A soldier calls his father in Alabama and tells him “the hardest thing that gay guys will ever have to say,” “Dad, I’m gay.” The soldier, Randy Phillips, serving with the Air Force in Germany, is a 21-year old airman stationed at the Ramstein Air Base. Phillips, who had been recording video messages for months, and posting them to YouTube under the name, “AreYouSurprised,” asked his father, “You promise you’ll always love me? Period?,” and got this response back:
“I still love you son,” and, “It doesn’t change our relationship — and I always will, no matter what, all right? You are my son, and I am very proud of you.”
The younger Phillips, on camera and holding his iPhone 4, asked his father, “You wanna tell mom for me?” His father says, chuckling nervously, “I don’t believe so.”
Phillips father told ABC News that he wasn’t exactly thrilled his soon Randy posted the video to YouTube, but it didn’t change his love for his son.
NBC notes of the video of Phillips coming out to his father,
“It’s also a far more emotional coming-out conversation than another one Phillips posted a few months earlier, in which, while driving a Jeep, he tells his military passenger he’s gay. And yet, this too is compelling and important, especially to those who still take issue with gays serving in the military.
After joking about his driving, Phillips almost blurts out, “I’m gay.”
“It’s all good,” comes the unseen passenger’s immediate, bland response.
“Is it? Are you cool with it?” asks Phillips (himself, surprised.)
“I could give a rat’s ass,” confirms his friend. “Hey, love is love …”
This video, below, has received more than 1.6 million hits. Phillips, as “AreYouSurprised,” has over 13,000 subscribers and his videos combined have been viewed more than two million times.
It’s incredibly important to note that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell not only prohibited our nation’s service members from being who they are in the armed forces, it often prohibited them from being who they are to their families and friends.
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