Anyone whose youth involved trying on Mom’s high heels and rifling around her makeup drawer knows it can end poorly if Dad comes home from work early and finds you looking like a 12-year-old Dolly Parton. But the times they are a-changin’ — and the kids are getting much better with the application process.
And while plenty of youth still struggle with their parents’ rigid understanding of gender roles and sexuality, a recent viral TikTok video shows one example of how far we’ve come.
In the clip, a boy is filming himself applying makeup, hears his father approaching, and shuts the lights to avoid being seen.
Related: Gay guy’s letter defending gay brother to their father goes viral
His dad turns on the lights, sees his son and asks, “Is this what you want to do, Papa?” (The kid’s nickname is Papa to make things mildly confusing.)
“Because if this is what you want to do”, he continues, “you’ll be okay. I’ll be okay with you.”
“I love you, Papa. I love you. If that makes you happy, do it. Do it, but do it good. OK, Papa. I’m always with you. I won’t let you down in anything. Be happy.”
It’s a touching moment, and we love that Dad even managed to work in a slight read by telling his son to “do it good” if he’s going to do it.
Shantay you stay, Dad! Watch:
Max
(sniffs)
who’s cutting onions???
Scott
Certainly not me…he said, untruthfully
ShiningSex
love this! those that make fun of it are idiots
Hank31
People shouldn’t make fun of it. It’s a tragedy, not a comedy.
Matthewnow
Maybe Dad can adopt us.
trojanboy
Give that human a medal of honour.
Hank31
Bad move. That dad thinks he is doing the right thing by giving his effeminate son immediate comfort, but by allowing the deviance to entrench itself, he will only cause greater harm for his son in the medium and long term.
white-queer-african
Wow. Having seen some of your comments overtime, you surely one very sad pathetic individual. There is professionall help available if only you will reach out!
Jim
Hey quit giving Hank grief. Apparently he doesn’t have loving parents and thus is clueless as to what it look like.
Cam
@Hank31
Nothing enrages the right wing troll more than LGBTQ people not being forced into the closet.
Sweetie, Please tell Putin or the RNC to up the salaries and pay for some smarter trolls.
Hank31
@Jim Thanks for responding! Actually, I had, and continue to have, a great relationship with my folks! They love me and I love them. Although I was never afflicted with effeminacy as a boy, if I had been, I would hope and expect that my folks would have done the hard parenting work of understanding and addressing the problem, not papering it over with cheap phrases (“If it makes you happy . . .”).
Take care!
Cam
@Hank31
The thing I love about this right wing troll, is that the fact it’s so terrified of “Feminized” men tells me EXACTLY what it’s like in person. Trying to swagger around to hide the natural sway in it’s hips, having terrified nightmares where it dresses up in mommy’s clothes, and the secret place in the back of it’s closet where it hides the high heels it wears when nobody is around.
Sweetie you aren’t fooling anyone, the only people that are THAT terrified of feminine men are the self hating fools who hate that part of themselves.
The fem guys who walk along the street being themselves are a lot stronger than the terrified children like you.
But keep on trolling, it’s fun to get these glimpses into your life.
Scott
Any particular reason you’re watching this video? On Queerty? Troll much?
cliche guevara
They only potential harm would come from folks like you but the community has his back and we are experienced in shutting down twats like you.
Rocinante
Hank; if you said that in front of me I would bash your skull in.
Rocinante
And I would dance on your brains.
LumpyPillows
Hank…SMH. I know you are trying to be a troll, but really?
Beating the feminine side out of boys and men is what screws them up. Allow boys and men to be who they are. The right wants to turn our little gay boys into nightmares and the left wants to turn them into girls. Just let them be boys…in whatever flavor they turn out.
joxx67
Oh Hank31 you are very sad man. Who hurt you when you were young??
Kangol2
A beautiful story. If only all parents were as supportive and loving of their LGBGTQ children!
Caddy4J
This Dad is awesome. This DAD really loves his kid, and I’m happy to see the father support his son 100%. The beauty of it all is, the dad knows they’ll be haters and people talking behind his back, but he doesn’t care. Dad wants him to be the best at what he does.
David11
What a beautiful moment of a parent showing unconditional support and love to their child – that’s the way it should be! This made me cry…And, just for some cultural context, Papa/Papas is a not the kid’s nickname, it’s a term of endearment in the Mexican culture, it’s like saying sweetheart.
David11
Oh, and one more thing! The Dad isn’t even slightly reading his kid or throwing any kind of shade – he’s truly encouraging his son to always do his best, regardless of what that endeavor might be. Get a clue guys…
nowayjose
I’m with Hank31. Please give me a break. A guy wearing makeup not my cup of tea. Parents were great when I told them I was gay but the makeup thing give a break. Too girly. I want a man that looks like a man, Not a guy that looks like a girl. If that was the case I’d married a woman.
LumpyPillows
Not your thing? OK. Don’t be a douche about it.
LumpyPillows
While I d support the concept, I do feel it was completely staged.