother Betty DeGeneres was shocked when her daughter came out, but since then she has become one of her biggest support systems and is a member of Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s Coming Out Project. Ellen DeGeneres is also a vegan and animal lover who more recently encouraged people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one during Thanksgiving.
When receiving the award, Ellen’s visit to the White House was delayed because she forgot to carry identity proof. While sitting on a park bench before the event, she tweeted “ They haven’t let me into the White House yet because I forgot my ID #notjoking”.
