[Shaun]

I'd advise you don't watch it if you're particularly sensitive about the subject (or are afraid of coming out)... it's a pretty soul-destroying watch (even if you're not very sensitive).

Youtube video

http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement...are_goes_viral

Daniel Ashley Pierce from Georgia posted a video to his Facebook page Tuesday. That video, which was later posted to Reddit and YouTube, has gone viral, with almost 850,000 views in just two days. It depicts his family's response to him coming out. In the video, Daniel's mother says she knew since he was "a tiny little boy" that he is gay, but she also say that he has "made a choice" to be gay.

Daniel's boyfriend set up a GoFundMe page to help Daniel with living expenses. The New Civil Rights Movement has been told by a person in touch with Daniel that he is safe, living with a trusted relative, and he's "overwhelmed" by all that's happened.

The video begins with a woman, possibly Daniel's mother, saying, "Daniel, I want to tell you before I say anything else, that I love you."

"You can deny it all you want to," the woman continues, "but I believe in the word of God, and God creates nobody that way," Daniel's mother tells him. "It's a path that you have chosen to choose."

Daniel, who is 20, talks about his biology and psychology classes. He tells his family he believes that "scientific proof trumps the word of God."

"You go by all the scientific stuff you want to," she responds. "I'm going by the word of God."

The woman then says, "we will not support you any longer."

"You will need to move out, and find wherever you can to live," she adds. "Because I will not let people believe that I condone what you do."

As the exchange heats up, there sounds like a slap, the camera is jarred, and Daniel says, "You're not going to ****ing hit me."

Someone else says, "Son of a bitch," and it sounds like a physical altercation is underway.

Daniel is called "a damn queer," "a disgrace," and "a little piece of ****."

Someone, likely a woman, says, "I'll beat you..."

In the end, the family disowns Daniel, some members appear to get physically, emotionally, and verbally abusive, and they hide behind their Bible.

In an email, Daniel told the Huffington Post today why he started to record the video. "I wanted to make sure there was evidence in case something happened."

The Huffington Post adds that Daniel "came out as gay last October. At the time, his father was unresponsive and his stepmother seemed supportive. However, things took a turn for the worse Wednesday when Pierce found himself a part of what he describes as a 'delayed intervention' involving his father, stepmother and grandparents. He apparently captured footage of the interaction on camera."

Daniel's boyfriend posted the video to Reddit. A friend of Daniel's posted it to YouTube, and Dan Savage posted it on his blog, followed by Joe.My.God. and The New Civil Rights Movement. Soon after other sites, including the Backlot and The Advocate, had published it as well.

And here's the GoFundMe page Daniel's boyfriend set up for him. Daniel now has control of the page we're told, and we have been told he will be the one who gets all the proceeds from the page, which currently stand at over $23,000.

[Ammi]

..jeez....this is the very, very, very worst of people..the worst of beliefs and of putting what 'others may think' with those same prejudiced beliefs before the love of your own child...this made me cry, it's easy to say that his life will be better without that judgement in it and without parents who cannot see who he is, accept who he is and love who he is but the pain of their rejection will rule so much about how he feels about himself....

..what they have done for him/what his father has done for him..?..they've done nothing/they've done nothing that matters or is of any importance because they don't love him for who he is....what they've done is damaged him with their prejudice...


..Daniel......

[Liam-]

That's one of the most heart wrenching things i think I've ever seen.. i can't even begin to imagine what he must have felt, what sort of parents would do that to their child? i just don't get it.

[AnnieK]

I have no words for this. Incredibly sad. I would like to say this is an isolated incident these days but I have no idea if that is true.

[arista]

"Made That Choice"


Bible Folk
poor guy - stands no chance


Yes Shaun its wrong
but some places in UK and USA
are so Anti Gay,
It changes but some people never back down.
Its in their bible

[lily.]

I was almost in tears watching this. As a mother, I can't imagine ever treating my child like this.

We're very liberal in my house... in fact, my 17 year old daughter told her 13 year old brother that 'you have to come out as straight in this house'... lol..

But, seriously, to have your own family treat you that way is just appalling. I could understand that level of vitriol if he was a murderer, but it is just so backwards to feel like that about sexuality.

[Niamh.]

I don't think i want to watch that. I don't understand parents like that, how something like being attracted to other men could change how you feel about your son

[Amy Jade]

He's better off without them frankly.

My 18 year old cousin came out as gay a few weeks ago just before he went on holiday and my auntie Kate threw him and his boyfriend a BBQ to celebrate and meet our huge family and everyone is totally fine about it.

[lostalex]

it's so ridiculous she starts off saying she knew he was gay since he was a small child, then says it was his choice, WTF.... so silly/

The stupidity of religion.

Why does the UK still have a state religion?

[billy123]

It just amazes me that that there are still people around that are so backwards.

[T*]

Very very sad to watch

[JoshBB]

Oh my god, how *****ing horrible. I thought the world changed

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

Oh my god, how *****ing horrible. I thought the world changed

The world has changed, religion hasn't and that's the problem in situations like this

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by lostalex

it's so ridiculous she starts off saying she knew he was gay since he was a small child, then says it was his choice, WTF.... so silly/

The stupidity of religion.

Why does the UK still have a state religion?

I want the church disestablished too. Wales and Scotland have done it, just need England to follow. We should have a vote tbh.

[T*]

Seeing this just makes me glad that I was born into a non-religous family. If I need to come out, or any of my siblings for that matter (one already has); My parents will be happy for them. In my eyes, I don't think anyone should come out as that just makes gay people seem different to others, and that's not the case. Just let your families find out for themselves! At least, that's what i'm going to do, as I'm not straight. (But i'm not Gay or Bi either! I'm myself, and no-one needs labels. )

[Niamh.]

Very wise Tom

[hijaxers]

What kind of people are these 'parents' they make me sick to my stomach ! My only daughter is gay and her sexual orientation makes no difference to the wonderful woman that she is, i must admit that realising i would have no grandchildren made me slightly sad, but having grandchildren is not a divine right. Everyone should appreciate their children for who they are as people.
This poor chap is better off without these vile, nasty hypocritical morons.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Can the parents not have deduced this just from his voice?

[CaudleHalbard]

Dreadful. The relatives prefer to hide behind what is largely a work of imagination written very many years after the death of it's main subject.

[Kizzy]

I'm not watching, it sounds as bad as he was expecting it to be, the amount of support he's received outside the family is great. Hope he and his partner have a happy life and can put this behind them, maybe one day the family will accept him, hope so.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by hijaxers

What kind of people are these 'parents' they make me sick to my stomach ! My only daughter is gay and her sexual orientation makes no difference to the wonderful woman that she is, i must admit that realising i would have no grandchildren made me slightly sad, but having grandchildren is not a divine right. Everyone should appreciate their children for who they are as people.
This poor chap is better off without these vile, nasty hypocritical morons.

She still could have kids, so you never know

[Vicky.]

Disgusting...but why on earth was it filmed in the first place

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Disgusting...but why on earth was it filmed in the first place

He filmed it so that if they did do anything to him, which they did, then he'd have proof of it

[Tom4784]

What awful parents, If I was him I'd be glad to be disowned because who would want those unevolved apes as family?

He'll thrive without them and it'll end up hurting them more than it will him.

[Kizzy]

I just watched the vid and he does sound a bit bolshier than I was expecting, that 'basic biology/psychology' personality is determined in the first 6 weeks... no it isn't.
There's obviously a lot that's gone on in this family with regard to arguing on this subject and others, so it's not really just his 'coming out' involved here is it?