Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Juarez.
Daniel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m 25 years old and I made the big move from San Antonio to Los Angeles a little more than a year ago. I’ve have dreams of being a performer since I had the opportunity to sing on a TV show at eight years old. My mother and father both worked for the church. My father was a cameraman/editor and my mother was a producer/director. Whenever they needed extras they would just throw me and my sister in there. Little did they know that would leave a lasting impression. At national church events my sister and I would constantly get recognized and we loved it.
I loved working for the church all those years with my various roles on a Christian network. However, I was always conflicted. I wasn’t like everybody else. I liked boys.
I grew up with secret that constantly made me feel ill at ease. I ended up taking a personal vow of science. I would never tell anybody my secret because how could I love doing God’s work but feel this way inside?
Everything was fine for a while. These conflicting thoughts that taunted me throughout the years I had learned to suppress. That is until I ended up meeting a boy that managed to make me fall in love with him. Thats when I realized that I had secrets. Lots of them. I realized I was constantly lying to people I loved and something needed to change. I finally decided to come out at 21 years old. I was ready to lose everybody close to me in my life as long as it meant I could be myself.
I decided to tell both of my parents during Christmas break from college. Then they would tell the family themselves. At this point in my life, my parents were divorced and lived in separate houses. They were both dating other people and things were good. I was on my way to visit my mother when I got a phone call from my mother’s boyfriend. He told me to rush home because she wasn’t feeling well mentally. To keep a tragic story short she attempted to commit suicide.
I spent that night in the hospital waiting room waiting for her to be discharged. As I waited, I started thinking about how I would come out to her. This thought got canceled immediately. How could I think about coming out at a time like this? As if she hasn’t already been through enough. I decided that I would wait a little longer.
I waited exactly one year. At 22 years old, I went home from Christmas break again and broke the news to my father first. He took it pretty well. He said “I don’t condone this, obviously, but you are my son. And I would still love to attend your wedding one day. You know your mothers going to cry, right?”
I was glad to hear that my father was on board. I really didn’t want to lose him. But now it was time to tell my mother. I waited till the last possible second and I told her on the ride to the airport where I would catch my flight and go back to college. She burst into tears and I felt like I kicked a puppy. I told her I would call her as soon as I landed and I did. She said this was wrong and that I needed conversion therapy. My mother studied phycology and knew that the mind was powerful and could indeed change. But a part of me didn’t want to change. I loved my boyfriend and there was nothing she could say that would make me want to change that. When it was apparent that I would not be doing the conversion therapy she cut me off. I didn’t speak to my mother for about two years.
Now I have left Texas and started a new career path here in Los Angeles. We are better now and we talk. We just try not to talk about me being gay. She is still having trouble processing but I hope one day she can love me the way she did before the day I came out. Just like how I loved her throughout each and every suicide attempt.
I hope my story can empower other people in the closet to have the courage to come out, despite the backlash they might receive.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. I have definitely gone through some ups and downs in life. I think I’m blessed to have such a close family. I think that’s why I stayed in the closet for so long. Because I didn’t want to lose any of them. My family has always been there for me and have helped shape me into the man I am today.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an actor/singer.
I joined a boyband as soon as I moved to LA. Unfortunately, the funding for our band fell through and we all went our separate ways. Sill we recorded a couple of songs and they’re still available on all streaming platforms today.
I am currently working on some solo music at the moment and hope to release my EP towards the end of 2020.
I’m also an actor. Since my year of living in Los Angeles I’ve booked a few commercials and have met some big time stars. I’ve also had the chance to work with big names like Grindr and Soul Pancake.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is never giving up. When you give up, you have failed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: DanielJuarez12
- Twitter: EDanielJuarez
- Other: SnapChat: DuckTape56; TikTok: danielxjuarez12
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