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How Did Ellen Degeneneres Come Out Essay

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Ellen DeGeneres Coming Out: Yep, She’s Gay “I should be proud of who I am, and I don't care if people approve or not,” declared Ellen DeGeneres on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer born on January 26, 1958. She believes that no one, man, woman, gay, straight, or otherwise, should ever be forced to live in shame. This belief is one that is shared by millions of people living in the United States today. However, in the past, people weren’t quite so accepting. Back then, gay people in the US were forced to live in shame, as they faced political and social discrimination. Ellen, being openly gay herself, refused to succumb to this injustice. In 1997, DeGeneres demonstrated …show more content…

The first coming out took place in the April 14, 1997 issue of Time magazine, which displayed a smiling DeGeneres on the cover with the bolded caption ‘Yep, I’m Gay’. When asked by Time why she chose to come out at that point in time, DeGeneres stated that she "could have done this a long time ago,” but she didn’t "think people would have accepted it as readily.” Though general attitudes toward homosexuals in 1997 were cold, they were much less severe than in earlier years, so DeGeneres felt it was safe enough to come out. Next came the figurative coming out. The sitcom Ellen focuses on the lives of neurotic bookstore owner Ellen Morgan (Ellen DeGeneres) and her friends. In season 4 episode 22, titled “The Puppy Episode”, Ellen Morgan became the first gay lead character on American network television. In this historic episode, Ellen goes on a date with her ex-boyfriend, Richard, and meets an openly gay woman named Susan, who believes that Ellen is gay. Ellen denies this, but after a discussion with her therapist, she decides to come clean about her repressed sexual orientation. The coming out scene depicts Ellen and Susan in a crowded airport. "Why can't I just say the truth, I mean be who I am. I'm 35 years old, I'm so afraid to tell people. I mean I just– this isn't– I'm gay," she confesses, accidentally broadcasting the last two words over the airport speakers. This crucial yet lighthearted episode has been viewed by more than 42 million people. Overall, the dual announcement provoked various reactions from the public. Many commended DeGeneres’s bravery while others detested it, one person even calling the Time issue “an affront to decency in general.” ABC faced resistance from advertisers, conservative advocacy groups, and homophobes, and Ellen received massive amounts of hate mail. However, the backlash from DeGeneres coming

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