LA Pride is celebrating Pride Month in syle throughout the month of June. Just ahead of their Thrive with Pride concert event that streamed live on TikTok on June 10th, PRIDE caught up with comedian and social media personality Benito Skinner for a quick chat about the power of TikTok.
The video application has become a powerful tool in helping LGBTQ+ folks find themselves and a sense of community. In some instances, the eerily all-knowing algorithm has helped people understand their subconscious desires and lead them to explore their presumed heterosexuality through a queer lens.
Skinner brings the laughter on the app, entertaining fans with impressions of celebrities like Shawn Mendes and Timothée Chalamet, videos proving you can dance to Taylor Swift's folklore album, and nightmarish skits of a character absolutely terrorizing his boyfriend's mom.
Skinner says the community he's seen, as well as fostered, on the app gives him hope for the future. "I have gained so much excitement for the next generation through it. My boyfriend and I sometimes will just go through gay TikTok and the more I see these queer people who are young and coming out and being themselves so early, a part of me is jealous because I literally came out when I was 22, but it's so beautiful."
For queer kids watching from small towns or judgemental families, finding that joy and hope on that phone screen could be life-changing.
"I'm really excited about this next generation because if this is where we're at," he pauses. "We have a long way to go, but it's so important that there are these people that even younger people can see and be like, 'ohmygod they're living this life, they're being themselves, they're happy, they're confident.' It's pretty magical. It's changed the game which I think is necessary."
Follow Skinner to hear about his upcoming live shows, his new podcast Obsessed, more videos, and more. "The dolls are going to get fed this year," he laughs.
Check out the rest of LA Pride's June festivities here, including the Pride is Universal Theme Park Event where guests can enjoy access to exciting thrill rides and attractions after hours at Universal Studios as well as live DJs, character photo ops, and more.
