Comedian Amber Ruffin ended Pride Month on a high note, coming out as queer

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Amber Ruffin attends Variety's 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Former late-night host Amber Ruffin delighted friends and fans with an Instagram post announcing she’s queer.

The LGBTQ community can now claim a delightful new member. As Pride Month drew to a close on Sunday, June 30, comedian and former late-night host Amber Ruffin used the opportunity to open up about her private life.

In what will come as a shock to exactly zero people, I’m using the last day of PRIDE to come out!” wrote Ruffin in an Instagram post, smilingly sporting a tank top emblazoned with a rainbow “Queer” motif, per NBC News. According to Variety, the entertainer was previously married to Dutch painter Jan Schiltmeijer; their divorce was finalized in December 2023.

Ruffin’s announcement garnered enthusiastic responses from fellow celebs, including Cynthia Erivo and her partner, Lena Waithe, fellow comedians Franchesca Ramsey, Wanda Sykes, Loni Love, Michelle Buteau, Kalen Allen, and more.

“Welcome baby love!! bathrooms are to the left, refreshments to the right, grab a chair. The DJ takes requests,” wrote Erivo, as Waithe assured Ruffin, “You are loved and seen and appreciated!!”

“Congratulations Amber!!! Live your life out loud!!!!!!! Happy Pride!!” wrote Loni Love, while Allen added to the welcome party, commenting, “I can’t wait to have your induction ceremony this week!”

“Love this and love you,” wrote Buteau. Ramsey simply expressed her glee, writing, “Whooo we stay winnin!! … happy Pride queen!”

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As a comedian, former writer for NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and host of her eponymous Emmy- and GLAAD Media Award-nominated talk show, which ended its late-night run in 2022, Ruffin was known for incisive and coyly cutting commentary on socio-political issues. Never shying away from leveraging so-called “identity politics” to prove a point, she winkingly applied the same humor to coming out as queer.

“Be proud of who you are, little babies! I know I am!” Ruffin ended her announcement, adding, “And I can’t wait to be discriminated against for a new reason!!”

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