Surrounded by the transgender stars of Oxygen reality show “Strut,” Executive Producer Whoopi Goldberg on Saturday accepted the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program. But the actress and TV host didn’t do so without speaking up for transgender rights and against those trying to roll them back.

“If you’re listening to people who are saying there’s something wrong with transgender people, and we have to make all these crazy changes, maybe it’s time for them to go,” Goldberg said.

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“You’ve got two years before the next group of folks are to be put out,” she added, referring to politicians on the ballot in the midterm elections. “Pay attention. If it ain’t about the people, it’s about the party, and it should never be about the party.”

Related: Model Laith Ashley Shares Powerful Moment With His Mom on 'Strut'

At the end of her acceptance speech, Goldberg thanked TV network Oxygen for taking a chance on her transgender modeling show, which she said “scared the s--t out of everybody else.”

“The reason it scared people was because everyone had expectations about what ‘transgender’ meant, as opposed to saying ‘Oh, it’s just another person.’”

Editor's Note: Oxygen, like NBC Out, is part of NBC Universal.

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