Good Morning America co-anchor
Robin Roberts on Tuesday thanked Ellen DeGeneres for helping her and
others come out gay.
The 53-year-old Roberts quietly came
out in December when she thanked her girlfriend Amber Laign in a
Facebook post for standing by her side during a tumultuous year.
DeGeneres has said that Hollywood at
first rejected her after her 1997 announcement that she is gay.
She's now considered one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
Appearing on DeGeneres' daytime talk
show, Roberts explained that she and Laign have been together 9
years.
“It's an amazing thing that she has
been by your side,” DeGeneres said. “Obviously, it's wonderful
to have someone who has had the courage and strength to do it and be
another face for, 'Look. We are successful, happy people that can
fall in love and deserve everything that everyone else has.'”
“I look to you Ellen. And you were
such a trailblazer,” Roberts said. “You have helped a lot of
people like myself have that discussion with their families, because
you are so well respected and loved. It's really helped a lot of us
and I thank you for that.”
“And you have helped a lot of people,
too. And I thank you,” DeGeneres responded. (The video is
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