When Tyler Oakley made his first YouTube video just to let his friends know about his activities at his new school, he probably didn’t know that this would lead to a full-time career for him. Tyler Oakley began as an Internet celebrity and over the years has proven himself as an LGBTQ activist, writer, and TV presenter.
Tyler built his brand as a YouTube star by simply being himself. Light-hearted conversational monologues about everything from small-town conversations to personal issues like his struggles with anorexia and domestic violence. He has successfully developed his brand beyond YouTube into a media mogul in its own right. He has written a bestselling memoir, owns a collection of glasses, and hosts a weekly talk show, The Tyler Oakley Show on Ellen DeGeneres’ digital network.
2014 was a great year for Tyler; he toured the world, was named the most popular male web star at the Teen Choice Awards, and met former US President Barack Obama. He also made a video with former First Lady Michelle Obama in which he talked about educational issues. There is no better way!
The millions of people that the Internet provides has given Tyler Oakley global influence and has seen him appear on the Forbes ’30 Under 30′ power list for 2017. Tyler is literally at the top of the world!
Tyler Oakley Bio
He was born Matthew Tyler Oakley on 22 March 1989 in Jackson, Michigan. He was raised by his mother after his parents divorced when he was 3 years old. Both parents remarried and added 11 new siblings to Tyler’s complicated family tree. At the age of 6, Tyler’s mother and stepfather Ken moved to Okemos with their 6 children including Tyler.
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Before he was ten years old, Tyler’s father tried to use the legal system to gain custody of him. The series of custody hearings, the fear of leaving town, and having to start over at a new school and the realization of his sexuality took their toll on 12-year-old Tyler Oakley. In no time at all, he was fighting anorexia; he worked too hard at the gym and skipped meals to feel better about his appearance. However, Tyler found respite by getting involved in choirs and musicals, and by ninth grade he had the disease well under control.
Tyler Oakley began shooting YouTube videos as an 18-year-old freshman at Michigan State University. Before releasing his first video, Tyler spent a week studying a number of remarkable YouTubers. The first video was viewed nearly a hundred times. A few years later, he became a YouTube sensation with 7.9 million YouTube subscribers, a total of 648 million views of his videos, and millions of followers on other social networks.
Tyler Oakley studied communication sciences at Michigan State University. After graduating, he moved to San Francisco with his best friend Korey Kuhl, where he led social media activities for startups. But he soon realized that making social media for a company was not as fulfilling as making it for himself, so in 2012 Tyler quit his 9-5 year job to work full time at YouTuber. This would certainly be considered one of the wisest decisions he would ever make.
Family
Tyler’s parents divorced when he was about 3 years old and he moved in with his mother while his older sister Cody had to go with her father. Both parents remarried within two years of their separation and had more children so that Tyler was the third youngest of the ‘Steps and Halves’. He grew up as the youngest of six children raised by his mother and stepfather and the third youngest of a total of 12 children.
His stepfather, who was a carpenter, lost his woodworking shop in a fire so, unlike his siblings who lived with his father who attended private schools, Tyler’s part of the family had to contend with difficulties. Tyler did not like his father as a child but their relationship has improved since he reached adulthood. Unlike his relationship with his father, Tyler has a very close relationship with his mother and she was featured in some of his videos.
Tyler Oakley Net Worth
Tyler Oakley’s career as YouTuber, including his role as a media mogul, has helped him accumulate a net worth of $8 million. In 2016 alone, he earned $6 million, making him the fifth highest-paid YouTube star of the year.
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Boyfriend
Tyler mentioned in his memoirs, Binge, that he was with a man and that he would like to marry one day but did not reveal the identity of the alleged friend. A year before the publication of his book, Tyler made a boyfriend tag video with Troye Sivan that caused fans to speculate that Sivan was his friend. However, Sivan was also connected with another person at the time and the details of Tyler Oakley’s relationship have remained sketchy ever since. In his book, Oakley also revealed that he was once in an abusive relationship in college.
Is Tyler Gay Or Straight?
Tyler’s sexuality is not in doubt because he’s openly gay. He is also very passionate and makes passionate comments on issues affecting the LGBTQ community. He has inspired many young people to come out, including singer Ricky Martin. With his status as the famous YouTuber, Tyler has raised over $1 million for The Trevor Project, a US-based non-profit organization focused on suicide prevention in the LGBTQ community. He admits that this is one of his most important accomplishments.
He opened up to his mother about his sexuality when he was 11 years old. He did not come out to other family members and friends until he was 14. When he finally did, his family and friends were receptive except for his born-again father who worked endlessly to drive ‘other boys’ out of Tyler’s mind and fill his mind with God.
