The talk show host marked Pride Month by making a poignant reminder about the tragic loss of her younger brother.
Iconic TV personality and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey has long been heralded for her commitment to amplifying LGBTQ+ voices in a mainstream space, though not everyone is aware of her tragic family connection to the AIDS crisis through her younger brother, Jeffrey. Speaking openly in an address to her fans, Oprah Winfrey revealed the hardship her family had faced, while leaving viewers with a message of positivity to mark the annual Pride Month celebrations.
Oprah Winfrey lost her younger brother in 1989
Taking to Instagram to commemorate the beginning of June, aka Pride Month, Winfrey revised a rather tragic chapter of her life to help assure fans that things are improving for the queer community.
“It was 35 years ago that my younger brother, Jeffrey Lee, died from AIDS”, explained Winfrey, candidly. “He was 29 years old.”
Discussing the tragic circumstances of Lee’s death, which came among a wave of untimely passings as the world grappled with the AIDS crisis, Winfrey, added: “The year was 1989 and the world was an extremely cruel place, not just for people suffering from AIDS, but also for LGBTQ people in general.”
Though now known for her extreme wealth, Winfrey grew up in particularly difficult circumstances. The television veteran was raised in poverty by a single mother and moved around the US several times during her childhood, enduring abuse and teenage pregnancy in what made for a turbulent upbringing.
The late Lee was her half-brother, sharing the same mother as Winfrey, and the 70-year-old also lost her half-sister, Patricia, to drug-related causes in 2003.
Winfrey leaves fans with a message of Pride hope
While the LGBT+ community has generally suffered from torrid coverage in popular media over the years, Winfrey has been singled out on multiple occasions as someone who has actively worked to champion alternative voices in her programming.
And, in order to keep her message upbeat, Winfrey left viewers with a feel-good message about how far the Pride movement has come.
“I often think if he’d lived, he’d be so amazed at how much the world has changed, that there actually is gay marriage and a Pride month,” said Winfrey of Lee. “How different his life might have been had he lived times, in a world that saw and appreciated him for who he was, rather than attempting to shame him for his sexuality.”
Winfrey went on to add: “I believe that every single person has the right to love who they want to love and be the person they most want to be.
“My hope for you is that you are living a life that feels authentic to you and that you have the support around you to do so, no matter your sexuality.”
Winfrey’s post has drawn comments from hundreds of supportive viewers, with allies and members of the LGBT+ community alike coming together to pay tribute to all those affected by the AIDS crisis.
Speak to someone
Those affected by the contents of this story can access a state-by-state guide to HIV/AIDS Hotlines & Online Resources by following this link.
For UK viewers, please seek the National AIDS Trust here.
For support via phone, one-to-one chat or email, you can contact The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline: (888) 843-4564. There is also The GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth through age 25): (800) 246-7743.
You can also contact Trans Lifeline on (877) 565-8860, a trans-led organization connecting trans people to the community. They also offer details of support and local resources.
Please visit PFLAG for more support and helplines here.
Anyone in the UK can visit the LGBT Foundation, call 0345 330 30 30, or email helpline@lgbt.foundation. There is also a 24-hour crisis text service available at 85258 from Give Us A Shout, or you can call 0300 330 5468 for MindLine Trans+
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The post Oprah Winfrey reveals her brother died 45 years ago - 'World was a cruel place' appeared first on Celebrity Tidbit.
