Matt Bernstein (internet personality)

Matt Bernstein
Born (1998-10-16) October 16, 1998
New Jersey, U.S.
Occupations
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Last updated: 23 July 2026

Matthew Bernstein (born October 16, 1998) is an American content creator, 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]

Early and personal life

Bernstein was born on October 16, 1998, and grew up in Westfield, New Jersey,[4] suburb of New York City.[2] He was raised Jewish.[2][5] He attended Westfield High School and New York University Tisch School of the Arts.[6]

Bernstein is gay, which he realized at the age of ten. He did not come out until he was fifteen, due to fears relating to his family’s opinions and religion. However, his parents were ultimately accepting, and he has a good relationship with them.[2] Bernstein is an anti-Zionist, citing the state of Israel's ethnoreligious hierarchy which excludes Palestinians.[7][8]

Career

Bernstein won PinkNews’ Influencer of the Year award in 2022[9] and was recognized on the Out100 list in 2024.[10]

Social media

Bernstein began experimenting with makeup soon after coming out at age 15, first only using Wite-Out to paint his nails before eventually exploring eye shadow and eyeliner.[6] Prompted by the 2016 United States presidential election of Donald Trump, Bernstein began to photograph himself wearing makeup and body art that highlighted issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community.[6] Featured on his face, arms, or chest, Bernstein’s art often included bright and rainbow colors combined with bold-lettered text that highlights LGBTQ+ issues.[5][7][11] He posted these photos on Instagram under the handle @mattxiv; he has used the platform since 2012 to promote his freelance photography.[5][11][12]

In late 2021, Bernstein's Instagram content shifted toward collage-style infographics discussing current events and political issues.[13][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.[13][14] Bernstein's social media content has been shared by celebrities including Demi Lovato[15] and Lili Reinhart.[16] 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.[17][18][19]

In 2025, Bernstein endorsed Zohran Mamdani as candidate for New York City mayor and featured him on his Instagram account.[20][21]

Podcast

In 2023, Bernstein started a podcast called A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein, discussing internet culture and left wing politics.[7][10] Bernstein's podcast has featured several collaborations with LGBT creators such as Vivian Wilson,[22] ContraPoints[7] and Kat Blaque.[23] Journalists Taylor Lorenz and Kat Tenbarge are his most frequent collaborators[24]. He also interviewed Yona Roseman, a trans Israeli woman, about her refusal of mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces.[25]

In 2026, Bernstein and Emma Vigeland held an interview with Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow, in which McMorrow defended US support for the Iron Dome during the Gaza war. After McMorrow said, "I don't think anybody should live in fear of being bombed or killed," Vigeland sarcastically asked whether Palestinians should have their own Iron Dome, and McMorrow replied that the idea was worth discussing.[26][27][28]

Other appearances

Bernstein appeared in Reclaim the Flag (2025), a documentary created by Alexis Bittar about LGBTQ people's views of the American flag.[29][30]

Style

Bernstein's social media posts comment on topics related to current events, left-wing politics, LGBTQ rights, and internet culture. His collage-style posts usually consist of several slides with text and graphics atop a blue and pink gradient background.[7] Many posts include Bernstein's opinions on news and discussions of his personal identity. He told Teen Vogue in 2024: "[I like to] be very clear about my feelings… and explain exactly why I have those feelings… and not pretend that I’m some unbiased arbiter of information — because those don’t exist."[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Bernstein uses both he/him and they/them pronouns.[1] This article uses he/him for consistency.

References

  1. ↑ "15 LGBTQ+ Instagram Educators You Need To Follow ASAP". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Frick, Evelyn (October 28, 2022). "18 Things to Know About Queer Jewish Activist Matt Bernstein AKA @mattxiv". Hey Alma. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ Perry, Sophie (December 28, 2023). "21 LGBTQ activists we looked up to in 2023". PinkNews. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ "A Conversation With Matt Bernstein", Master & Dynamic, June 27, 2019. Accessed July 9, 2026. "Where did you grow up and when did you move to NYC? I grew up in Westfield, a small suburb in New Jersey."
  5. 1 2 3 "The 21-Year-Old Instagrammer Blending Politics And Perfect Contours". MTV. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Campbell, Claire. "Matt Bernstein: WHS graduate turned social media sensation". Hi's Eye. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "MattXIV, Instagram Creator and Host of A Bit Fruity, Wants to Make Young Queer People Feel Less Alone". Teen Vogue. December 20, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  8. ↑ Bernstein, Matt (May 15, 2026). The Tucker Carlson Problem (with Naomi Klein). Event occurs at 2:48. Retrieved May 17, 2026 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ Billson, Chantelle (October 20, 2022). "Influencer Matt Bernstein says it's queer kids who are being silenced, not JK Rowling". PinkNews. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 "The 2024 Out100: Matt Bernstein". Out Magazine. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Katz, Evan Ross (December 3, 2021). "The Queer Jew Fairy in Stiletto Nails Is More Than Meets the Eye". Paper Magazine. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  12. ↑ Team, BRICKS (May 29, 2020). "Matt Bernstein on Queer Politics and Beauty - BRICKS Magazine". bricksmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Influencers dodge backlash while speaking up about Israel and Gaza". NBC News. November 12, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ Carnell, Henry. "The irony of Jewish activists facing anti-LGBTQ backlash for supporting Palestinians". Mother Jones. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ France, Lisa Respers (July 30, 2021). "DaBaby comments spark backlash from Elton John, Madonna and other celebs". CNN. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  16. ↑ Elizabeth, De (March 13, 2021). "Lili Reinhart Isn't Here for Anyone's Toxic Biphobia". Teen Vogue. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  17. ↑ "White House attacks Ariana Grande after she shares criticism of Trump's policies". MSNBC.com. September 30, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  18. ↑ "White House blasts Ariana Grande over Trump-era quality of life post". The Independent. September 30, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  19. ↑ Daw, Stephen (September 29, 2025). "The White House Responds to Ariana Grande Criticizing Trump's Second Term: 'Save Your Tears'". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  20. ↑ Uncloseted, Nico DiAlesandro (October 30, 2025). "Mamdani and Cuomo's complete track records on LGBTQ+ issues". The 19th. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  21. ↑ "an election day message from the JEWS and @zohrankmamdani to donald trump". www.instagram.com. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  22. ↑ ""I can't let this idiot destroy me" - Elon Musk's daughter speaks out after he called her dead". Gazeta Online Insajderi. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Maia Poet: The Final Boss of Detrans Grifters (with Kat Blaque)". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  24. ↑ Walker, Chloe (February 17, 2026). "A Bit Fruity is Left-Wing Commentary With Plenty to Say". Podcast Review. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  25. ↑ "A Trans Refusenik Prepares for Jail, and a TLV Queer Bar Urges End to Gaza Starvation". Haaretz. August 10, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  26. ↑ Deutch, Gabby (May 19, 2026). "McMorrow walks the line on Israel, floats Iron Dome for Palestinians". Jewish Insider.
  27. ↑ Pack, Adam (May 19, 2026). "Senate hopeful Mallory McMorrow floats Iron Dome for Palestinians". Fox News.
  28. ↑ Matt Bernstein (May 18, 2026). "I Asked Mallory McMorrow About Her Support For Israel". YouTube. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  29. ↑ "How these LGBTQ+ icons are reclaiming the American flag". Advocate. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  30. ↑ Malkin, Marc (July 1, 2025). "Lena Waithe, Brandon Flynn Featured in LGBTQ Doc 'Reclaim the Flag' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
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