Ellen Degeneres used her speech at the Teen Choice Awards to relay an important message to those watching: “Be proud of being different”. The talk show host received the award for Choice Comedian at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday (16th August).

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de RossiEllen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards at the Galen Centre in L.A. on Sunday.

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DeGeneres, in her typical fashion, began her speech with a joke after receiving her iconic surfboard shaped award. She also thanked the voters for choosing her over the other nominees – Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Schumer and George Lopez – who she admitted are all “hilarious”. 

However, she soon turned serious and urged teens in the audience and at home to embrace their differences, as she had learned to. 

"I want to say also it feels good to be chosen but there was a time in my life that I was not chosen," DeGeneres said. "I was the opposite of chosen because I was different, and I think I want to make sure that everyone knows that what makes you different right now, makes you stand out later in life. So you should be proud of being different, proud of who you are." 

"The most important thing I want to say is just really embrace who you are because being unique is very, very important and fitting in is not all that matters,” she continued. “It's being unique and being who you are."

Sunday also happened to be the seventh anniversary of her marriage to Arrested Development actress, Portia de Rossi. The couple began dating in 2004 and married four years later after the same-sex marriage ban was overturned in California. DeGeneres mentioned her anniversary in her speech, giving a shout-out to her wife sitting in the audience. 

"What an amazing day this is," she said, concluding her speech. "This is my seven-year wedding anniversary, so happy anniversary!"

Watch Ellen DeGeneres’ Speech At The Teen Choice Awards:

Another celebrity member of Los Angeles’ LGBT community also received an award at the ceremony. Caitlyn Jenner received the award for Social Media Queen. 65-year-old Jenner only started using social media this year, after announcing her transition in June in Vanity Fair. She beat off some pretty stiff competition with Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez all nominated for the award.

Jenner did not attend the event but she (rather appropriately) took to social media to thank those amongst her 2.8 million followers for voting for her.

‘I just heard... We did it!’ Jenner wrote on Monday (17th August). ‘Thank you so much for voting to crown this old newbie!’

Read More: #LoveWins: Stars Celebrate US Marriage Equality Revolution.