Tyler Oakley: American YouTuber, Author & LGBTQ+ Activist
Verified Macro Creator — LGBTQ+ Advocacy & Pop CultureYouTuber, LGBTQ+ Activist, Author, Twitch Streamer
Thirteen siblings, a bulimia diagnosis he wrote about candidly, and a dorm-room YouTube channel in 2007 that grew into one of the platform's defining voices — then, in 2025, a place in VidCon's first-ever Hall of Fame.
About Tyler Oakley: American YouTuber, Author & LGBTQ+ Activist
Tyler Oakley grew up the youngest of thirteen siblings in Jackson and Okemos, Michigan, and started posting videos in 2007 as a freshman at Michigan State University — mostly to stay in touch with high-school friends scattered across other colleges. He came out as gay in high school and later wrote about a bulimia diagnosis and a bout of depression severe enough that he considered suicide; those struggles, alongside his comedy and pop-culture commentary, became part of what made his channel one of YouTube's most-watched in the platform's 2012-2017 'golden age'. After graduating, he worked briefly as a social media manager in San Francisco before moving to Los Angeles in 2013 to build his channel full-time. He has since interviewed President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the White House, competed twice on The Amazing Race with best friend Korey Kuhl, hosted a weekly show on Ellen DeGeneres's ellentube network, and published the New York Times bestselling memoir Binge. Since 2011 he has co-hosted TrevorLIVE for The Trevor Project and raised more than a million dollars for LGBTQ youth suicide prevention. In December 2020 he stepped back from regular YouTube uploads; he now streams on Twitch, co-hosts the weekly Psychobabble podcast, and posts sporadically to a channel that has passed 6.6 million subscribers.
Career Journey
Dorm-room vlogs to a million subscribers
Oakley began posting videos in 2007 as a Michigan State freshman, mostly obsessing over Lady Gaga, One Direction and Glee. By 2012 he had reached a million subscribers and was among the first wave of YouTubers to be monetised on the platform.
Slumber Party tour, Snervous, and Binge
He moved to Los Angeles in 2013 to work on YouTube full-time. His live show 'Tyler Oakley's Slumber Party' sold out and expanded to 40 cities, his documentary Snervous premiered in 2015, and his memoir Binge spent 11 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
The Amazing Race, Ellen's network, and Forbes 30 Under 30
Oakley and best friend Korey Kuhl placed third on The Amazing Race season 28. He launched The Tyler Oakley Show on Ellen DeGeneres's ellentube, interviewed then-candidate Hillary Clinton, and was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 in 2017.
Stepping back, Twitch, and the VidCon Hall of Fame
In December 2020 Oakley announced an indefinite break from regular YouTube uploads after 13 years. He returned to sporadic posting in 2022 and now streams primarily on Twitch; in 2025 he was inducted into VidCon's inaugural Hall of Fame.
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FAQs
Who is Tyler Oakley?
Mathew Tyler Oakley (born March 22, 1989) is an American YouTuber, author, activist and Twitch streamer from Jackson, Michigan. He built one of YouTube's largest channels of the 2010s and is known for LGBTQ+ advocacy, especially his work with The Trevor Project.
Was Tyler Oakley named to Forbes 30 Under 30?
Yes. Oakley was included in Forbes' 30 Under 30 class of 2017, and was separately named to TIME's '30 Most Influential People on the Internet' in 2015 and The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Digital Stars.
How can brands work with Tyler Oakley?
Through his management at Select Management Group (tyleroakley@select.co), listed publicly in his verified Instagram and X bios alongside his Twitch channel and Psychobabble podcast.
Latest News
In 2025, Oakley was inducted into VidCon's inaugural Hall of Fame, recognising his role in shaping YouTube's early creator era alongside names like Hank Green and Grace Helbig.
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