Teen Shares Dad's Reaction After He Walked In On Him Doing His Makeup In His Bedroom
Daniel Lemus Díaz had not yet come out to his father so he was not prepared for his reaction.
YouTube A father's reaction to his son filming a makeup tutorial in his bedroom has gone viral, and the heartwarming exchange between the two has captured many people's hearts.
Daniel Díaz, who was 18 at the time, uploaded a YouTube video in July 2020, titled "My Dad Walked In On Me While I Was Doing My Makeup. I Came Out To My Dad." The video racked up over 500,000 views, and while people braced themselves for the worst, the reality was much more emotional.
Daniel Díaz shared his dad's reaction after he walked in on his son doing his makeup in his bedroom.
Daniel's video had initially started as a makeup tutorial he had been filming in his bedroom. However, toward the end of the video, Daniel was thrown into a panic after his father, Luis Lemus, walked into the room.
The teen immediately turned off all the lights in his room, clearly frightened of what his father's reaction to him wearing makeup would be. Daniel tried to tell his father that he was filming a video, but Luis simply urged him to turn back on the lights.
Off-screen, his father asked his son in Spanish, "What are you doing? Turn on the lights." While tearing up, Daniel turned back on the lights, explaining in a timid tone that he was only filming for his YouTube channel.
"I'm going to tell you, something son..." Luis told his son. "Whatever it is you want to do..." he continued before Daniel interrupted saying, "Dad, don't make me cry, don't make me cry."
"Whatever it is you want to do, you’ll be okay. I’ll be okay with you. I’m with you, okay? I love you," Luis declared.
"If that makes you happy, do it, but do it good. I’m always with you, okay? I’m not going to drop you or anything. You'll be happy." Luis then embraces his son, and the two share an emotional and heartwarming hug.
Daniel admitted that he hadn't come out to his father yet, and the moment captured on camera was his first reaction.
In an interview with Newsweek, Daniel revealed that before the YouTube video, he hadn't told his father about his sexuality. However, their tender moment captured on camera ended up being the catalyst.
“I never told my dad that I was gay, until that day I felt like I truly came out to him,” Daniel told the publication.
According to a 2018 Human Rights Campaign survey of over 12,000 LGBTQIA+ teens, 77% felt depressed, 70% felt worthless/hopeless, and 77% said they heard family members say negative things about LGBTQIA+ people.
"I was just so happy. I wanted to cry but I told myself, 'NO! I won't cry because if I cry I won't be able to post this video because who's going to want to see someone crying while mascara is running down their face!' I was also filled with joy."
"It was just a wonderful moment for us, and thank goodness that I caught his reaction on video," Daniel added.
Despite coming out to his father, and acknowledging that his entire family accepts him for who he is, Daniel expressed that he still fears going out in public with makeup and acrylic nails on.
"I'm just so scared for people to see me with [that] kind of stuff because there are some bad people out in this world. You just never know. But when I'm home, safe and sound, I let my imagination run free, because I know that my family will accept who I am and not tell me anything negative."
While men wearing makeup and participating in traditionally "feminine" activities was largely taboo in past generations, the last several years have seen more openness for men wanting to express their creativity, whether it's by wearing makeup or painting their nails.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics.