Oprah Winfrey Honors Brother Who Died of AIDS at 29: ‘I Wish He Could Have Lived to Witness These Liberated Times’

Oprah Winfrey honored her brother, Jeffrey Lee, by accepting the Vanguard Award at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards.

Winfrey became emotional while talking about Lee, who died of AIDS at the age of 29 in 1989, during her acceptance speech at Thursday night’s ceremony.

“A lot of people don’t know this, but 35 years ago, my brother, Jeffrey Lee, passed away at just 29 years old from AIDS. Growing up in a time where we, in the community we’re in, we didn’t have a language to understand or talk about sexuality and gender the way we do now,” said the former talk show host.

“At the time, I didn’t know how deeply my brother had internalized the shame he felt for being gay. I wish he could have lived to witness these liberated times and be here with me tonight,” she continued.

Winfrey said her brother was an inspiration The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired its first episode on September 8, 1986 and ended in May 2011.

Oprah Winfrey at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards.

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See Reneé Rapp, Niecy Nash-Betts, Orville Peck and more LGBTQ+ stars at the 35th GLAAD Awards

“All the years Oprah shows for me were about sharing stories that actually helped people be more authentic and I know that’s the truest form of what it means to be free,” she said. “To have personal freedom. To be able to fully be who you are. To have the truest expression of yourself as a human being.”

A GLAAD press release said Winfrey received the honor for her “advocacy and significant change in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues.”

Oprah Winfrey at the gala academy in the museum 2023.

Taylor Hill/WireImage

Kate Hudson shines on stage at the GLAAD Media Awards in a beautiful white dress with ruffles

Winfrey – wearing a chic black blazer dress with purple trim – gave examples of how she has shed light on those values ​​on her show and in the years since.

“I’m proud to support and produce projects focused on LGBTQ stories through Harpo, through OWN. And I’ll continue to engage queer and trans filmmakers to bring authentic characters to the screen like tonight’s nominees Trace Lysette and our fantastic Hulu series Black cakeWinfrey said.

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“I’m so grateful to work with GLAAD to make sure we get it down the road because that’s what I know, I know, I know for sure — because when we can see each other, we really see each other, when we’re open to supporting the truth neighbor, it makes for a full, rich, vibrant life for all of us,” she continued.

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Source: HIS Education