has a way of making you laugh about something

rather than at someone.

Except when I danced on her show,

she laughed at me.

But that's ok.

It's easy to forget now.

When we've come so far

for 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 to the LGBT community, but for all of us.

To see somebody so full of kindness and light

somebody we liked so much,

somebody who could be our neighbour,

or our colleague,

or our sister,

challenge our own assumptions.

Remind us we have more in common than we realized.

Push our country in the direction of justice.

What an incredible burden that was to bear,

to risk your career like that. People don't do that very often.

And then to have the hopes of millions on your shoulders.

But it's like Ellen says

we all want the tortilla chip that can support the weigh of guacamole,

which really makes no sense to me.

But I though would break the mood

cause I was getting kind of choked up.

And she did pay a price.

We don't remember this.

I haven't remembered it.

She did... for a pretty long stretch of time,

even in Hollywood.

And yet, today, every day in every way,

Ellen counters what too often divides us,

with the countless things that bind us together and inspire us to be better.

One joke, one dance at a time.

Ellen DeGeneres

In a career spanning three decades,

Ellen DeGeneres has lifted up our spirits and brought joy to our lives

as a stand-up comic, actor and television star.

In every role, she reminds us to be kind to one another

and to treat people as each of us wants to be treated.

At a pivotal moment, her courage and candor helped change the hearts and minds of millions of Americans,

accelerating our nation's constant drive toward equality and acceptance for all.

Again and again, Ellen DeGeneres has shown us that a single individual can make the world

a more fun, more open, more loving place, so long as we just keep swimming.