bell hooks writes, “This to me is what makes feminist transformation possible. Personal testimony, personal experience, is such fertile ground for the production of liberatory feminist theory because it usually forms the base of our theory making” (70).
A few times this semester, I’ve made blog posts referencing specific YouTube videos. This time, however, I’d like to bring attention to a much broader category of content: Female creators who use YouTube as a platform to discuss experience and theory. This particular hooks quote is very reflective of why YouTube, as a platform, has had such a tremendous impact on the sharing of women’s experience, testimony, and the subsequent production of theory. Through YouTube, women are able to connect and hear the voices of other women, who may offer a perspective and background that many others are unfamiliar with. Although productive discussion is notoriously difficult to achieve on a social media site like YouTube, I have absolutely seen it occur, particularly regarding women’s experiences.
Diversity of experience is highly varied: Creators such as Strange Aeons and Stevie Boebi often share their experiences as lesbians. Others, such as marinashutup and F0XY, have previously opened up about their experiences as women of colour, and as LGBT women. Melanie Murphy and Hannah Witton are examples of female creators who discuss their experiences as chronically ill women. Then, creators like Stef Sanjati, ContraPoints, and Ella Grant have publicly discussed what it can be like to live as trans women. Daisy Foxglove and Syren Cove have talked extensively about their experiences as female sex workers… And, of course, the list of female creators (and their experiences) goes on, and on. These creators show, to many, how personal testimony can generate valuable discussions surrounding liberatory feminist theory.
I watch a lot of YouTube and I honestly never thought about how the platform makes sharing experiences and theory so easy! YouTube, in my opinion, makes information spread incredibly fast when the creator has a good amount of subscribers and the comments section proves how the platform is a collaborative experience. I think it’s a great way for those who are oppressed due to their background to let their voices be heard.
It’s interesting to think of Youtube content as theory. If hooks says that theory can be the discussion and exchange of ideas, then Youtube content definitely consists of theory. As you mentioned, some of this content is from women creators sharing their unique experiences, so Youtube can indeed work as a space for feminist theory.