GOOD Morning America host Robin Roberts revealed the heartbreaking reason why she decided to go public with major life news.

Even though close friends, family, and co-workers knew Roberts was gay, she came out on social media to honor her partner of 17 years who stood by her side during cancer treatment.

Good Morning America's Robin Roberts revealed why she decided to go public with her relationship
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Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts revealed why she decided to go public with her relationshipCredit: The Mega Agency

Even though close friends, family, and co-workers knew Roberts was gay, she came out on social media to honor her partner of 17 years Amber Laign (left) who stood by her side during cancer treatment
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Even though close friends, family, and co-workers knew Roberts was gay, she came out on social media to honor her partner of 17 years Amber Laign (left) who stood by her side during cancer treatmentCredit: Getty
On Wednesday, fellow Good Morning America anchor Michael Strahan revealed that Roberts graced the cover of People Magazine for their annual Pride Month issue.

The issue highlights the importance of being true to yourself and why allyship in the LGBTQIA+ community is significant.

Roberts wrote an essay for the magazine where she explained why she decided to reveal her love life to the public.

In 2012, Robin Roberts was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disease, after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, NBC News reported.

Since these diagnoses, her partner Amber Laign has also been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Roberts revealed her relationship with Laign in a social media post thanking everyone who supported her through her health struggles.

“I was just thanking everybody. I did it via a simple social media post where I thanked my doctors, [and] my parents,” Roberts explained to People Magazine.

“But then, was I not going to thank this woman who had been by me through this illness?”

Roberts added that she was thankful to the public for not making her sexuality a big deal.

She admitted she was scared of coming out at first but quickly realized that her story could give someone else hope.

“Then I realized, if somebody who looks like me was to come along, maybe I could give them a little more courage.

“Maybe they would know they were not walking alone,” Roberts told People.

Roberts said that she became a journalist because she loves stories, but it took her a while to recognize that her own story was also significant.

The realization led her to see that her story could be a beacon of hope for others.

“I’ve learned we can all provide hope. We can all be accidental, incidental activists, beacons of recognition and representation,” she told People.

“By being our authentic selves, others can be motivated. They may even rally around it.”