important things about dan’s coming out video
”spoiler alert i’m not straight”
homophobia affects how children grow up and how they view themselves and anyone who says “they’re too young to talk about seXuaLity” regarding healthy gay representation in the media or “the world isn’t fair deal with it” regarding homophobia is an asshole
using “gay” as an insult creates a negative connotation that is detrimental to an entire community of people and establishes a sense of inferiority. don’t do it.
stand up for people. please. dan talked about how awful his childhood was because he had no friends and everyone was too scared to stand up for him and how his life changed when he met phil because just having one person on his side was so important. even if you don’t think it’s a big deal, please give people support
“emo is one of the best things that happened to pop culture in the past 20 years”
bisexuality is valid and is not just a trendy label or an excuse for being sexually confused
what you say on the internet lasts forever and someone will find it, for better or for worse
dan asking god to “make him straight” because he was tired of being abused for his sexuality because it’s 2019 and people still don’t realize that sexuality is not a choice and no amount of praying or sexual conversions or whatever will change that, it’ll only make people feel more hopeless and telling someone to “pray the gay away” or that homosexuality is a sin is an awful thing
dan speaking on his attempted suicide. if you’re reading this or if you’ve seen his video, know you are not alone. youtubers and celebrities tend to get idolized and people don’t realize that they are people too and they have struggled too and being in a dark spot doesn’t make you any less of a person. if you’re having problems with suicidal thoughts, know that you have support and call the suicide hotline if you need someone to talk to 1-800-273-8255
time heals. even if you feel like your world is ending now, you have a life ahead of you, and that time will give you perspective
dan calling phil his soulmate and not just because oMg!1! PhaN!1 but because it’s so important to find someone you feel comfortable around and you love and feel loved back i’m so happy for both of them
on that note, dan calling everyone out for being obsessed with his sexuality and about his relationships because yes, it’s fun to see a connection between two people and seeing people happy together makes people happy but that’s no excuse to be creepy and aggressive and try to force people into addressing things they don’t want to share
also dan alluding to all the bottom jokes which actually kinda made me laugh but also points out how weird that is like stop
don’t force people to disclose their sexuality. don’t out people. just don’t. you don’t know their life story and doing so could threaten their safety. preaching openness and being comfortable with who you are doesn’t work when you’re making someone uncomfortable by pressuring them to say something they don’t want to say yet. and if they’re not gay, it’s just harassment and unhealthy stereotyping.
never react to someone’s coming out with “wE bEen knEw” or something because obviously it’s taking them a lot to share this information with you don’t be a prick
“focus on making the world a welcoming place and people will come out when they are ready”
using your platform to let people know they don’t have to deal with their experiences alone
“every time someone speaks openly about sexuality, it saves lives”
representation is so important
we all have different experiences in life. don’t judge other people or invalidate their experiences or act like something is or isn’t a problem
if you stay silent, you are contributing to the problem
society has an unhealthy obsession with labels and human conceptions of particular words varies as the world changes but at the same time, some people derive pride, happiness, and validation with finding a label they identify with so respect that
“if you want to use language to express your honest feelings and identity, that’s great and other people should respect what you say. likewise, if you hate labels and you just want to be a formless blob that’s fine too, no one should force you. the only thing that isn’t cool is telling people what they should or should not identify as because that ain’t your problem or your business”
“i think it’s unlikely [that god exists] in the same way i know i like DICK but i’m not going to pretend to have a definite answer here” mood.
“one thing’s for sure, whatever heterosexual is, i ain’t it”
dan appreciating the word “queer”. even though there is some bad history behind it given that it’s a slur, it’s a good umbrella term that avoids having to put yourself into a specific label and is inclusive to everyone. that being said, if you don’t feel comfortable with it, that’s understandable
saying you’re gay doesn’t make you spontaneously combust!!!!
“i’m here, i’m queer, and don’t worry, i’m still filled with existential fear”
dan emailing his family to come out because you should be able to come out anyway you feel comfortable with and also #relatable when you’re both gay AND awkward
dan’s mf christian grandmother saying “I hope that now you will feel free to live your life as you want with no pretence” because having an accepting family is so important and my heart goes out to everyone who does not come from an accepting family but it’s just so nice to hear. and also, being old and conservative and christian is not an excuse to be a bigot. you should value the happiness of the people you love over your opposing views
dan pointing out the problems in the pride community right now because gender roles, biphobia, transphobia, acephobia, and racism are still huge problems that should be dealt with and we should focus on loving and accepting each other and welcome anyone to the community because everyone is valid
the fight against homophobia is not over
queer people exist. choosing not to accept them is not an option.
“living your truth with pride is the way to be happy. you are valid, it gets so much better, and the future is clear: it’s pretty queer”
