Oprah Winfrey and Niecy Nash-Betts were among those honored at the GLAAD Media Awards Thursday night.
Oprah received GLAAD’s Vanguard Award, and in her speech, she spoke about her brother, Jeffrey Lee, who died of AIDS 35 years ago.
“I wish he could have lived to witness these liberated times and to be here with me tonight,” she said. “What I know for sure is that when we can see one another, when we are open to supporting the truth of a fellow human, it makes for a full, rich, vibrant life for us all.”
Niecy accepted the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, introduced by Sharon Stone. In her speech, she opened up about being a member of the LGBTQ community.
“If I’m honest, I never saw this life for myself,” she said. “I was always an ally, but now I am a card-carrying member! … I thank you all for holding space for me, ‘til I figure my terms out. What I do know for sure is that my name is Niecy Nash-Betts and I’m a lover. I will never hide the very thing I was created for.”
Other winners included RuPaul’s Drag Race, Fellow Travelers, Ted Lasso, Bottoms, Yellowjackets and Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce, which received a special recognition award.
The GLAAD Media Awards will be available to stream on Hulu March 29.
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