#everythingfamous

I’ve recently read an article from The Atlantic “The Ascendancy of the 'Awkward Older Sister'” by Caroline Framke written on May 11, 2015. The article discusses the new concept of women on the internet serving as an older sister to the young girls that watch them. These women offer a sense of togetherness which allows any regular person to be able to identify with them. Caroline Framke mentions, “YouTube is also an invaluable source for teenagers of color, who can find representations of themselves there that just don’t exist in a significant way on television. Women of color gain thousands of subscribers for their makeup tutorial videos, and their comedic webseries including Nicole Byers and Sasheer Zamata’s  Pursuit of Sexiness, and Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl, which is now in development at HBO after gaining traction online. The Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg recently drew attention for her video on cultural appropriation, in which she talked to her young fanbase about the history of an incredibly complex subject on YouTube, face-to-face.” Like many of the women YouTube stars we all had a point in our lives where we felt insecure, unsure, and scared. They are like the hypothetical shoulder to cry on in our times of need because we are able to log on, and watch them. They share personal experiences while adding a satirical aspect. The main message they try to convey is that you are not alone, and we are in this together. 

Growing up as an only child wasn’t the easiest thing; my parents were very overprotective and it sucked not having a sibling. Whenever I had an embarrassing incident at school or wherever, I didn’t feel like I had anyone to turn to. Then I would get home and watch other people’s embarrassing stories, and suddenly it didn’t feel so bad. Caroline Framke mentions, “On the Internet, however, the awkward older sister has quickly emerged as a powerful persona. These figures thrive on YouTube, where twenty something women post freewheeling vlogs with advice, music videos, and anecdotes that reassure teen girls it’s okay to screw up or be a little messy.” I would know someone else went through it, and is able to help me get through it. I started watching YouTube videos about makeup and hair. At first when I started every hairstyle or makeup look would look bad, but along the way I got better and now people are always asking me to do their hair. These women on YouTube are very empowering and teach people like me to own who they are, what they stand for, and their overall beauty.  

In this day and age there is a new kind of celebrity. It’s not the kind of celebrity that sings, dances, or acts it’s the kind of celebrity you find on the internet. These celebrities are people that are funny, people offering advice, people showing tutorials on how to do stuff, or people sharing personal experiences. I am a subscribed to so many people on YouTube for many different reasons. I watch vlogs, funny videos, tutorials, clothing and hair reviews, and advice videos. On YouTube if you’re able to get enough traffic on your channel, you could make a career out of it. There are to women on YouTube that I absolutely love, and were the first two people I subscribed to. They are Latoya Forever and Jenna Marbles.