By Stephanie Hu, Communications Intern
On March 14th, 2024, esteemed internet head, artist, and writer Oprah Winfrey received GLAAD’s Vanguard Award at the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. The Vanguard Award recognizes individuals who have promoted understanding of LGBTQ individuals and issues.
“Many people don’t know this but, 35 years ago, my brother, Jeffrey Lee, passed away when he was just 29 years old from AIDS. We didn’t have the language to understand or discuss sexuality and gender in the way that we do today because we did, in the community we did. And at the time, I wasn’t sure how deeply my brother had internalized his guilt over being gay. To see these liberated times and to be with me now, I wish he had lived.
Winfrey served as the host and producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show for 25 years, where she regularly spoke about a range of LGBTQ issues:
“For me, the Oprah Show’s entire run was about sharing stories that helped people become their true selves, and I believe that is the best way to define freedom, personal freedom, and being fully who you are. to be truly human in your best self. Every single person wants the same thing, and that is the want and need to feel seen and know that what we say matters and that we matter, is what I’ve learned over the years of interviewing over 35,000 people, one on one.
Winfrey aimed to “make a space, a safe space” to bring the life and the serious stories of the LGBTQ community front and center to our viewers during her time on The Oprah Winfrey Show.” In 1987, Winfrey took The Oprah Winfrey Show to Williamson, West Virginia, advocating for more accurate information and education about AIDS. She brought a medical expert to dispel myths about AIDS and “tried to erase some of the stigma” when she learned that local officials had shut down the community swimming pool due to AIDS patient Mike Sisco’s visit. Additionally, the show hosted AIDS activist Ryan White and LGBTQ+ icons Ellen DeGeneres in honor of National Coming Out Day. The Oprah Winfrey Show has been nominated 15 times by GLAAD, and nine times have been awarded in the “Outstanding Talk Show Episode” category.
Most recently, Winfrey won the GLAAD Media Award for her interview with actor Elliot Page on The Oprah Conversation. Winfrey recalls, “[He] trusted me to share his journey of being liberated in his transition, which helped open up the understanding of the challenges, the fears, and pressures facing our trans youth today.” Winfrey oversees Harpo Productions, where she produces scripted and unscripted content. At Harpo Productions, Winfrey was “able to bring impactful films like ‘Becoming Chaz’ and ‘I Am Jazz’ to the screen.”
Winfrey continues her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community through a number of other projects, as evidenced by her commitment to supporting and producing LGBTQ+ narratives: “I am proud to support and produce projects centered on LGBTQ storylines through Harpo, through OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), and I will continue to hire queer and trans filmmakers to bring authentic characters to the screen, like nominees here tonight Trace Lysette and our fantastic Hulu series Black Cake.” She pledges to work with GLAAD on additional productions to ensure that everything is done right.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement, “At a time when it was potentially career-ending to support LGBTQ people, Oprah Winfrey did what’s right and championed our community’s stories. She shines a powerful light on HIV, coming out, LGBTQ people, our families, and the challenges we face, which educated and moved countless people around the world. She is a pioneer for diverse and inclusive media. The world hears Oprah’s speech, and our society values her as an unapologetic ally, especially for transgender people. Winfrey’s remarkable career will forever align her on the right side of history.”
