Did you know that influencer marketing is set to be worth $15 billion by 2022?
Influencers have become a huge part of modern life and are shaping future generations, and not just through their marketing. From starting fashion trends in a single Insta post to encouraging young people to vote, they have a big say in our society.
Never is an influencer more important than when they’re standing up and representing a minority, such as the LGBTQ+ community. This is just one of the reasons why Karin and Skyler rose to fame and why they now have a whopping 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
But, who are these two Insta-famous queens, and who were they before the world knew them?
Who Are Karin and Skyler?
If you don’t know who Karin and Skyler are, first of all, where have you been? Secondly, let me tell you a bit more about them.
Karin and Skyler started their influencer life as YouTubers. The channel they now share actually originally belonged to Karin and she used it to vlog her life. After Karin met Skyler, they posted a video together in 2017 with the title ‘Girlfriend tag! LGBTQ’, and so began their rise to YouTube stardom.
The two have become known for being good storytellers and, as everyone knows, storytelling arcs are effective on YouTube. Who isn’t a sucker for a well-told tale? They’re also known for their many challenge videos and general life videos, where subscribers can stay updated on their relationship as they go through life as an LGBTQ+ couple.
Their fame is now spread across platforms, where they both have over 300,000 Instagram followers and over 800,000 fans on TikTok, the newest video app on the block. Seriously, these girls have a huge following!
But, enough about them after their fame, who were they before it?
Karin and Skyler Before Their Fame
Before they became international sensations as funny storytellers, the two girls had very ordinary lives. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Karin DeStilo
Karin was born on August 9, 1996, in New Jersey, making her a Leo. As she became famous very young, she hasn’t had much of a life before YouTube. It’s not known where she went to school or college, and very little of her personal life before she became a social media star has been released to the public.
What we do know is that she’s a celebrated skateboarder who skates like a pro. Using some pro detective skills, she must have spent a lot of her youth outside on her skateboard.
Skyler Felts
Skyler was born on September 30, 1998, making her two years younger than Karin and a Libra. Again, because she rose to fame so young, she didn’t have much time to do anything of note, and very little is known of her private life.
How Did the Couple Meet?
Skyler and Karin met on August 5, 2016, at their friend’s party. They actually met on the day Karin moved to LA, which is pretty special. You can track their relationship on their YouTube channel, where they still have all the videos they posted at the beginning of their relationship.
These videos also have the closest look into their lives before they were famous, so if you’re interested it’s worth scrolling down their channel to take a look!
Top Viewed Videos
If you’re new to Karin and Skyler, here are just some of their top-rated videos:
- Surprising My Girlfriend With a Promise Ring
- Our First Time
- Every Morning Routine they’ve done
- Every Night Routine they’ve done
- Reading My Girlfriend’s Instagram DMs
- 25 Types of Kisses
All of these videos have over 1 million views, which is pretty impressive. As you can see, their viewers clearly love looking at the intimate parts of the couple’s relationships, and Karin and Skyler definitely aren’t afraid to let you in.
The 25 Types of Kisses video could also hint that viewers are watching Karin and Skyler to learn more about relationships, ease their own concerns or discover a few life tips.
Why LGBTQ+ Influencers Are Important
Aside from teaching us how to tell stories that will attract millions of followers, Karin and Skyler represent a very important community in the online world, the LGBTQ+ community. Here are a few of the reasons why having LGBTQ+ influencers is so vital.
Provide Relatable Role Models
When you’re growing up, it’s important to have role models you can relate to. If a child or teenager is struggling with their sexuality, having an LGBTQ+ influencer—or influencers, in Karin and Skyler’s case—can be incredibly reassuring. They can see people like them who have succeeded in life and are accepted by the world.
For someone who’s unsure about who they are and where they’ll fit in, this can be life-changing, and in some cases, life-saving.
Give Real Advice
For those same people growing up and working out their sexuality, following LGBTQ+ influencers also gives them a place to go for real advice. If you have a question about coming out, for example, you can ask these influencers or watch their own stories. It’s an easy way to get advice that can sometimes be hard to ask.
But this goes beyond Karin and Skyler themselves. They have created a community of people who are either LGBTQ+ or accepting of those that are.
Raise Understanding
Influencers have a wide following of people from all backgrounds. By showing their lives as an LGBTQ+ couple, including some of the struggles they’ve faced over the years, Karin and Skyler are raising awareness about what it’s like to be something other than straight. Within some religious or traditional communities, this knowledge isn’t always easy to access.
A kind world starts with one that understands, and although it may seem small, these videos may play a part in helping us to get there.
Follow Karin and Skyler to Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about these two influencers, be sure to follow their YouTube and social media accounts. Trust me, you won’t regret it; Karin and Skyler are super loveable.
Who are your favorite LGBTQ+ influencers? Let me know below.
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