Many people know Betty White for her infamous role as Rose Nylund on Golden Girls. She was an icon in the acting industry, but she was so much more. 

White had an enormous love for animals. She estimated she had 20 dogs growing up. In 1971 she even hosted a show called The Pet Set. The show features celebrities and their pets.

White was a huge activist for animal rights. If she wasn’t an actress, she would have been a park ranger or a zookeeper but that wasn’t possible. White told ABC News in 2010 that “Back then, girls were not allowed to become forest rangers.’’ 

That same year the U.S. Forest Service made White an honorary forest ranger when she was 88 years old.

White was also an advocate for women’s rights and civil rights. In 1950 White had a talk show named the Betty White show. She was a producer on her own show and insisted on hiring women directors. This was huge at the time because women were seen as objects and didn’t usually get to have a creative voice in television.

She added Arthur Duncan to the show as a regular. This made a lot of people in the South mad because he was black. The show was even threatened to be boycotted. 

“They were going to take our show off the air if we didn’t get rid of Arthur because he was black,” said White. 

She was not going to get rid of Arthur. She put him on the show for a reason. 

“I’m sorry, but, you know, he stays, Live with it,” said White and gave him even more screen time.

White was also a strong ally for the LGBTQ+ community as well. Many in this community adored her for the racy characters she played and her love for animals. The characters White portrayed weren’t afraid to speak their mind when it came to controversial topics. The Golden Girls promoted LGBTQ+ rights on television in the 80s when it was unheard of. This really stuck with the community and had much appreciation for White.

 “If a couple has been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones – I think it’s fine if they want to get married. I don’t know how people can get so anti-something. Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don’t worry about other people so much,” White told Parade magazine in 2010. 

White was an actress, activist, and ranger. She was a true icon and was adored by many people for her humor and for not staying quiet when it came to topics she cared deeply about.