I appreciate you being here so very much.
I'm Ellen, and I'm gay.
[CHEERING]
20 years ago I said that.
It was a much bigger deal then.
[LAUGHTER]
It was the hardest thing that I ever had to do in my life,
and I would not change one moment of it
because it led me to be exactly where I am today, standing
in front of all of you.
A couple of years ago I was on the cover of Time magazine.
Yes you were-- first transgender on the cover of Time magazine.
[CHEERING]
It's that.
And you tweeted me.
I don't know if you remember.
Oh, yeah.
She tweeted, "it's about time."
And it just felt very-- because Ellen, back in the day,
was on the cover of Time magazine too.
And that moment was so special for me and for so many people
in our community.
I want to be a spokesperson for everyone--
you know, straight people, gay people, bisexual, anything,
you know?
I don't want it to be limited.
Your character on the show identifies non-binary.
Yes.
And you also identify that way.
You are a trailblazer.
I think it's just about letting people be who they are,
love who they want to love.
And if you're not hurting anybody,
there's nothing wrong with it.
Absolutely.
[APPLAUSE]
I'll clap to that.
I'll tell you, for many reasons, I'm feeling good.
I'm feeling that there's a smile on my face.
There's a spring in my step.
And there's a ring on my finger.
And--
[CHEERING]
It was very simple, very traditional.
And both of us wore pink and white because pink is pretty,
and white is, you know, the old wedding rhyme.
You have chosen right if you get married in white.
And then the other half, of course,
is you'll forever be blessed if you're married in a vest.
And so--
[LAUGHTER]
You were born a man.
Yes.
You were born a female.
Correct.
OK, it's so brave of you to, first of all, to serve
the country and then to be not supported like this
and to come out.
And I just-- I admire you so much.
In just one week, a video of twin brothers coming out
to their father has been viewed over 14 million times.
Take a look.
I'm-- I'm gay.
And, um, Austin is too.
When they told me, I, uh--
I just felt as though--
that only one thing came through me because I love them both.
I love you both unconditionally.
[APPLAUSE]
You're my children.
I can't undo being your father, and I don't want to be.
Constitution said all men are created equal.
And that's the way they should be treated.
Gay people have rights, just like people who are not gay.
[APPLAUSE]
Ellen, I just want to say thank you.
You have made me see that you know what?
I could be me.
But what you've taught me more than anything
is that every day I get to teach my kids something.
I
Can't teach them how to be gay.
I can't teach them how to be black.
But what I can teach them is how to be with you teach us,
which is to be better human beings.
So thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
I cannot tell you I thank you enough for what you have done
for the gay community.
So thank you.
[APPLAUSE AND CHEERING]
You know, that's-- that's one of the things I'm proudest
of because my whole political career has been based
on the idea that we constantly want to include people and not
exclude them.
Changing hearts and minds, I don't
think anybody's been more forceful than you on that.
I really mean that.
[APPLAUSE AND CHEERING]