Utah drag performer Jenna Tea went viral after sharing her great-grandmother's reaction to her coming out as trans, and we can see why it racked up more than a million views and 145k likes.
Jenna Tea took to Instagram in August to share her great-grandma's touching message to her after the revelation, and all of the internet was overcome with emotion.
The video begins with text overlay that reads:
"Coming out to my 89 yo grandma as trans 🏳️⚧️❤️"
As a photo of Jenna Tea and her great-grandmother, Katherine, graces the screen, Katherine can be heard assuring her:
“Well, it's your life, honey.”
"You have to do what makes you happy."
She continued:
“It’s something that we have to adjust to and sometimes, it’s hard for other people but they’re not living your life, you are."
“It’s kind of their problem to readjust and so, the best thing is to put it out there, deal with it, and it is what it is.”
Katherine also added that she'd always had some intuition about Jenna Tea, but thought it was only fair for her great-granddaughter to come out in her own time.
“And I’ve always thought it. I always noticed that you had more of a softer side when you wanted dolls and not trucks and things."
"There were signs, but we never said anything to you because until you know, it’s not fair to say anything to you either."
She added:
“Because I don’t want you to be unhappy and struggle with this and let it destroy you because people are not accepting."
"They’re just idiots.”
Katherine finished her heartwarming reaction:
“I love you. It doesn't matter to me if you’re male or female."
"Whoever is in there, I love.”
Jenna Tea responded:
“That means the world.”
You can watch below.
In the caption of her post, Jenna Tea wrote:
"Putting all of these quotes at the end of my songs in my future album 😭🩷"
"I sobbed so much creating this. What an amazing woman."
"At 89 years old I hope to be half the woman she is. So glamorous, so kind, so funny, SO accepting."
She continued:
"I knew when I came out to her that it wasn’t going to be a bad reaction and I am very lucky to be able to know that."
"As a trans person I often get a lot of dysphoria, but sometimes when I look in the mirror, I see parts of her face in me, and that erases all of the fear and discomfort."
"She is such a rare and special soul and we need more people like her in the world, I am so lucky to call her Grandma. 🩵🩷🤍"
Viewers wholeheartedly agreed with everything Jenna Tea wrote about her great-grandmother.
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
And they, too, were sobbing over Katherine's reaction.
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
@thejennatea/Instagram
Earlier this month, Jenna Tea told PEOPLE:
“She always has been so supportive of me ever since I was a kid.'
“She always knew I was different than other kids and always saw the difference as a good thing."
"She is also always telling me how pretty I am, and it is the sweetest thing ever to hear.”
She also said that Grandma Katherine enjoys watching her great-granddaughter perform.
“Every show she has been to she's loved so much."
“It's so special to watch her tip the drag queens and have a good time — it makes my soul so happy."
"She knows I want drag to be my full-time career in the future and she always believes in me.”
And, of course, she's Jenna Tea's biggest fan.
“One thing she said to me recently is, ‘You’re a star! I love watching you perform and seeing you in your element,.'"
“That comment really stuck out to me.”
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@ohhthatsrich/TikTok
@ohhthatsrich/TikTok
