Matthew Bernstein (born October 16, 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 identifies as 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] [6] 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] [7] [8] Bernstein has since amassed over a million followers on the platform, where he continues to post makeup looks and political infographics relating to LGBTQ+ issues. [2] [1]
Bernstein is most widely 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] [1] Bernstein has also become known for his collage-style infographics discussing current events and issues that he posts on his Instagram account. [2] [1]
In August 2020, Bernstein began a YouTube channel, where he discussed his coming out journey and posted several reaction videos. [6]
In 2022, Bernstein won PinkNews ’ Influencer of the Year award. [9]
In 2023, Bernstein started a podcast called A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein, discussing internet culture and left wing politics. [10] [11] Bernstein is an anti-Zionist. [12] Bernstein's podcast has featured several collaborations with LGBT creators such as Vivian Wilson, [13] ContraPoints [12] and Kat Blaque. [14]