Oprah Winfrey made the rare move of speaking out about her late brother Jeffrey on Tuesday while sharing a Pride Month message with her fans online.
The 70-year-old media mogul, who recently hosted her best friend Gayle King’s son’s wedding, appeared in a video clip shared on her Oprah Daily Instagram account.
The caption read a quote from the former talk show host: “I wish you the continued freedom to achieve the truest and highest expression of yourself as a human being.”
Winfrey aptly wore a white sweater with a rainbow knit while speaking to the camera.
“It was 35 years ago that my younger brother, Jeffrey Lee, died of AIDS,” he said at the beginning of the recording.
Oprah Winfrey made the rare move of speaking out about her late brother Jeffrey on Tuesday while sharing a Pride Month message with her fans online.
“It was 35 years ago that my younger brother, Jeffrey Lee, died of AIDS,” he said at the beginning of the recording.
He continued with the page’s 3.3 million followers: ‘I was 29 years old. The year was 1989 and the world was an extremely cruel place, not only for people suffering from AIDS, but also for LGBTQ people in general.’
Winfrey said of her beloved brother: “I often think that if he had lived, he would be so surprised at how much the world has changed, that there actually is gay marriage and a Pride month.”
“How different his life could have been if he had lived in times, in a world that saw him and appreciated him for who he was instead of trying to shame him for his sexuality.”
Oprah stated, “I believe that every person has the right to love whoever they want and be the person they most want to be.”
Speaking directly to her audience, she added, “My hope for you is that you live a life that feels authentic to you and that you have the support around you to do so, regardless of your sexuality.”
The billionaire businessman said firmly: “Whether you celebrate Pride this month or always, I wish you the continued freedom to achieve the truest and highest expression of yourself as a human being.”
The encouraging words have so far racked up more than 20,000 likes.
The post comes after Oprah honored her brother in her GLAAD Awards acceptance speech in March.
The post comes after Oprah honored her brother in her GLAAD Awards acceptance speech in March.
Winfrey defended the LGBTQ community in her electrifying speech
The Color Purple actress and producer received the Vanguardia Award at the annual ceremony held in Beverly Hills.
In tribute to her brother, she shared with the audience: ‘Growing up in the era that we did, in the community that we grew up in, we didn’t have the language to understand or talk about sexuality and gender like we do now.
‘And at the time, I didn’t know how deeply my brother internalized the shame he felt for being gay. I wish you could have lived to witness these times of liberation and be here with me tonight.
He added: “For me, all the years of The Oprah Show were about sharing stories that helped people be themselves… and I know that’s the truest form of what it means to be free, to have personal freedom, being able to be fully who you are.’