So much love to you because when my friend told me her favorite youtuber came out, I watched your video in secret and that was the first time I ever felt seen. To watch your videos now and see both of us as our authentic gay selves is so special to my heart. I wouldn't be here without you.
Happy Pride! I'm 52 almost 53, and my coming out process has been ongoing since I was 19. My mother doesn't approve, so we don't talk about it, and she's 80 years old and I live with her, taking care of her (and vice versa) since my dad had a heart attack in the mid90s. He's no longer with us, but he was accepting of my gayness. I live in a very rural area, conservative, Bible belt, Trump supporting state (West Virginia) and it isn't as easy to be out and proud, although I am very proud and glad to be gay! Thank you for this video.
your coming out was the first ever video I personally watched when i googled 'gay', you've played such an important role in this my and this generation's queer stories, thank you for always being here and sharing your journey!
@@ConnorFrantaI mean it wholeheartedly!! i've been learning english as a second language on a deeper level past years and trying to find someone with sophisticated oral speech and then realised that you were here the whole time! i also teach the language now so it helps me personally greatly 💘
From a 19-year-old gay boy, who had the privilege to grow up in changing/more open times, I sincerely thank you and all queer people who came before me for paving the way. Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
I was outed by my younger brother, who ended up coming out himself after 11 years of marriage to a woman and 2 kids later. When I was outed, I decided, it's time. The one thing about coming out that really made my life, my entire high school, classmates, teachers, etc. It was no big deal. Everyone knew me as Joe Jett because I love Joan Jett. It was awesome. But I got to be myself, which I already was. I am grateful I only had one horror story from it all. David S. Had a crush on him in junior high. Told him in high school. He threatened to tell everyone. Told him, go ahead, they already know. A**hole.
I’m 20 now, i’ve known for 12 years. the exhaustion of exactly what you’re describing was genuinely debilitating today. saving this to share with my parents when I come out
even though I'm not queer, I enjoy watching your videos because they make me think about life and reconsider some of my life choices. When I was younger I was super insecure, I got bullied for my looks in elementary school a lot and when I went to high school I went through a deep cleaning of my bedroom and found a photo of me from back in elementary school, I had short hair and I a smile that looked a bit crooked, like I wasn't smiling genuinely. I threw the photo away, along with the frame, because I just couldn't look at myself from back then and slowly started a glow-up journey that went on until my final years in college. Once I finally looked like the ideal version of myself, life happened and I gained a lot of the weight back and I didn't look like my ideal version of myself. It made me realize that I was worrying about my appearance more then I was able to admit and that no matter what you look like, you should love yourself because if you disrespect yourself like that, it's unfair to expect for others to respect you, too. I wish I still had that photo of me from elementary school, it honestly didn't look that bad, I just looked like a shy kid. I wish I respected myself more back then and gave myself more credit. Something as simple as a childhood photo is so valuable and I would genuinely like to see it now, to look at my young self in the eye and say "you were always enough".
Funny enough, the first video I ever saw of you was your coming out video. I didn’t have a clue who were at the time, but I appreciated the raw honesty. That’s what I’ve continued to stay for. Your perpetual raw honesty and everything else in between as you keep evolving into the truest version of yourself💙
I'm the same age as you (literally I was born september 1992 lol) and I wish you knew how much you've always helped me just by being your true self. I'll always be thankful for that and I'll always be proud of you! Happy pride Connor and happy pride everybody!
I wish that i could show this to my family. you articulate thoughts and feelings like no one else, and i really wish my family would just open their ears and mind. unfortunately, i have tried to have conversations with them and it results in them laughing at how frustrated i am at their apathy. Thank you for your words, Connor. Happy pride!!
One of the things I've learned is that at half or more of the population is locked into their view of the world. They're not going to change. They will do anything, say anything, come up with any story to avoid acknowledging that their mental picture of 'X' aspect of the world is wrong. You'll only make yourself crazy if you keep trying.
