Brooklynne Webb has taken the social media world by storm. She has one of the largest fan followings on TikTok, with over 739 million likes and more than 10 million followers, as well as on Instagram, with almost 430,000 followers. She's an outspoken advocate who champions the celebration of body positivity.
Webb has recently come out as a queer and talked about how proud she is to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community. In a TikTok explaining that she identifies as queer, she said she's not quite certain that any particular label suits her. "I'm going to love whoever I fall in love with," she said in her TikTok message.
Previously, Webb has shown support for our community by attending the Point Honors gala, which supports LGBTQ+ scholars, and GLAAD's Pride Eve celebration.
The multitalented Webb also made her mark on the world of music with her debut single, "My Crown," which was Inspired by her rise as a social media influencer, The song, which she co-wrote, also features the writing talents of rising pop artists Jillian Rossi, Alec Zeilon, and Frawley, who is known for penning hits for Dixie D'Amelio and Tate McRae.
The song has been streamed over 5 million times since its release. Following the single's success, Webb released the satirical collection My Crown: The Album, which debuted at number 7 on the Spotify charts and has been streamed over 7 million times.
The Advocate caught up with Webb, who shared her thoughts on coming out, body positivity and what it means to be a TikTok celebrity.
How do you describe what you do to those who are baffled by TikTok?
Describing what I do is typically easier by just showing it, but to boil it down, I am an artist and content creator. I do a lot centered around fashion, beauty, self-love, and whatever sometimes silly or satirical things I think of. TikTok is a wonderful thing because you can truly create whatever you are feeling in the moment!
Congrats on coming out! Can you describe the process you went through and what the reaction was to your announcement?
For me, I always had felt like I was queer. Growing up, I never felt very comfortable in school around extremely heteronormative people and would always gravitate towards others who identified as LGBTQ+. It wasn't until I came to L.A. that I felt like I truly came into my sexuality. I felt that I had to label myself, but at the same time, like I did not fit into a box. Thats when I realized I am just simply queer because I don't want to put myself in a box when everything is so fluid to me.
How valuable to you are your LGBTQ followers? And your opinions about the queer community?
My LGBTQ+ followers mean the world to me. It is such an honor to me when just one person from the community feels like my page is a safe space for them, because that's all I have ever wanted people to feel. Queer people have always made me feel like it is OK to stand out and be fearlessly authentic. I don't know where I would be without them.
What words of encouragement do you have for those of your generation who find it difficult to come out?
Coming out is something that no one should force you to do. It is deeply personal; you need to do it when you feel ready. Your sexuality is all about how you identify and what makes you comfortable. You cannot control how people will react, but you are always in control of how you feel about yourself. Coming out is so different for every single person, but I can promise there is a whole community that loves and supports you.
How do you think your announcement affected your fans?
My queerness has always been so rooted in who I am that I don't think it came as much of a surprise to my supporters. I feel as though a lot of them felt more seen and comfortable once I started posting more openly about it. Representation is important, and I try my hardest to make others not feel alone.
You've been so open about body positivity, so congrats on that! That is such an important issue. Can you describe why you've been so vocal about that and your unique reply to haters?
Being a young girl growing up on social media, I was constantly looking at all of these highly produced and edited images. I realized from a young age that this isn't reality and I shouldn't be comparing myself to something so unrealistic. From that I realized no one should compare themselves to others at all. We need to celebrate all types of beauty because no one should be treated with less respect or feel lesser about themselves because of how their body looks. Your value goes so much deeper than your looks, and haters online tend to project their insecurities onto others. I sometimes respond by just smiling and dancing in front of their mean comments because I am still happy with myself. Those words don't hold any power over me and never will.
What words of encouragement can you provide to those who are facing self-esteem issues because of what they don't like about their bodies?
It is hard because you tend to just hear people online saying "love yourself, you are so beautiful," but it's a lot harder than that. Remember that, like anything in life, it doesn't come easy and it's a journey. The beautiful thing about it is that you are in control. You can consume content online that uplifts you and follow positive influences. Remember that your value is in who you are and what you stand for, not a number on a scale.
You've been such an activist for online bullying. Why do you think there's so much hate? And how do we counteract it?
There's a lot of hate online because people are simply insecure, jealous, and bored. This hate will never go away. You can always try to keep your platform positive and inform others about the consequences of online bullying, but many people lack empathy online. Often creators aren't seen as real people because it's a parasocial relationship. The most important thing we can do to counteract it is educate about mental health so there are more resources to help others cope.
Who is your idol, and why?
My idols are definitely all of the strong and powerful women I surround myself with in my life. I have seen them overcome so many challenges, and it gives me the strength to have faith in myself that I will do the same.
There are bills in the U.S. floating around to ban TikTok. What are your thoughts about that? If TikTok was banned in your country, what would you do?
For me personally, I don't see a reason to ban TikTok at all. If it were to happen, it is completely out of my control, and I would probably continue my social media journey on a different platform. If I decided to quit social media, I would definitely do consulting and be a professional makeup artist.
Photo Credits:
Photographer: Dylan Lujano @dylanlujano
Hair: Mika Fowler @mikahairstylist
Makeup: Anton Khachaturian @antonmakeup
Stylist: Sophia Rahimi @spicysoph_
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