There is no doubt that the internet shaped Gen-Z, and this is especially true for LGBTQ+ kids. Throughout its 20 years of existence, one platform that really did this was YouTube. While many queer kids felt that they were alone and had no space to be themselves, these 11 YouTubers gave them a place to do just that. 

Tyler Oakley

Tyler Oakley is one of the most popular OG queer YouTubers. He started his channel in 2007 and had already been out to his family for years. For his presence on YouTube, he earned a place on The Advocate‘s list of 40 under 40: Emerging voices.

Hannah Hart

Hart started her YouTube career in 2011, publishing videos of herself getting drunk and cooking in the kitchen. She came out in 2012. People found her easy to connect with as she showed her life and personality in her videos. She helped shape many queer kids’ personalities and humour.

Bretman Rock

Bretman Rock started YouTube and Vine in 2015. They never came out as gay formally, however, in 2023, they said that they are non-binary and use he/they/she pronouns. They have also shared content about their boyfriend on TikTok. Bretman is unapologetically themself, showing the world that as a queer person you can be confident and love yourself.

Gigi Gorgeous

Gigi is also one of the true OG YouTubers. She started her channel in 2008 with a makeup vlog as a gay male. In 2013, Gigi came out as transgender and later, lesbian, and then pansexual. Her fans love her as their eyes were opened to gender diversity and sexuality. She showed them that your identity can be flexible and you deserve to feel confident in your skin.

Kat Blaque

Blaque has been on YouTube since 2010. A Black polyamorous trans woman, she uses her platform to educate people. Her being unapologetically herself inspires others to also be themselves.

Connor Franta

Connor first appeared on YouTube in 2010 and came out in 2014. He was quite popular at the time and won a People’s Choice Award for Favourite YouTube Star in 2016. Since then, Connor has advocated for many causes and has been a role model to those who believe in standing up for what is right.

Joey Graceffa

Another hugely popular OG YouTuber is Joey. He started to post videos in 2009, and in 2015, he released a video confirming that he is gay. Graceffa’s fans were very loyal, and they continue to follow him on his channel today.

Ingrid Nilsen

Although she no longer uploads videos on YouTube, Ingrid Nilson broke the internet when she came out as a lesbian in 2015, after starting her channel in 2009. She was many queer kids’ role model. To many young queer women, her coming out gave them a sense of pride and encouraged them to be out themselves.

Rose and Rosie

Rose started her channel in 2010, and Rosie started her channel in 2011, eventually combining their platforms. The have made many types of videos as a couple, giving hope to queer kids that they can find love one day.

They got married in 2015 and have two sons. Now, they regularly make vlogs, among other things. The couple have said they want to be a vehicle of information for other same-sex couples who wish to have children, as they could not find that themselves.

Dodie

Dodie began her channel in 2011 by uploading covers, original songs and vlogs. Her coming out video was through song, in a now very famous video. She also had a another song, ‘She’, which was the soundtrack of many young queer girls’ teenage years. She gave fans a place of comfort to be who they are and was a role model to those who wanted to be musicians.

Jazz Jennings

Jennings started her YouTube channel in 2014 after years of being a trans activist and being on TV as a child. Her simple videos opened many people’s eyes to the happy lives that queer and trans kids can live.

We hope this list of 11 queer YouTubers brings back some fond memories and nostalgia for you. YouTube gave a community to kids who did not have one, whether because they were from small towns or were not ready to be out. For many queer kids growing up, these people were role models; real people to find comfort with and help them find their confidence in being queer.