You`ve really found your element in these recent videos of yours, I love your commentary on these broader subjects. Very confident. Often times you say things that act as a reminder of essential values I already get. But as people, as individuals, we still tend to let those things slip our mind as we go through life. Thanks Connor 👍
Reminds me so much of my own experience. The praying and the hiding. Things are good now. Getting better with each year. Even after all the hardship I also wouldn't change a thing. I'll always be grateful for all your wisdom over the years. Happy Pride!
literally came out because you had the courage to do too - told someone a month after watching your coming out video and haven't stopped since. Can't thank you enough 💖✨🌈
Well said and I'm glad I'm the way I am as well. I never thought it would be possible several years ago. Thank you Connor for helping me along the way and for being my compass ❤
What an AMAZING insightful video! It really made me reflect on my own childhood and how grateful I am that we have come so far. Thank you for sharing this and happy pride to you! 💗
This is the GREATEST Pride video I have ever seen!! It is beautiful and perfectly epitomizes what it is like to grow up gay. I am so grateful for being gay! Thank you Conner for this masterpiece. Happy Pride!! 🏳️🌈
Watching your coming out video when I was in fifth grade pushed me to the realization that I couldn’t keep hiding from myself. Not long after, I came out to some close family and friends. I thank God for that opportunity. Thank you so much, Conner! I am so grateful
Connor you have touched so many lives and have empowered kids to embrace who they really are without shame and fear. My daughter came out to me at 15 and you had a huge influence on her accepting herself and trusting me to love her and support her. I’ve taken her to Vid Con, your book signings and to Henderson, NV for the book signing and art installation, just beautiful. Happy pride to you sir and thank you for helping a lot of kids through the scary parts. 🌈💕
oh connor, this video means so much to me. for my ethnic studies final this semester i wrote an 8 page essay on Marsha P Johnson and how her otherness made her such a powerful activist for homeless transgender youth. hearing the words "your otherness is your greatest strength" from you just instantly hit home for me.
Happy Pride Month, Connor! I remember at 17 still being in the closet, putting up a facade of myself - very outgoing and obnoxiously "funny." How I nearly let my mask fall by almost telling my friends,"I have a crush on a guy in my English Lit. class." but I stopped myself due to fear and not being confident, but after high school ended, I gave myself the freedom in coming out 🌈 I've become who I'm meant to be, and I'm much happier.
Connor, you are the reason im who I am. I was 12 when I found your coming out video. My life changed overnight. thank you. You helped me find myself. Im now 22. My life is great, I have a long term girlfriend and I'm proud of who I am. Thank you.
This hits. My ten-year-old self knew I was different, didn't necessarily know the words for it, but knew it was "wrong." It took me so f*cking long to get past that. I'll never get those lost years back, so I do everything I can to be visible to the next generation of queer kids.
So grateful that throughout my life, from my darkest moments, to my best days, I’ve always had you as an influence in my life to add hope when everything feels hopeless. Nine year old me watched you as you built a platform, and uploaded your coming out video. I admire your strength and bravery through that time in your life. When I was at my lowest, you inspired me to write poetry which saved my life and taught me how to manage my mental health. Your perspective on life feels like home, Con. Thank you for that. I sit here writing this, about to turn 21, feeling happier and more content with life than ever. Here you are, still motivating me to better myself. Reminding me look back at how far I’ve come. It’s like we’re reminiscing together. I’m forever proud of you. I truly feel that you are the single most valuable influence in my life. I will never be able to explain the complexities of how thats true when I don’t really know you. You’ve just always been there with the right thing to say. I don’t know who I would be, where I would be, or if I would even be here without you. I’m so proud to see you so happy. And I’m proud of myself. I know I have a long way to go before I can feel so confident in my identity as you. But what I do know is that one day I will feel what you feel. I’m so excited for that. I will never stop expressing my gratitude for everything you’ve done for me. From all of the versions of me, that appreciation for you never has, and never will waver. Thank you Connor. Maybe I’ll be able to thank you in person one day.
