Life throws all sorts of unexpected challenges at us, and there’s no one fool-proof way to successfully rise to them. It’s a revealing test of character to see how we move over the bumps in the road.
We’ve followed 20-something vlogger Riyadh for a while now, and have admired how he can tackle the silly to the serious and stay a positive role model to all the gay youth who stumble across his feed.
Related: Watch What Happens When This Dude Lets His Mom Read His Grindr Messages
In his most recent video, we get a look at his coming out story, including his father’s emotional revelation that he contemplated suicide after discovering that Riyadh is gay.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“I actually got up that night about 3 or 4 in the morning, and I was looking for tablets to commit suicide,” he says, adding, “It was so stupid.”
You can find that video, in which Riyadh, his mum and dad all talk about Riyadh’s coming out, below:
This is notable for a couple of reasons. One, it’s impressive that Riyadh’s dad is man enough to get on camera and get real about a serious and uncomfortable topic — well done, Dad. But more importantly, it’s another reminder that sometimes people need time and space to question what really matters and evolve.
Because in just a short amount of time, this father went from angry, distressed and confused to learning about ‘shade’ and other gay slang over fits of laughter with his son.
More of this please!
jud
This was beautiful.
I cried.
More people should be like these.
Kudos!
Billy Budd
What a nice family. The best part was the Dad’s speech. He was incredibly honest and is basically a very good person. You can tell.
joeyty
Father and son YouTube hams.
robho3
That was a very nice clip. I still,however, don’t understand when people now days feel the need to film the most intimate details of their life with everyone online.
Shadeaux
That was really nice.
AtticusBennett
@robho3: because sharing things like this ends up helping people all over the world.
make no mistake – there are many families who will truly benefit from not just this video, but the countless videos other LGBT people are making with their families. there are so many parents who, if not vehemently anti-gay, are still in that “well, i’m OK with it, but i don’t want to talk about it and i don’t want people to know about it” phase.
seeing families like this? it shows that you can move past your insecurities and learned prejudices, and can become an active, vocal and visible champion for the LGBT communities.
my mum has always said, when your kid comes out the whole family has to Come Out too.
that’s how we make the world a better and more embracing place.
this father’s honesty about his own shameful and selfish initial response to finding out his son is gay will no doubt strike a chord with many.
joeyty
@robho3: For the same reason Riyadh (rolls eyes) and other YouTubers put on a zillion other videos…..he wants to be hired for a Reality Show.
Ogre Magi
I was ready to say something snarky but that was really sad and disturbing
I don’t know how to feel
AtticusBennett
@Ogre Magi: feel good – his father moved past his self-absorbed anti-gay insecurity and is now proud to have an openly gay son. it’s a good thing.
and with this video, many more parents will realize that having a gay kid is a GOOD thing.
the reason people are commenting negatively on this video is just bitterness: Riyadh’s parents love him, are proud of him, and want to go on youtube to help other families. the commenters denigrating him are bitter, because they know their own parents would never do this for THEM; which is why what Riyadh is doing is so important – his family talks about it because Troll’s families WON’T.