Attitude’s Young Hero Award, supported by Virgin Holidays: Tyler Oakley
By Josh Lee
With 559 million views and over eight million subscribers on YouTube, five million followers on Twitter, six million on Instagram and nearly three million likes on Facebook, it’s fair to sa that Tyler Oakley has some reach. Nice making the first of his 399 YouTube videos, Oakley has gone on to become – yes, we’re going to say it – a cultural phenomenon.
For young LGBT+ people living outside major cities, visible role models are hard to come by. But Tyler is showing up and speaking out for those who don’t feel represented. That, plus the $1, he’s raised for LGBT suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project, makes him a fitting Young Hero Award recipient, supported by Virgin Holidays.
Tyler’s platform has given him the chance to mould millions of young LGBT+ lives, and show the next generation that it can and does get better “That’s why I’m honoured to have the platform I have on YouTube,” he tells us. “It’s an opportunity to be a real, complex example of a gay man living his dream, and able to use his platform to amplify members of the community that are often under-represented or disenfranchised”
Tyler Oakley was presented with his award by Clara Amfo at tonight’s star-studded Attitude Awards ceremony at London’s 8 Northumberland Avenue, hosted by Alan Cumming.
Read more about Tyler Oakley and the rest of winners from the Attitude Awards 2016, presented in association with Virgin Holidays, in our special November issue, which comes with six different covers featuring the night’s biggest winners.
It’s available to download from 11pm tonight (October 10th) at pocketmags.com/attitude and available in shops from Wednesday (October 11th). You can order the cover of your choice from 10am on Tuesday (October 11) at newsstand.co.uk.
