LIST: 10 women you should be watching on YouTube
LIST: 10 women you should be watching on YouTube
By The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell
One of the special things about online media like YouTube is that barrier to entry in creating content for the masses is relatively low. That means that traditionally marginalized groups like women, LGBTQ+ and people of color have options for sharing their ideas, experiences, interests and stories. This platform has jumpstarted many women's careers outside of the platform like Lilly Singh (also known as IISuperwomanII ) becoming the first women to get a late night comedy show on the big four networks (NBC) in over 30 years, Franchesca Ramsey to write for MTV and Comedy Central and Houston native Liza Koshy hosting the reboot of Nickelodeon's "Double Dare."
Even with the success of these women across many genres of content creation, many still look at women on YouTube as all beauty vloggers, DIY/Lifestyle channels and fashion. Here are 10 women that are making awesome content outside of these spaces.
By The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell
One of the special things about online media like YouTube is that barrier to entry in creating content for the masses is relatively low. That means that traditionally marginalized groups like women, LGBTQ+ and people of color have options for sharing their ideas, experiences, interests and stories. This platform has jumpstarted many women's careers outside of the platform like Lilly Singh (also known as IISuperwomanII ) becoming the first women to get a late night comedy show on the big four networks (NBC) in over 30 years, Franchesca Ramsey to write for MTV and Comedy Central and Houston native Liza Koshy hosting the reboot of Nickelodeon's "Double Dare."
Even with the success of these women across many genres of content creation, many still look at women on YouTube as all beauty vloggers, DIY/Lifestyle channels and fashion. Here are 10 women that are making awesome content outside of these spaces.
Lindsay Ellis
“Lindsay Ellis“ and “PBS Digital Studios”
Lindsay Ellis in the video "Food & Fiction: Memorable Meals in Literature | It's Lit! | PBS Digital Studios." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Media critic Lindsay Ellis has been creating content for YouTube since it’s early years, but is well known for her work on her current channel, and her hosting and writing the PBS Digital Studios miniseries "It’s Lit!" On her personal channel she creates witty video essays on films, television and books. She also talks about random topics and their history on "Loose Canon" and breakdowns of things relevant to the internet at large like "Product Placement and Fair Use," "Youtube: Manufacturing Authenticity (For Fun and Profit!)" and “Death of the Author.”
If Lindsay looks familiar, she is the face behind this famous gif.
Similar channel: Dominique Taylor’s miniseries “Read Awakening”
Danielle Bainbridge
“The Origin of Everything”
Danielle Bainbridge in the channel trailer for "The Origin of Everything." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Ravenclaw Danielle Bainbridge is the host, researcher and writer of PBS Digital Studios’ and Kornhaber Brown’s "Origin of Everything." This show, broken up into digital ‘seasons,’ answers questions to things like "why do we eat popcorn at the movies," "where does the hashtag symbol come from" and , most popularly, "why did Europeans enslave Africans?" The topics aim to investigate things in our daily reality. Every video has a wall of links for more reading in the description so that viewers can dive into the subject more thoroughly than a 10 minute video.
Bainbridge’s degrees are in the topics of english, theater arts, and African-American studies which reflect in the wide range of topics on the channel and her curiosity. In addition to videos being chosen by Bainbridge and her team, they take suggestions from viewers and will thank those people when those videos are produced. Outside of YouTube, she teaches at Northwestern University and writes.
Similar channel: Franchesca Ramsey’s “Decoded”
Chelsea Fagan and Lauren Ver Hage
“The Financial Diet”
Chelsea Fagan, Mona and Lauren Ver Hage in their 2014 channel trailer for "The Financial Diet." Lauren now works primarily behind the scenes. Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Created by graphic designer Lauren Ver Hage and writer Chelsea Fagan in 2014, The Financial Diet(TFD) is a website and channel about understanding money in an approachable way. The topics include things about personal finance, careers, college, living (adulting), cooking and travel. Many were raised to not talk about certain aspects of money and this channel breaks all of the rules so that everyone can be more financially responsible and achieve our individual goals.
