YouTube has unveiled the hero video for #ProudToBe, the company’s fifth annual Pride campaign to highlight and support its myriad LGBTQ+ creators.
This year’s campaign, which has more of a defiant tone than year’s past, was conceived through YouTube’s Creators For Change program — an initiative whereby a fleet of influencers have committed to using their online voices to combat hate speech, xenophobia, and extremism. YouTube brand head Marly Ellis wrote of YouTube’s LGBTQ+ creator community: “The videos from this community are as varied and exceptional as the group of people making them: they’re encouraging, challenging, honest, fiery, tender, celebratory, funny, and totally badass.”
Check out the hero video, featuring Jay Versace, Miles McKenna, Patrick Starr, Brendan Jordan, and more, below. YouTube notes that in a global climate where LGBTQ+ rights feel vulnerable, these voices are particularly poignant right now.
The #ProudToBe video has amassed more than 4 million views in one day, but currently counts almost twice as many ‘dislikes’ as ‘likes’.
YouTube announced #ProudToBe last week, while also providing updates on the ‘Restricted Mode’ controversy, whereby certain LGBTQ+ creators said that their videos were being incorrectly flagged. And this year’s Pride campaign won’t be limited to Pride Month in June, but will instead feature a permanent playlist installed on the YouTube Spotlight channel full of videos from queer creators. It will be updated year-round on a weekly basis.
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