Matthew Bernstein (born 1998) is an American makeup artist and activist. Bernstein became an internet celebrity because of his [a] social media posts, which largely consist of infographics and photographs of makeup looks that comment on social and political issues, mainly those that affect the LGBTQ+ community. [2] He hosts the podcast A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein. [3]
Bernstein was born on October 16, 1998, in New Jersey. [2] He grew up in a suburb in New Jersey. He was raised Jewish. [2] [4] He attended Westfield High School and New York University Tisch School of the Arts. [5] Bernstein is gay, something he realized at the age of ten. [2] He did not come out until he was fifteen, due to fears relating to his family’s opinions and religion. [2] However, Bernstein’s parents were ultimately accepting and he has a good relationship with them. [2]
Bernstein began experimenting with makeup soon after coming out, first only using Wite-Out to paint his nails before eventually exploring eye shadow and eyeliner. [5] Prompted by the 2016 United States presidential election of Donald Trump, Bernstein began to photograph himself wearing makeup that highlighted issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. [5] He posted these photos on Instagram under the handle @mattxiv; he has used the platform since 2012 to promote his freelance photography. [4] [6] [7]
Bernstein is known for body art and makeup photos on Instagram. Featured on his face, arms, or chest, Bernstein’s art often includes bright and rainbow colors combined with bold-lettered text that highlights LGBTQ+ issues. [4] [8] [6] Bernstein has also become known for his collage-style infographics discussing current events and political issues that he posts on his Instagram account. [9] [10] During the Gaza war, Bernstein has posted pro-Palestine content on his social media leading to backlash from some pro-Israel organizations and influencers. [9] [11]
Bernstein's social media content has been shared by celebrities including Demi Lovato [12] and Lili Reinhart. [13] In September 2025, Ariana Grande shared one of his posts asking pro-Donald Trump voters if their lives had improved since Trump took office. The White House released a statement directly addressing Grande and defending Trump. [14] [15] [16]
Bernstein won PinkNews ’ Influencer of the Year award in 2022 [17] and was recognized on the Out100 list in 2024. [10] As of December 2024, he had 1.7 million followers on Instagram. [8]
In 2023, Bernstein started a podcast called A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein, discussing internet culture and left wing politics. [8] [10] Bernstein is an anti-Zionist. [8] Bernstein's podcast has featured several collaborations with LGBT creators such as Vivian Wilson, [18] ContraPoints [8] and Kat Blaque. [19] He also interviewed a trans Israeli woman about her refusal of mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. [20] Bernstein appeared in Reclaim the Flag (2025), a documentary created by Alexis Bittar about LGBTQ people's views of the American flag. [21] [22]