I said once to a friend " why are straight people annoying? I hate being straight" at age 15. I didn't come out till 19. But I think if this quote often now almost 8 years later
I wonder what high school would have been like if I'd figured out the ace thing way earlier - would I have engaged with people differently? Or tried to understand them differently? Or been more accepting of myself and how I was different, and how that wasn't a thing to be worried about at all?
Yes, thank the Messiahs danisnotonfire, Amazing Phil, Pete Wentz and Brendon Urie that Connor Frantatron is a cute little gay snuggly jellybean. Now to add some spice, wholewheat, raisins, sprinkles, mineral water, carrots and honey - and finally the ultimate sweet snack will be complete. Ian McKellen, John Barrowman, Lil Nas X, TR Knight, Russell Tovey, Tyler Zakhar Perez, Xavier Dolan, Thomas Dekker, Charlie Carver, Tyler Posey, Lukas Gage, DJ Quails, Bretman Rock, Tom Daley, Dustin Lance Black, Brandon Flynn, Matt Bomer, Neil Patrick Harris, Kal Penn, Karan Brar, Wentworth Miller, Sean Hayes, BD Wong, Bowen Yang, Joel Kim Booster, Jack Griffo, Austin Crute, Billy Eichner, Mason Healey, Ricky Martin, Randy Harrison, Chris Colfer, Scott Evans, Luke Evans, Kevin McHale, Ricky Cornish, Stan Chris, Jack Merridew, Pano T , Jerian Shaine, Valentíno Quiñones, Larray, Twaimz, Jackson Krecioch, Lucas Cruikshank, CJ Lynn, Nico Greetham Davi Santos, Abraham Rodriguez, Ricky Dillon, Martin Martinez, Grant O'Brien, Kahlen Barry, Imari Stuart, Ranboo, Benji Kroll, Chase Young, Scotty Dynamo, Steve Grand, Frank Gioia, all get a piece.
What a beautiful video. You speak so eloquently. I wished I had a friend like you in my life. The person I thought was my friend for 5 years just abandoned me. Said I was not worth the time or effort and cut me out of his life. Even though I was always there for his issues. Supported him emotionally and financially. Feel very… used. Sadly there are so many gays with unkind hearts (he referred to himself as a hero 😅)and treat others in a way they would not want to be treated and even complain they are treated that way and turn around and do it to their own community. That’s the sad part. Thanks for sharing your positive and uplifting thoughts with us. 😊
You really do have a gift of expressing thoughts, feelings, and emotions relating to the frustrations of denial to acceptance You are blessed to have lived in the time you did. Because if you take your opening words and stop after the words “the demons I was fighting”, You will find me 40 years ago without the Internet without cultural advantages without idols without heroes and without hope. You’re right, we all did a hell of a number on ourselves for whether it was 10 years 20 years 30 years or whatever, the damage was done because of timing But I embrace your final words about celebration today because that is what it’s all about: self acceptance, love and respect. Happy pride, everyone 💙
Beautiful video!! Being a LGBT+ kid really molds your life... Being extremely careful with your words, excluding yourself, hating yourself, hoping "to be normal", etc. I'm honestly so proud of 15 year old me who came out to multiple people in a school trip. I was so damn brave. I would like to get some of that back tbh, it's still hard :( Even if you fully accept yourself
This is such an important video, but I was almost bracing myself for the BetterHelp plug - why are we still platforming a company with a harmful and controversial track record?
Hearing you speak on the things you struggled with when you were younger and getting such a strange feeling as you told that snippet of your past and how it was like you were telling my own. I would do the same thing, in tears and feeling so sick, praying to God to take it away so I wasn’t gay. Make it so I wasn’t a sin or bound to go to hell. That I could just be like everyone else. I wish I could say I’m as confident and steadfast in myself as you are now. It still seems unimaginable or unachievable to me. But I hope someday, I can feel like you. Thank you for your example and for sharing so much of your journey. You’ve played a role in my life and will continue to and I’m really thankful for that. From a still struggling 26 year old me, much love ❤
It's crazy to look back at that closeted adolescent that I once was and directly compare him to who I am today. Your words are so true. It's way to much for a kid to handle. And we shouldn't put our youth in a position of such isolation. But we made it through all of that and now here we are on the other side. I absolutely do have a sense of pride for that accomplishment. Thank you for sharing.
