.jpg){kind=icon}
#ProudToBe
Part of a series on LGBTQ+. [View Related Entries]
This submission is currently being researched & evaluated!
You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.
Overview
#ProudToBe is an online video campaign launched by YouTube in support of the LGBTQ community and celebration of LGBT Pride Month in June 2016. Upon its launch with an official YouTube Spotlight video featuring a rotation of popular vloggers, the campaign drew an influx of coming out videos from closeted members of the LGBTQ community on YouTube, as well as a raid operation by anonymous trolls on 4chan.
Background
On June 26th, 2015, YouTuber Jeremy Judkins uploaded a coming out video titled “#Proudtobe My Coming Out and Same Sex Marriage Story,” in which he discussed his experience with marrying another man and encouraged others to “do what makes you happy” (shown below, left). On May 25th, 2016, YouTuber NyeDav uploaded a coming out video titled “My Coming Out Story #ProudToBe,” in which he discussed his early childhood experiences with gender identity and sexual orientation (shown below).
Developments
YouTube Spotlight Video
On June 21st, 2016, the YouTube Spotlight uploaded a video titled "#ProudToBe: Coming Together to Celebrate Identity," featuring a montage of LGBTQA people discussing their gender identities (shown below).
Meanwhile, the YouTube Official Blog[1] published an article about the video and hashtag campaign, noting that the video-sharing site was "a place where anyone can belong no matter who they are or who they love." Within 24 hours, the video gained over 5.5. million views and 238,000 comments, many of which were engaged in arguments regarding the video's message.
4chan Raid
That day, the video was submitted to several threads on 4chan's /b/ (random) board, where viewers were invited to raid the comments section for the purpose of intentionally angering LGBTQA activists and mocking gender identity politics.[2]
![■ Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:43:43 No.690814030 6908 >690819836>>690821643 >>690822891 >>690826993 >>690828584>>6908 YOUTUBE RAID OLD THREAD: 690808693 BIG AS F--- RAID Confirmed participants >4chan (pol, /b/, Ir9k/, /lgbt/, /po/(?), very likely more) >8ch.an (/pol/, /bl, Imonsterl, likely /r9k/ and others) >2ch >Ebaumsworld (unconfirmed) >Reddit (most likely initialized by In/The Donald >Black Lifes Matter (small sightings) Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:45:49 No. 690814336 R/the_donald won't go for it. Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:46:11 No.690814390 if dubs all the trans f--- in the video die Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:46:29 No.690814428 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtCyepuLt8Q [Embed] forgot the important part in my autism](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/138/899/6b9.jpg "4chan Raid Thread")
Online Reaction
On June 21st, Twitter user @CalumMcSwiggan[5] posted a photograph of himself holding an arrow sign with #ProudToBe written on the front (shown below).
The same day, the WOWPresents YouTube channel uploaded a #ProudToBe video featuring various contestants from the reality television show Ru Paul's Drag Race (shown below, left). Meanwhile, YouTuber This Is A Commentary uploaded a video titled "Who I'm #ProudToBe," in which he discusses coming out as bisexual (shown below, right).
Also on June 21st, Redditor fabslabs submitted the video to /r/CringeAnarchy.[6] The next day, Redditor AttilaTheSean submitted a post about the YouTube videos comment section to /r/OutOfTheLoop,[3] to which Redditor tacutamon cited the 4chan threads as the primary cause of the negative comments. In the coming days, several news sites published articles about the hashtag, including Tubefilter,[7] The Daily Dot[9] and The Huffington Post.[8]
Search Interest
External References
[1] YouTube Official Blog – Celebrating the inspiring voices who are #ProudToBe
[2] Archive – YOUTUBE RAID
[3] Reddit – YouTubes #ProudToBe Video Top of Trending
[4] Reddit – Youtube spotlights new #ProudtoBe
[5] Twitter – @CalumMcSwiggan
[6] Reddit – /r/CringeAnarchy
[7] Tubefilter – YouTube Launches #ProudToBe
[8] The Huffington Post – LGBT YouTubers Share Why They Are #ProudToBe Queer
[9] The Daily Dot – YouTube Launches #ProudToBe Videos
![File ose. 1406533520119jpg (11 52 B HP. Anonymous 06/21/16 (Tue) 20:25:19 ID: a916ee No.6407934 >6408043 640805 6408076408080 640809640840564084566406756408730640895 6410123 6410571 Anonymous 06 2012 4111s-wimmins 2264107546410802 6411012 6411016 2641116411134641316412462641297564136196414259641628964170926417721 Watch Thread] Explain to me this s--- Why is jewtube displaying this f------ thing? YouTube #ProudToBe | t Start What happend that they do this to us? Anonymous 06/21/16 (Tue) 20:30:17 ID: a916ee No.64 08003 >>6400043 226408075 26410007 26412170 File (hide): 1466533817812.ipg (92.42 KB, 1054x621, 1054:621, w-- 2 JPC) its linking to f------ #ProudToBe Anonymous 06/21/16 (Tue) 20:33:45 ID: Ofe532 No.6408043 File (hide): 1466534026130.ipg (14.32 KB, 182x255, 182:255, idon't know earl...i g) 640800 >6407934 (OP) LET IT ALL BURN](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/001/138/944/c4a.png "8chan joins in")
![■ Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:43:43 No.690814030 6908 >690819836>>690821643 >>690822891 >>690826993 >>690828584>>6908 YOUTUBE RAID OLD THREAD: 690808693 BIG AS F--- RAID Confirmed participants >4chan (pol, /b/, Ir9k/, /lgbt/, /po/(?), very likely more) >8ch.an (/pol/, /bl, Imonsterl, likely /r9k/ and others) >2ch >Ebaumsworld (unconfirmed) >Reddit (most likely initialized by In/The Donald >Black Lifes Matter (small sightings) Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:45:49 No. 690814336 R/the_donald won't go for it. Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:46:11 No.690814390 if dubs all the trans f--- in the video die Anonymous 06/21/16(Tue)22:46:29 No.690814428 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtCyepuLt8Q [Embed] forgot the important part in my autism](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/001/138/899/6b9.jpg "4chan Raid Thread")
Top Comments
Ryumaru Borike
Jun 22, 2016 at 01:27PM EDT
Evilthing
Jun 22, 2016 at 02:06PM EDT