For comic and content material creator Scott Kress, humor isn’t only a type of leisure – it’s a pathway to authenticity.
With over 4 years of full-time content material creation beneath his belt and a rising digital viewers, Kress is rapidly changing into a standout voice in LGBTQ+ on-line areas. However his journey up to now, stuffed with viral comedy, self-discovery, and the arrogance to be unapologetically out, didn’t occur in a single day.
In a latest dialog with Gayety, Kress opened up about his evolution on-line, the gradual and generally unsure street to popping out, and why queer illustration in digital media isn’t simply vital – it’s important.
“I’ve been doing it full time for about 4 years,” Kress shared. “However two years earlier than that, I used to be making YouTube movies – very unsuccessfully, would possibly I add. They have been getting perhaps 10 views, lady.”
Every part modified when TikTok entered the image. Like many different creators, Kress discovered the platform to be fertile floor for constructing a devoted following. “Because of TikTok. Shout out TikTok. Love you, lady,” he stated with fun.
Within the early days, Kress was producing trend-based content material – humorous, sure, however not totally his personal. “I wasn’t actually doing my very own factor but,” he stated. “However the previous two years or so, I’ve been doing extra skits that I provide you with. I simply really feel like they relate to individuals much more. And the women prefer it extra – not simply traits.”
Kress’s humor, usually infused with LGBTQ+ themes and experiences, resonates with a group wanting to see itself represented within the content material they devour. However his queer identification wasn’t at all times entrance and middle.
“After I first began making content material, I truly wasn’t out but,” he admitted. “It was much more demure. I wasn’t speaking about as many specific issues as I do now. However now I’m on-line saying probably the most heinous issues – I’ll make a TikTok and I’m like, ‘we’re suckin’ dick,’ no matter it’s.”
Regardless of not deliberately making “content material for the gays,” Kress says his identification naturally shines by means of. “I feel it simply comes out regardless as a result of I’m speaking about relationships or no matter it’s, which in fact they’re going to narrate to.”
Popping out publicly, particularly as an web persona, got here with its personal set of challenges. “It took me some time to start out being me – even after I got here out,” he stated. “I wasn’t totally myself straight away.”
That transformation accelerated when he moved to Los Angeles and was embraced by a vibrant group of queer creators.
“A whole lot of my mates after I first moved out to LA have been all very open and proud and out,” he stated. “Making movies with them helped so much. It made me extra assured. It was a protracted journey, for positive.”
For somebody who grew up in Missouri – the place LGBTQ visibility was scarce-finding a queer group on-line and in actual life was a revelation.
“I used to be thrown into a gaggle of creators and 99% of them have been homosexual,” Kress stated. “I didn’t even notice there have been that many homosexual individuals out on this planet. I knew perhaps one homosexual individual again house. Immediately I used to be like, ‘OK, all people’s homosexual. I like this.’”
Whereas he didn’t have a single “aha second” that pushed him to return out, the general presence of assured, queer creators on-line performed a significant function. “Simply seeing them be authentically themselves actually helped,” he stated.
When it comes to inspiration for his comedic work, Kress turns to each actual life and the web’s countless effectively of absurdity. “TikTok, in fact. Immediately all people’s a comic. Individuals are so humorous these days,” he stated. “But in addition my mates. All of them are the funniest ever. Actual-life occasions, individuals on TikTok – all of it feeds into the comedy.”
When requested why LGBTQ+ illustration in on-line media issues a lot, Kress didn’t hesitate.
“If we didn’t have LGBTQ+ individuals, the web wouldn’t be close to as humorous as it’s proper now,” he joked. “However severely, it’s actually vital. If there weren’t quite a lot of homosexual creators, I feel I’d’ve taken so much longer to return out.”
By merely current on-line as his genuine self, Kress is aware of he’s enjoying an element in serving to others really feel seen-and that, he says, is the purpose.
“Simply displaying youngsters you can be out, nothing’s going to alter, you’re going to be okay – it’s so vital. I do know it helped me a lot.”
And with every video, Kress continues to pay it ahead, one completely timed punchline at a time.
