NO MORE MR NICE GUY
HE WON’T SUGAR-COAT THE TRUTH — THINGS ARE BAD AND LGBT+ RIGHTS ARE UNDER THREAT. BUT TYLER OAKLEYIS GEARING UP FOR THE FIGHT AND REMAINS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE
TYLER OAKLEY
WORDS: CLIFF JOANNOU
PHOTOGRAPHS: MAGNUS HASTINGS
FASHION: JOESEPH KOCHARIAN
Tyler wears denim jacket by Saturdays NYC, t-shirt by H & M, jeans by Levi’s, opticals, by Warby Parker x Tyler Oakley, throughout
Ten years ago, when a 17-year-old Tyler Oakley was finding his way through the often confusing maze of sexual identity, examples of out LGBT+ public figures on film, on TV and in music were few and far between. The USA was two years away from embracing the queerness of Adam Lambert on American Idol. Sam Smith was in school studying for his GCSEs, while Miley Cyrus was rocking around as Hannah Montana, yet to embrace her pansexual awakening.
Never mind the discourse around trans rights, which was still years from entering the mainstream media’s lexicon.
If you were born in a small town or village cut off from the more diverse big cities of North America and Europe, it was highly likely that you were the only non-heterosexual person you knew. Through numerous websites you could meet guys for sex (the first smartphone hook-up apps were still two years away) but what if you wanted more than just sexual gratification? What if you were seeking a shared life experience and a deeper level of connection? As such a boy, Tyler clicked on to YouTube and put out his first video, Raindrops, while a freshman at Michigan State University.
What started out as a hobby snowballed to the point where almost a decade later he has eight million subscribers to his channel, officially making him the most popular gay vlogger in the world.
A documentary, book and international tour followed, along with his own show on Ellen DeGeneres’ ellentube channel. He’s hobnobbed with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, is a regular at music and film award ceremonies, and last year accepted the Young Hero award at our own Attitude Awards.
Despite a starry Hollywood lifestyle, Tyler maintains a connection to his dedicated audience, letting them into his home and personal life through weekly videos and podcasts.
Older readers might find the concept of queer YouTubers somewhat bizarre.
For those gay men who grew up hiding their sexuality during the years of Section 28, and before the advent of the fight for gay marriage, the concept of such outspoken honesty and extreme positivity online might seem bewildering. But the reality is that for tens of millions of young people around the world, these digital role models represent a friend they may not have at school, or a voice of comfort if their home life is far from embracing of their difference.