Natalie Wynn

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Natalie Wynn

Natalie Wynn (born October 21, 1988 ) is an American web video producer and operator of the YouTube channel ContraPoints . Her videos cover topics such as politics , gender and philosophy . The channel is intended to counter the argumentation of politically right- wing extremists and is said to have influence on the left YouTube subgenre of the video essay.

Life and career

Wynn grew up in Virginia . She attended Georgetown University in Washington, DC and studied philosophy . She then enrolled at Northwestern University in Illinois for a PhD in philosophy and was also a lecturer.

Wynn wrote novels, taught piano, worked in a law firm and as a copywriter.

Wynn is a transgender woman, which comes up a lot in her videos. Before she started gender reassignment measures in 2017 , she described herself as a “genderqueer”. Wynn is also a lesbian . She is a feminist and has also been referred to as a socialist .

YouTube career

In 2008, Wynn began posting YouTube videos, initially on religion and atheism. In 2016, she started the ContraPoints channel in response to the "Gamergate controversy" and the increasing spread of right-wing video productions on YouTube. She shifted the content of her videos to counter their arguments. Early ContraPoints videos also dealt with racism and online radicalization. In her videos, Wynn uses philosophy, sociology and personal experience to explain left-wing ideas and to criticize common conservative, right-wing and fascist talking points and arguments.

Her videos are known for elaborately designed sets and costumes as well as ironic humor. The video channel is financed through the crowdfunding platform Patreon .

reception

Wynn's videos were recognized for their clarity, nuance, and sense of humor. She has been described as "one of the most succinct and compelling video essayists on YouTube". The New York Magazine wrote: "Contra Points is very good. Regardless of whether the viewers are interested in Internet culture wars, YouTube Nazis or other wide-ranging topics in the videos or not, they are funny, bizarre, learned and convincing. "

The media often describe the YouTube channel as being suitable for millennials because of its humorous style and keen sense of online culture. Wynn's analysis of the fascists' use of memes and coded symbols was quoted by the Southern Poverty Law Center in an article explaining the right use of the OK sign.

In 2018, The New Yorker posted a profile on Wynn after their video on Incels was viewed more than a million times. In addition, Wynn has been described as "one of the few leftists who can be nuanced without looking boring." Polygon named her video on Incels one of the ten best video essays of 2018.

Wynn's use of Nazi symbolism was criticized in the Huffpost . Also used as a parody, it helps normalize these images. At the same time, Wynn's dealing with right-wing extremist arguments was also criticized.

Web links

Commons : Natalie Wynn  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Natalie Wynn: Alright, alright astrologers. October 21, 1988. 8:00 AM. Arlington, VA. Tell me about my soul. In: @ContraPoints. July 18, 2018, accessed August 7, 2019 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Jake Hall: ContraPoints Is the Opposite of the Internet . In: Vice UK , April 9, 2019. 
  3. ↑ a b c d e Jesse Singal: This YouTuber Is Figuring Out How to Counter the Alt-Right's Dominance of the Site (en) . In: New York Magazine , October 30, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2018. 
  4. ↑ a b Dan Schindel: The best video essays of 2018 . In: Polygon , December 28, 2018. 
  5. ^ Daniel Bergner: The Struggles of Rejecting the Gender Binary (en-US) . In: The New York Times , June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019. 
  6. ↑ Contra Points: Shame. In: YouTube. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
  7. ↑ a b c d Nathan J. Robinson: God Bless ContraPoints . In: Current Affairs , May 6, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018. 
  8. ^ Andrew Marantz: The Stylish Socialist Who Is Trying to Save YouTube from Alt-Right Domination (en-US) . In: The New Yorker , November 19, 2018. 
  9. ↑ Katherine Cross: The Oscar Wilde of YouTube fights the alt-right with decadence and seduction . In: The Verge , August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018. 
  10. ↑ NB: The transgender populist fighting fascists with face glitter . In: The Economist , December 20, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018. 
  11. ^ John Herrman: For the New Far Right, YouTube Has Become the New Talk Radio (en) . In: The New York Times Magazine , August 3, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2018. 
  12. ↑ Ezra Kronfeld: ContraPoints on YouTube, Social Justice, and Transphobic Feminists (en-US) . In: Out Front , May 8, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018. 
  13. ↑ a b David Neiwert : Is that an OK sign? A white power symbol? Or just a right-wing troll? (en) . In: Southern Poverty Law Center , September 18, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018. 
  14. ↑ a b Todd VanDerWerff: TV Club: YouTube's Contra Points and Hulu's Puppy Prep. . In: Slate , December 20, 2018. 
  15. ^ Elle Reeve: Meet the YouTube star who's de-radicalizing young, right-wing men. In: Vice News. March 14, 2019, accessed on August 7, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Clifton Mark: Contra Points Is Political Philosophy Made for YouTube (en-US) . In: The Atlantic , January 6, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019. 
  17. ^ Andrew Marantz: The Stylish Socialist Who Is Trying to Save YouTube from Alt-Right Domination (en-US) . In: The New Yorker , November 19, 2018. 
  18. ↑ Kelsie Jones: Dealing with anti-Trans Hate - Debate is Contra Indicated . Huffpost . November 28, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
personal data
SURNAME Wynn, Natalie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES ContraPoints, Natalie
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American web video producer and operator of the YouTube channel "ContraPoints'"
DATE OF BIRTH October 21, 1988