100% my brother. Went thru a very similar experience. And I appreciate you being light hearted about it even though I know your struggle, just as mine, just as us all, had darker days as well. It's why I've been so happy to see the community so resolute in ensuring no other generation ever has to experience that again. That's why Pride is important and will always be important.
I enjoyed watching your video. Now I will be 93 next month. Lost my partner of 56 years nine years ago. People had to know because we were always together at most functions but never went to bars etc. Regardless of my quiet personal happiness, being gay always stunted my growth being an unspoken secret and never knowing when it would come out. I was intelligent and able to get ahead in my job but at times fear kept me quiet. Your openness makes me wish I had been born in the generation where being gay was recognized as more normal but I made it through and after both of our parents died he moved in with me and we had 20 years together and my family supported us and always from the beginning accepted our friendship. Enjoy yourself and I hope you find the kind of lasting love I was able to share. Love is what it is all about!
@@repent6238 Dear repent: I don’t need saving by a non existant God. I do however follow the teachings attributed to Jesus although I do not believe beyond the wisdom of those words. I have no superstitious fears of what happens to me beyond this life. If there is a beautiful life beyond this one, I will embrace it as I am and if there is not (which I believe), I will enjoy the peace of eternal sleep. Worry about yourself!
You have been my favorite creator since I was 13 and I also bought your book :) I’m 20 now and also a former swimmer like you, seeing you be visible helped me so much, although I haven’t even been out for long you have always been apart of my queer journey when I was figuring out who I was, watching your videos was a highlight of my young gay journey and I can’t wait for the day I can walk around as proud as you are of yourself. You’re truly an inspiration!
I wish I was straight. Not because being gay is wrong, but because being straight would be so much easier. It feels like I'm living my life in a game not with the "Normal" difficulty, but unnecessarily it was chosen to "Hard".
Im a middleeastern. recently moved to Australia after striving so hard to get a visa, hoping that migrating would allow me to be myself. I used to be happier with my identity back home - although never experienced any intimate relationship. But now that I live in a free country, I feel closeted again. The image I had from the lgbtq community has changed - unfortunately in a negative way - after living here for a year. Culturally, it's very important for me to create a family and in the lgbtq community, I haven't met many people who feel the same way about creating a family. I may be wrong, but that's how I feel for now - hope it changes! I'm struggling a lot with my identity again, and watching your video - after at least a year! - helped to feel a little better about myself again. So, thank you.
You were an integral part of educating me on the thoughts, feelings, and reality of queer people while adults in my life were telling me differently. I am very thankful for creators like you because frankly I would probably be a shittier human.
The moment I read the title, I knew we'd had a similar experience.. I couldn't have said this back then, but now... 😂Thank you God for making me gay because there's no one else I'd rather be. God bless you!.❤
In the 80s, I was very naïve as a kid. I didn't occur to me that I didn't see male or female couples around as I didn't go out of my way looking, just as I didn't go out of my way looking for straight couples. Then when I was 15, over many months I fell head over heels in love and I told them. I was quickly given an education in how truly awful and hypocritical Humans can be. I was rejected, and not in a pleasant way. I was, to use a modern term, ghosted, by someone I had adored. It destroyed me, I could not square how someone who had earned my love could actually be a monster when I revealed how they had won my heart. Even today it still haunts me, I wonder how different things might've been if I had had the luck of adoring someone who had adored me back, how much better life would've been. I had optimism and hope for my fellow Humans, but after that moment I looked on them as a whole with distrust and disillusionment. I am grateful for my gayness and the few people who show true selfless care for others, but not for my species. In all honesty, I would've preferred to have been a Bonobo chimp, at least as a whole they honestly and truly look out for one another.
I remember watching your coming out video as a tween and crying thinking about how long you had to hide. Then, when I was right around your same age, I realized I’m trans. It’s never too late to come out. I couldn’t have dreamed of happiness this authentic
