When Ellen DeGeneres came out as homosexual on her show 'Ellen'

Societal attitude towards homosexuality seems to be changing steadily with time, as more and more people have voiced their opinions in support of the members of the LGBTQ+ community. From common masses to celebrities, many people have come out in the open and have inspired masses with their stories and courage.

One such celebrity is former actor and comedian, Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen is among the many Hollywood celebrities who have volunteered to fight for gay rights and their fight for equality. However, many people wonder about Ellen DeGeneres’ struggle with her sexuality. 

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Ellen came out on her show

DeGeneres became a part of the ensemble cast of the ABC series, These Friends of Mine in 1994. The then-actor soon emerged as the undisputed star of the show, which managed to make to the list of Top 20 Best-Rated Programs for the year, 1994-95.

Returning to the American with the name Ellen in 1996, the much-acclaimed show was one of the first American prime-time television soap operas to feature a leading lesbian character. A week before Ellen's coming out episode aired, DeGeneres appeared on the cover of TIME magazine in which she revealed her sexuality.

She made the news official when she came out on her show along with Laura Dern. Take a look at the video:

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After the episode aired

Reportedly, an estimated 42 million viewers watched Ellen's much-acclaimed special hour-long episode, which features cameo appearances by Laura Dern, Oprah Winfrey, K.D Lang, Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, and Dwight Yoakam.

However, the later episodes of the show were taken off-air, as Ellen DeGeneres reportedly received backlash for coming out. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey about the same, the former actor and comedian revealed that people thought she was a freak. She further added that she received hate-mails and was often coerced by religious advocates. Ellen also admitted that she dodged the question to resist attempts to clarify her own sexuality. 

(Promo Image: The EllenShow Instagram)

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