Tyler Oakley is an openly-gay American YouTuber and LGBTQ activist. In this YouTube video from 2008, Oakley announces that he came out to his parents because he would rather tell them himself than have them find out about it on their own. He says he is very happy that his parents accepted him, although he suspects that his mother knew because of “what she found on my computer.” Finally, he encourages the viewer to come out to their own parents.

discussion

What does Oakley tell his parents?

How do Oakley’s parents respond to this news?

How and why is Oakley sharing this news with his YouTube audience?

Many people have created coming out videos and posted them on YouTube. Do you think YouTube is an effective space for these personal stories and sharing? Why? Why not?