Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have finally addressed the ongoing rumors about their relationship. In a recent interview on Melinda French Gates’ Moments That Make Us series, the two friends tackled the speculation head-on.

Winfrey, who has been with her partner Stedman Graham for over 35 years, explained that she and King have always shared a close bond. “We’ve been dealing with these rumors for years,” Winfrey said. “If we were gay, we’d tell you!” She added that their strong friendship might be misunderstood because people aren’t used to seeing such a deep connection between women without assuming it’s romantic.

King, who has been open about how frustrating the rumors can be, shared that she used to wish Winfrey would publicly clarify their relationship status to avoid confusion. Despite the speculation, King and Winfrey emphasize their friendship is pure and platonic.

In the past, Winfrey has repeatedly stated she has never been intimate with a woman, and both she and King have made it clear that denying being gay is not a comment on the validity of being gay. Instead, it’s about addressing misunderstandings about their close friendship.

Winfrey described King as the “mother” she never had and the “sister everybody would want.” King, in turn, values their friendship deeply and finds it irritating that people still question it. Both agree that their bond is based on mutual support and happiness, not romance.

Overall, Winfrey and King are setting the record straight and celebrating their unique and genuine friendship.