Queer Youtubers To Watch

In the year 2023, there are several ways a person can get their dopamine fix, whether it’s countless hours spent scrolling through TikTok or Instagram or watching your favourite Twitch streamer. However, let us return to YouTube, the true social media icon for video content. Youtube has a home for content ranging from short-form content, shorts, to longer think pieces, or even your favourite gossip. Youtube, standing at a whopping 17 years old, has over the years given a platform for a diverse group of audience to find their community. This platform has given many queer voices like mine and yours a chance to be heard and seen. We hope to introduce you to some queer content creators on YouTube who you may or may not have heard of.

1. Alexander Avila (he/him)

It’s a Friday night and you are snuggled up in bed with your favourite snack and watching a newly released show. Suddenly, a scene with two of the main characters comes on and you can’t help but to wonder “Are They Gay?”. Alexander Avila is a sociology student at Brown University with the hope to bring social theory to the general public. Avila, YouTube often uses television programmes or figures the regular consumer may be aware of. These programmes and figures often aid in the material being familiar and easier to digest while still discussing queer topics and relationships in a lighthearted manner.

2. Bob The Drag Queen (he/him/she/her)

If you have ever binged watched every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, it would be hard to miss this queen. Born Christopher D. Caldwell, famously known as Bob The Drag Queen is an American drag queen, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 and star of HBO’s Emmy-Nominated series We’re Here. Bob is more than a drag queen and reality television personality but also creates funny YouTube videos, a comedian, actor and spectacular musician. Bob has made tracks with other drag queens such as Alaska Thunderfuck as well as a guest artiste on Todrick’s Hall Wrong B*tch. Bob can be seen featured on television shows such as High Maintenance (2016), Tales of the City (2019), and A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019). With all these phenomenal experiences, Bob continues to work hard and produce fun and entertaining content for her audience.

3. Jamie Dodger (HE/HIM)

Jamie Lotun-Raines, better known as Jammidodger and not to be confused with the Jammie Dodgers biscuit, is an English YouTuber. In Jamie’s early years on YouTube, he spoke about his transition with his first visible video posted on September 13, 2011, titled “Ftm intro”. During the years Jamie would begin making reaction videos in addition to speaking about his transition, where we as an audience will begin seeing the well-known yellow chair. His reaction-based content would often be on topics such as gender identity and other LGBTQ+ issues. Through these years Jamie continued higher education with him now having a PhD in Psychology. However, many of Jamie's videos feel lighthearted and can have a special guest feature of his wife, Shabba, who makes similar and equally entertaining content.

4. Keara Graves (they/she)

From the Great White North, or Canada as many of us know it as we have content creator Keara Graves. Keara who is a full-time actor in Toronto can be seen on shows such as Lost & Found Music Studios, Grand Army and recently, Rush For Your Life. In addition to singing and creating queer content on Youtube. Keara, who calls themselves a “multidimensional creator”, has been creating Youtube videos since 2015. Keara content would gradually change throughout the years from singing covers, and body positivity to queer or WLW content. Keara felt like an older sibling in the space as many AFAB queer individuals felt like they had a voice.

5. Kat Blaque (she/her)

Kat Blaque is an illustrator and animator who has received her accreditation from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Kat began making youtube videos as far back as 2005. During her time as a Youtube creator, Kat has done numerous commentary videos speaking on topics such as race, gender, and other social justice issues. These videos, often reflecting Kat’s view based on her personal life as a black trans woman in today’s society often allows her audience to relate to her as their journey may be similar. Despite Kat’s online presence, she is known to do multiple public speaking across the United States with an example of this being a keynote speaker at the 2015 University of Toledo's LGBTQA History month celebration.

6. Princess Weekes (she/her)

If you’ve ever wondered about the need for slavery in modern television or why Halle Bailey being cast as The Little Mermaid is a bit more nuanced than many individuals may believe, maybe Princess Weekes' content is for you. Princess, who has been creating content consistently posting as far back as 2009 has gained all her accolades. Princess, born in the most famous borough of New York, spent her younger years on the internet showcasing her love for comics and sharing her ideas on these comics. This passion later led her to become the assistant editor of The Mary Sue whilst still producing content and even a potential book deal in the works by September 2019. The content creator has worked on multiple videos about her experience and the trends she has noticed as a queer, feminist person of colour who consumes media in our 21st century. Weekes portfolio has spoken for her with her work can be found on several platforms as a co-host on Netflix Geeked, a content creator on Youtube, a new Twitch Streamer and former editor and writer at The Mary Sue and “It’s Lit” from PBS. If Princess Weekes sounds like the content creator for you, we are some places you can find her.

7. WorldofXtra (he/him)

Stan “ XTRA '' Fukase better known as WorldofXtra, is a Japanese drag artist and performer whose drag persona is XTRA. Stan's earliest post can be seen in 2017, showing interest in content creators. However, it wouldn’t be until 2020 that Stan’s career took off with his drag Omegle videos. Stan would gain an audience with his energy-filled and highly edited videos, which acted as comedy relief. Stan would introduce many loved personalities in his life such as his mother, his two brothers and occasionally his father. Stan’s vlog-style content makes the audience feel a part of the family and adventure. During his tenure as a content creator, Stan launched his clothing brand By Xtra. By Xtra, which began from Stan’s personal experience with drag and the ideology that clothes are indeed free from gender, fueled the continued massive support of Stan from his stans.