Ready for some political news that will make you feel good about the world for a change?
Good. So are we.
On Tuesday afternoon at the White House, Ellen DeGeneres was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is considered to be America’s highest civilian honor.
This incredible distinction was placed around the comedian"s neck by President Barack Obama, who also recognized 20 other artists, athletes, scientists and philanthropists at the event.
Obama actually had stop part way through his address because he was “getting kind of choked up," prior to telling Ellen how she is deserving of this medal due to her ability to "laugh about something, rather than at someone.”
He went on to praise DeGeneres’ courage for publicly coming out of the closet nearly two decades ago, placing her career in jeopardy at the time.
Said POTUS upon bestowing the honor:
It’s easy to forget now, when we’ve come so far, where now marriage is equal under the law, just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages almost 20 years ago.
Just how important it was not just for the LGBT community, but for all us to see somebody so full of kindness and light. Somebody we liked so much, somebody who could be our neighbor or our colleague or our sister challenge our own assumptions.
Remind us that we have more in common than we realize, push our country in the direction of justice. What an incredible burden it was to bear, to risk your career like that.
People don’t do that very often.
WATCH ELLEN BREAK INTO TEARS BELOW:
