Ari Fitz Is Telling Stories the World Needs to Hear

The way the LGBTQ+ community has been portrayed in popular culture has come a long, long way in recent years. Although there's still a lot of work to be done, so many creative queer folks have been making awesome and inclusive movies, music, TV shows, and more that better represents our lives and our stories, so in honor of Pride Month, we're taking the time to honor 25 of these inspiring people! This is the 2019 #PRIDE25!

Over the past few years, artist and content creator Ari Fitz has been using YouTube as a platform to tell stories. Whether it's through documentaries, short films, or vlogs, she's creating timely, important work that explores topics like gender, identity, and love, and helps her over 262,000+ subscribers feel seen and represented.

(Photo: Ari Fitz)

Why is queer representation, especially in media and in the arts, important to you?

Representation normalizes our lives and helps reduce those weird ass stereotypical and preconceived notions we have about each other. Representation helps all of us see each other a bit more honestly, and honesty is the most beautiful thing in the world to me.

In the industry you currently work in, did you have any queer role models you could look up to? If yes, who? If not, did you wish you had one?

Being real, my role models have always been and will always be my friends and family. I know their stories, I've seen them hustle the most. We're all coming up together, and they inspire me to win for me and for all of us.

(Photo: Maggie West)

What’s it like knowing a young LGBTQ person could look at your work and have you

be their role model?

OMG it's beautiful and also (let's be real) so fucking weird. Like, wow! A LOT of people from around the world want to hear what I have to say, keep wanting to hear what I have to say. Whoa buddy. 

I feel the responsibility of my voice a bit more these days. It's cool, but I just hope it never changes me in any way. I need to do this work for me.  

What advice do you have for young, queer creatives who want to break into the entertainment industry?

Make art and make it work for you. Make it for the younger you. You'll help so many people almost accidentally when you have that focus.

(Photo: Ari Fitz)

Many, many years from now, what do you want the legacy of your work to be? And what do you hope to be remembered by?

Shit! Whatta question! I don't know yet, but I think my legacy has something to do with generational freedom. Fighting for it, working to maintain it, and striving to pass it down. 

Check out Ari's new 3-part web series Bubbles and subscribe to Ari on YouTube!

And check out more of the 2019 #PRIDE25 honorees here!