Dad Stops Supporting His Son Because He’s Gay, So He Learns How To Draw On Walls To Help Pay The Bills And His Art Goes Viral
The Pew Center survey showed that nearly 4 in 10 LGBT adults in the US have been rejected by family and friends because of their sexual orientation. No wonder so many people feel scared to come out to their parents.
But 21-year-old João Neto from Cuiabá, Brazil was brave enough to take this hard step. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well. João tweeted that after his dad stopped supporting him financially, he had to find a way to make a living. That’s why João learned to draw and found a new passion in art. Let’s take a look at the work of this inspiring young man down below and don’t forget to show him your support!
More info: Twitter | Instagram
João shared this personal story of how he started drawing on Twitter and it went viral
Image credits: barbiedopedra90
Image credits: barbiedopedra90
João was over the moon upon finding that so many people support him
Image credits: barbiedopedra90
Image credits: barbiedopedra90
Views on homosexuality have shifted over time, but the process is still ongoing. In 1985, a Los Angeles survey showed that 89% of American adults would be upset if their child came out as LGBT, and only 9% said they’d be okay with it. A survey by Pew Research showed that 57% of parents would not be upset if their child come out as gay or lesbian. The same survey showed that gay adults are more likely to share this info with their moms (70% of gay men, 67% of lesbians) than with dads (53% gay men, 45% lesbians). Read more about coming out experiences in LGBT voices right here.
People praised João for his talent and courage
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What a crappy dad! Lots of people have to support themselves from a much earlier age and so it's not exactly unusual to be financing yourself at 21. I was at 16 which wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs. Dreadful reason for Joao though. Love your kids for who they are!
Yep - I was 18.
That's no dad at all.
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You rush to judgement with only having one side of the story? Perhaps this man should seek gainful employment. Perhaps his father got sick of shelling out cash for a son that won't work? or the father simply has run out of cash, and the man child wails, "its because I'm gay, I'm going tell everyone how horrid you are"
We can only ever judge on the information we are presented with and anyone who says they do not are being disingenuous. He is supposedly at university studying and many are lucky enough to not need to support themselves at that point in their life thanks to their parents. Many others are not so fortunate and have to support themselves. 🤷♀️ He now has to and is doing so, doesn't seem lazy at least. There are still a lot of parents that reject their gay children so, sadly, it's not an unlikely story.
My family hasn't supported me financially since I was 18. I'm having a hard time feeling sorry for this guy who at 21 now has to support himself.
"Support" doesn't just mean financial. Think about how often you rely on any family member for anything--even just knowing that they are there is a huge blessing. It would be excruciatingly painful to be rejected from your family, especially for coming out to them and making the brave choice to unapologetically be yourself. My heart goes out to him. Sending love his way.
I agree but that isn't what the whole thrust of the article is about. The article centres on the finance side and how Joao goes on to be able to provide for himself. It isn't focused on the lack of his dad's emotional support or how Joao feels about being rejected in and of itself - that's the point that Sterrinatu is responding to.
Sterrinatu: Exactly! I was sad at first, until I saw the MAN's photo. He's 21! His dad may have stopped supporting him financially just because he expect him to grow up, get a job and move out of the basement. Obviously, the guy does have a way to support himself financially, and is capable of it. So I think there's MORE to the story than just "I'm gay, so my dad stopped giving me money".
There's not supporting financially, and then there's actively trying to break someone's spirit.
Then you can feel sorry for him to be rejected by his father.
Yes, sorry that he's been rejected by his father. That's appalling and should be absoutely condemned. However, 21 is not too young for a person to start supporting themselves and he's clearly very able and not struggling with making money. He's lucky he has a talent he can utlilise and isn't working in a crappy poorly paid job. So, to me, it seems reasonable to be sad for him having a bad father but not sad that he's ably supporting himself or that he has to.
It also depends on "why"... You can make anything hurtful if you do it maliciously :)
I do feel sorry for any young man losing his father in this way, but I absolutely do not feel sorry for a 21 year old man who has lost his father's financial support. Right now he might only see the financial side, but losing the father goes so much deeper.
What a crappy dad! Lots of people have to support themselves from a much earlier age and so it's not exactly unusual to be financing yourself at 21. I was at 16 which wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs. Dreadful reason for Joao though. Love your kids for who they are!
Yep - I was 18.
That's no dad at all.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You rush to judgement with only having one side of the story? Perhaps this man should seek gainful employment. Perhaps his father got sick of shelling out cash for a son that won't work? or the father simply has run out of cash, and the man child wails, "its because I'm gay, I'm going tell everyone how horrid you are"
We can only ever judge on the information we are presented with and anyone who says they do not are being disingenuous. He is supposedly at university studying and many are lucky enough to not need to support themselves at that point in their life thanks to their parents. Many others are not so fortunate and have to support themselves. 🤷♀️ He now has to and is doing so, doesn't seem lazy at least. There are still a lot of parents that reject their gay children so, sadly, it's not an unlikely story.
My family hasn't supported me financially since I was 18. I'm having a hard time feeling sorry for this guy who at 21 now has to support himself.
"Support" doesn't just mean financial. Think about how often you rely on any family member for anything--even just knowing that they are there is a huge blessing. It would be excruciatingly painful to be rejected from your family, especially for coming out to them and making the brave choice to unapologetically be yourself. My heart goes out to him. Sending love his way.
I agree but that isn't what the whole thrust of the article is about. The article centres on the finance side and how Joao goes on to be able to provide for himself. It isn't focused on the lack of his dad's emotional support or how Joao feels about being rejected in and of itself - that's the point that Sterrinatu is responding to.
Sterrinatu: Exactly! I was sad at first, until I saw the MAN's photo. He's 21! His dad may have stopped supporting him financially just because he expect him to grow up, get a job and move out of the basement. Obviously, the guy does have a way to support himself financially, and is capable of it. So I think there's MORE to the story than just "I'm gay, so my dad stopped giving me money".
There's not supporting financially, and then there's actively trying to break someone's spirit.
Then you can feel sorry for him to be rejected by his father.
Yes, sorry that he's been rejected by his father. That's appalling and should be absoutely condemned. However, 21 is not too young for a person to start supporting themselves and he's clearly very able and not struggling with making money. He's lucky he has a talent he can utlilise and isn't working in a crappy poorly paid job. So, to me, it seems reasonable to be sad for him having a bad father but not sad that he's ably supporting himself or that he has to.
It also depends on "why"... You can make anything hurtful if you do it maliciously :)
I do feel sorry for any young man losing his father in this way, but I absolutely do not feel sorry for a 21 year old man who has lost his father's financial support. Right now he might only see the financial side, but losing the father goes so much deeper.