Feature Friday: 4 Times Ellen DeGeneres Stood Up For The LGBTQ+ Community

1) In 1997, Ellen publicly came out on her television sitcom appropriately titled Ellen with a simple, blunt declaration: "I'm gay"

This was a landmark moment in television history, as featuring gay characters on TV was not common back in 1997, nor was employing gay actors. The following fall, there was a 23% increase in gay characters on television, which many attribute to Ellen's courageous decision. 2) She confronted Senator John McCain about his stance on same-sex marriage back in 2008

Ellen interviewed Senator John McCain in 2008, 7 years before same-sex marriage was legalized across the United States, and she didn't let him leave her stage before questioning his discriminatory beliefs.

3) After Tyler Clemente's suicide in 2010, Ellen made a point to speak out against bullying, particularly bullying against LGBTQ+ youth

4) She used her Teen Choice Award speech as an opportunity to reassure the LGBTQ+ community

In 2015, Ellen won a Teen Choice Award and spent the bulk of her speech letting the LGBTQ+ community know that being different is what makes them great.