My new favorite pastime is watching female video essayists on YouTube. I watch videos that focus on feminism, media analysis/commentary, and fashion. As someone who loves to learn but doesn’t particularly love to read, this has seriously changed my life. There’s such an incredible range of knowledge out there on YouTube, and I’ve found videos discussing topics I’d never thought about before. Even when it comes to topics I thought I was well-versed in, these YouTubers have added much-needed nuance to my world. There are far too many incredible video essayists to name, but here are my favorites in no particular order.
1. Shanspeare
Shaniya, self-monikered “Shanspeare,” is undoubtedly one of the best YouTubers out there. She truly covers it all; her video topics range from fashion to analyses of popular media, deep dives into womanhood, and intersections between race and gender. In her video essays, she presents all-encompassing yet digestible analyses of the MOST interesting topics. In her video “linguistic discrimination and the pitfall of intelligence,” she shares that “I want my content to be accessible, because for a majority of my life, academia has been anything but… that’s why I make my videos fun, that’s why I make them digestible.” This is my favorite part of Shanspeare’s content; sometimes, I want to learn without the formalities of academia. Her videos are welcoming, approachable and I always appreciate her frequent jokes that break up the slew of information she provides.
“I’m not Shakespeare. I’m Shanspeare. The commentary I make is for the bimbos, himbos, and thembos.”
– Shanspeare
2. Mina Le
Mina Le is the queen of fashion history, costume analysis, and trend analysis. To give you an idea about her videos, allow me to share some of my favorite topics she’s covered. Mina has deep-dived into the history of corsets, teeth as a fashion statement, Barbie’s role in fashion over the years, and much more. She’s remarkedly talented at giving the full picture by starting far back in history. Learning about how fashion trends ever came to be and the ways they have changed over the years is the coolest thing ever, in my opinion. Mina truly brings her love for fashion everywhere she goes, even to the all-so-relatable Netflix binge night. She has analyzed the style and costumery in a range of shows, including Emily in Paris, Squid Game, Gossip Girl (2021), and Studio Ghibli films. On top of all of this incredible fashion analysis, Mina Le covers a range of other topics—gender-inclusive makeup, the femme fatale trope, and the phenomenon of anti-bathing wealthy celebrities. Mina may be one of the most unique video essayists on YouTube, and the quality of her videos can’t be put into words. If you love fashion and bingeing shows, you’ve found your niche with Mina Le.
3. Jordan theresa
Jordan Theresa is a lifestyle, commentary, and fashion YouTuber. Jordan Theresa’s videos often involve analyses of popular media, cultural trends and tropes, fashion, and advocacy for feminism. Some of my favorite videos from her are titled “the rise of bimbofication,” “is plastic surgery ‘feminist’?,” and “Pinterest aesthetics, fatphobia & whitewashing.” Jordan Theresa covers such an incredible range of topics, and I constantly find myself binge-watching her videos. She’s also recently begun a podcast titled The Jordan Theresa Podcast, which thus far has discussed grind culture, sexualization in HBO’s Euphoria, and the unusual nature of TikTok culture. I love to listen to her podcasts while taking walks, driving, or doing my makeup. Overall, she’s a witty, highly-intelligent, and entertaining creator; you won’t regret checking her out.
4. Madisyn Brown
Madisyn Brown focuses on cultural commentary; many of her videos discuss discourse regarding celebrities and the culture of musical genres. Madisyn also makes music, so she’s truly an expert on the subject. She also discusses a wide range of topics, including—but extending far beyond—influencer culture, the BBL trend, the over-sexualization of teenage girls, and TikTok’s “beauty confirmation” trend. Like all of my favorite video essayists, Madisyn’s range of topics keeps me endlessly engaged in her content. She presents her viewers with fascinating nuance on aspects of life we constantly encounter.
YouTube can be an incredible place to expand your horizons and learn a great deal about any topic. I hope that this brief list of incredible video essayists has inspired you to spend some of your screen time learning something new from these inspiring women.