Oprah Winfrey Honors Late Brother in Pride Month Tribute: ‘The World Was Cruel’

Oprah Winfrey recently opened up about her late brother, Jeffrey, during a heartfelt Pride Month message shared with her fans. 

The revered media mogul, who just hosted her best friend Gayle King’s son’s wedding, appeared in a video on her Oprah Daily Instagram account. 

Dressed in a white sweater adorned with a rainbow, Oprah Winfrey reflected on the loss of her brother 35 years ago to AIDS, a time she described as hostile not only to those suffering from the disease but to the LGBTQ community as a whole.

In the video, viewed by her 3.3 million followers, Oprah recalled the harsh realities of 1989, when her brother Jeffrey Lee passed away at just 29 years old. 

She continued to the page’s 3.3 million followers, ‘He was 29-years-old. 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.’

She mused on how much the world has changed since then, celebrating advancements like gay marriage and the recognition of Pride month, which she believes would have profoundly impacted her brother’s life.

Oprah’s message was both a remembrance and a call to authenticity. She emphasized the right of every individual to love freely and to live authentically, expressing hope that her audience feels supported in being true to themselves, regardless of their sexuality.

The post, which garnered over 20,000 likes, resonates as a continuation of the themes she touched upon earlier in March during her acceptance speech at the GLAAD Awards in Beverly Hills. 

There, Oprah received the Vanguard Award and shared poignant memories of her brother, reflecting on the lack of understanding and language around sexuality and gender during their upbringing. 

She lamented the internalized shame that her brother felt and expressed a heartfelt wish that he could have experienced today’s more accepting world.

Through her long-running show and public statements, Oprah has consistently advocated for the importance of living authentically and sharing stories that empower individuals to embrace their true selves.