Kelly Ripa Honored at GLAAD Media Awards

The Emmy award-winning host received Excellence in Media Award for her contributions towards promoting acceptance and equality

The actress and award-winning talk show host Kelly Ripa was honored with the Excellence in Media Award at the 26th annual ceremony of GLAAD. She received the award for her fair and accurate representation of LGBT community and also for making a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance. According to ABC, The GLAAD Media Awards were staged in New York on Saturday night. Comedian Ross Mathews was the host of the ceremony and it was the famed Journalist Anderson Cooper who presented the award to the Ripa.

The 44-year old Kelly Ripa also made an impassioned speech after receiving the award. 

“I feel it’s kind of odd in a way, that I should be given an award based on the fact that I’ve had the privilege of being surrounded by and influenced by this community (LGBT) my entire life. And that I should be celebrated for treating people like people. 

Ripa who lives in New York with her husband Mark Consuelos and three children Michael, Lola and Jaoquin, was thankful that her family is living in an environment of acceptance which is missing in many parts of the nation and the world itself but she is hopeful that it will spread and will bring equality throughout the nation. 

“Like everybody in this room, I watch hoping and trusting that (the expansion of LGBT rights) will move the nation towards the same type of acceptance that my own children are growing up with her in New York City.”

Kelly Ripa is the co-host of morning show “Live! With Kelly and Michael” where she shares inclusive stories of LGBT community with her audience, talks about their daily routines and discusses the issues that affect their lives. She also strongly advocates the rights of the LGBT community and sends a message of hope for their youth.

Kelly Ripa is the fifteenth personality to be honored with Excellence in Media Award. Other recipients include Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Julianne Moore, Jody Shepherd, Glenn Close and Russell Simmons.