Anderson Cooper said that "being gay is a blessing" and he "couldn't be more proud" of his sexuality.

​The Huffington Post writes that theCNN anchor spoke at length about coming out

 both personally and professionally, being honored with the prestigious Vito Russo Award and the pain of his brother's suicide. 

"I've always known I was gay from the time I was a little kid," Cooper, who came out in an email to Andrew Sullivan last summer, recalled. "I can't remember a time when I wasn't aware of it, even before I knew what it was or the name of it."

Of receiving the Vito Russo Award, Cooper noted the honor has "tremendous meaning," adding, "I certainly don't think I'm worthy of it, but if it helps GLAAD and if it helps have more people know who Vito Russo is, then I think it is certainly worthwhile."

After touching on a number of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relevant stories he's covered throughout his career, Cooper also opened up about his brother Carter's 1988 suicide, saying it influenced his own decision to pursue journalism as a profession.

“If you feel like an outsider, you tend to observe things a lot more," he said. "Early on I felt very much like an observer, because I knew I was gay, I knew I was somehow different."

He continued, "If you learn the language of loss early, I think you seek out others who have experienced the same thing, who speak that same language of loss."

Of learning that Madonna would be presenting the Vito Russo Award to him, Cooper said he was "stunned," noting that he was a "huge fan" of the Material Girl's music.

​More at HuffPo