In addition to TFD content, they have series with other women with similar goals like Erin Lowry of "The Broke Millennial" and of Tasha "One Big Happy Life." This channel is partnered with Complexly, so there are crossovers between them and other on this list.
Similar channels: Julia Lorenz-Olson of “TwoCents”
Natalie Wynn
“ContraPoints”
Natalie in her video "The Left." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Using elaborate costumes, Natalie Wynn, ex-philosophy major, makes dark and humorous short films to debunk fascist ideas that spread online. She dissects these ideas (as well as their symbols, dog whistles, etc) and rebukes many of the ideas that are held by the fringe. These long form video essays and their distinctly born-from-the-internet aesthetics make her content something that was ripe for the present.
Her most popular videos include topics like incels, the alt-right, pronouns and “the west." In a recent video interview with Elle Reeves, she described her target audience is white men on the verge of radicalization. Her videos essays are presented and titled in such a way that when people search, or are suggested by YouTube's auto-play and recommended features, concepts that would result in conspiracy content her arguments will appear alongside them.
Sarah Urist Green
“The Art Assignment”
Sarah Green in her video "I Could Do That | The Art Assignment | PBS Digital Studios." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Sarah Green is the host and curator of PBS Digital Studios’ and Complexly’s “The Art Assignment.” This channel talks about art in a way that is accessible to all people and uses present day context to talk about it. The videos range from essays about concepts like “Love the Art, Hate the Artist” and “Art is Pretentious*.” Other videos give context to those famous artworks that show up in pop culture, “make the case for” types of art and feature “art cooking.”
Green hosts most of the videos, but is sometimes joined by her husband, writer John Green, and artist from around the country. Before creating “The Art Assignment” in 2013, Sarah was a curator for the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Similar channels: The Art History Babes
Kimberly Foster
“For Harriet”
Kimberly Foster in her video "Why Did #MeToo Skip Bill Clinton?" speaking about accountability and not sacrificing some women a few women for the greater whole. Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Kimberly Foster started “For Harriet” while attending Harvard in 2010 as an online community for women a part of the African diaspora. Being a media critic, Kimberly runs the channel like, but most content is supported by research and citations. Though many videos about broad topics like colorism, feminism and news, she also does reviews, storytelling and reactions/rants. Kimberly hosts “Black Girls Gather” events as a space to facilitate conversations and community building for black women.
In addition to the YouTube channel, Kimberly writes regularly for publications like The Guardian and Huffington Post.
Similar channels: Evelyn Ngugi’s and Azie Dungey’s “Say it Outloud”
Dr. Lindsey Doe
“Sexplanations”
Dr. Doe in her video about "The Front Hole Debate." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Dr. Lindsey Doe is the creator, writer and host for the sex positive channel “Sexplanations.” This channel tackles a myriad of topics from hygiene to healthcare and sexuality to consent. Her enthusiasm for education makes for fun videos even when the topic is what happens at pelvic exams, her second most viewed video, or unrequited love. Outside of the channel, Lindsey runs a private practice, writes and speaks publicly at conferences and campuses. Her master’s thesis was about first sexual intercourse experiences.
Currently, she is participating in the “Sexplanations Road Tour: curious across the country,” a trip that involves traveling around mostly to places with poor access to sex education and setting up a space for guests to ask questions about anything.
Similar channels: Hannah Witton, Shan Boody
Debra Minoff and Susannah McCullough
“The Take” (formerly ScreenPrism)
Susannah McCullough and Debra Minoff in the announcement video about the name change from "Screen Prism" to "The Take." Gif created by The Signal Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.
Debra Minoff and Susannah McCullough founded “ScreenPrism,” renamed “The Take” in 2019, and uploaded first video essay “Shaping Up - The Message Behind the Squares and Circles in Pixar’s Up” May of 2016. Their company has produced insightful video essays about movie and films as well as articles and interviews on their website. There are playlists worth of video essays analyzed meticulously on major franchises from “Harry Potter” to “Breaking Bad” as well as those themed by type of essay like “You Know It’s This Director If..,” “Animated Favorites” and “Endings Explained.”
Though they now manage a production and writing team, Minoff as CEO and McCullough as Chief Creative Officer, they are both hands on in most videos.