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Tyler Oakley

Early Life and Education

Tyler Oakley was born in 1989 in Jackson, Michigan. He is one of thirteen siblings, and his parents divorced before he turned one year old. During his time in sixth grade, Oakley moved to a new city where he became active in drama and choir. It was also during this period that he developed an eating disorder, which he struggled with throughout high school.

Related Biography: David Lyons

After graduating, Oakley attended Michigan State University, where he studied communication, marketing, and social media. While at university, he began creating YouTube videos as a way to stay connected with friends. This marked the beginning of his career as an online content creator.

YouTube Career and Rise to Fame

Tyler Oakley launched his YouTube channel in 2007, with his first video titled Raindrops. The video gained attention and eventually reached over 420,000 views. Since then, Oakley has uploaded hundreds of videos, accumulating more than 535 million views and over 8 million subscribers.

An openly gay content creator, Oakley was a member of the collaborative YouTube channel 5AwesomeGays, where he contributed weekly Friday videos for three years. His work often blends humor with commentary on pop culture and queer politics.

Oakley's influence was highlighted in the PBS Frontline documentary Generation Like, which explored how teens shape pop culture through social media.

Activism and LGBTQ+ Advocacy

In addition to his online presence, Tyler Oakley is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, focusing particularly on LGBTQ+ youth. His activism emphasizes issues such as education, suicide prevention, and access to healthcare. Oakley uses his platform to not only entertain but also to spread awareness about queer politics and social justice.


Quick Facts
Birth Date: 22 Mar, 1989
Age: 31 yrs
Citizenship: United States of America
Birth Place: Jackson
Education: Michigan State University
Gender: Male
Description: American YouTuber
Net Worth 2021: 8 million
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Last Modified: Jul 20 2025
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